42

IF YOU COULD TASTE THE BLUESTheyd taste like

barbecue. Illustrations by Sam Cangelosi

Barbecue and the blues are branches of the same tree, tributaries of the same river, brothers of the same mother. Born of African slaves in the American South, the blues

and barbecue originated as practical solutions to everyday problems. When all youve got is heartache and despair, you make a song out of it, and somehow you can not only bear the pain, you can transcend it. When all youve got is a tough ol piece of meat, you cook it low and slow, and somehow you get something better than edible, you get

something sublime.

Americas various regional blues traditions can be defined by roughly the same geographic boundaries as the nations distinct barbecue regions, which is surely no coincidence.

Lets explore.

43

The DeltaThe Mississippi Delta stretches from

Memphis in the north to Vicksburg,

Mississippi, in the south, from

the Yazoo River on the east to the

Mississippi River on the west. This

fertile bottomland gave rise to the

Delta Blues; the earliest, most primitive,

blues form. Delta Blues emphasize solo

performances over ensemble work.

Its primary instruments are acoustic

guitar, slide steel guitar and harmonica.

Its style is passionate, intimate,

introspective, confessional, often

haunting, and sometimes humorous.

Delta Blues giants include Robert Johnson, John Lee Hooker,

Muddy Waters, and Son House. In Memphis, B.B. King rules.

The primary barbecue tradition in the Delta is Memphis-style ribs wet

or dry. Dry ribs are rubbed with seasonings, cooked over hardwood coals,

then dusted with more dry rub just before serving. Wet ribs are rubbed with

seasonings, cooked over hardwood

coals, then mopped with sauce just

before serving. The debate among

locals over which style is best is also

passionate and humorous.

GO HERE: Legend has it that

bluesman Robert Johnson sold

his soul to the devil at the

crossroads where Highway 49

intersects with Route 61. This

also happens to be the present-

day location of the legendary

Abes BBQ, at 616 State St.,

Clarksdale, MS. They make

sinfully good barbecue.

www.abesbbq.com.

44

The PiedmontThe Piedmont region of the United States is

bounded on the east by the Atlantic Coastal

Plain and on the west by the eastern face

of Appalachian Mountain Range; stretching

from New Jersey in the north, extending

through the Carolinas, to central Alabama in

the south.

Piedmont Blues are characterized by a

syncopated fingerpicking style in which the

melody is played on the treble strings while

an alternating thumb pattern plucks out the

bass line. Piedmont Blues are mostly performed on acoustic guitar.

BLUE NOTE: Piedmont Blues artists include Robert BBQ Bob

Hicks, Blind Willie McTell, Rev. Gary Davis, and Josh White.

The Carolinas are the birthplace of American barbecue and its all pig, all

the time. Eastern Carolina barbecue is typically chopped pork from whole

hogs cooked over hardwood coals. The traditional eastern Carolina sauce is

vinegar, water, salt, black pepper and finely ground and crushed red pepper.

In the western Carolinas, barbecue is traditionally pork shoulder, chopped

or pulled (into chunks or shreds). Western Carolina barbecue sauce is called

dip, and is sweeter than its eastern cousin, inasmuch as it includes white

or brown sugar and frequently ketchup. Both styles of Carolina barbecue

are frequently ordered on sandwiches topped with coleslaw. (Thus, the

Carolina Style sandwich on Oklahoma Joes menu.)

In the far southern part of the Piedmont, Alabamas barbecue tradition

includes a unique white barbecue sauce, which is mayonnaise-based and

heavy with black pepper.

GO HERE: Southern culinary scholar, New York Times columnist,

author, and TV personality, John T Edge, recommends Scott's

BBQ in Hemingway, South Carolina. Its just off Cow Head Road,

where Rodney Scott chops his own wood, cooks his pigs for the

better part of a day, and drenches those beasts with a vinegar-

soaked mop. www.thescottsbbq.com.

45

Texas If Kansas City put a jump in the blues, then Texas put a swing in them.

Texas Blues are rooted in the Lone Star States plenitude of early Twentieth

Century juke-joints and roadhouses. They evolved from both country blues

traditions and the regional swing bands of the Twenties and Thirties. After

World War II, Texas Blues electrified themselves, and a lead guitar-driven

style emerged, featuring jazz-influenced, improvised, single-string solos

which are at least as important,

if not more so, in performances

and recordings than are vocals.

BLUE NOTE: Texas

Bluesmen include

T-Bone Walker, Clarence

Gatemouth Brown, Bobbie

Blue Bland, ZZ Top, and

Stevie Ray Vaughan.

Not surprisingly, given its

Cattle Country identity, Texas

barbecue is beef-centric

almost exclusively brisket

though there is a strong

sausage tradition arising from

communities of German and

eastern European immigrants

who settled in East Texas in the

early Twentieth Century. For

the most part, Texas pitmasters

like to let the smoke do the talking. They are minimalists when it comes to

seasonings and largely reject sauce as unnecessary or even detrimental.

GO HERE: Robb Walsh is Texas best food writer and scholar.

On his popular blog, Texas Eats (www.robbwalsh.com), Robb

singles out Gils Bar-B-Que Shack, in Fayetteville, Texas, mid-way

between Houston and Austin off Highway 71, as an exceptional

and uniquely Texas barbecue experience. Gils is open only

on Saturday and Sunday and specializes in homemade Czech

sausage and brisket.

46

ChicagoChicago is the only region of the United

States north of the Mason-Dixon Line

with a significant blues tradition.

And significant it is. Some of the most

important blues performers

and performances of the last

fifty years have come out of

the Windy City. Chicago Blues

started out as Delta Blues on steroids. Like

the Delta Blues, Chicago Blues are guitar-

driven with a heavy dose of harmonica,

only louder; amplified, electrified, and

intensified. Also characterized by a

muscular rolling bass, Chicago Blues have evolved over the last few decades,

to incorporate soulful, improvised, single-string lead guitar solos.

BLUE NOTE: Chicago Blues greats include Howlin Wolf, Sonny

Boy Williamson, Luther Allison, Junior Wells, Koko Taylor, and

Buddy Guy.

There are no American cities or regions outside of the South (or its orbit)

with authentic barbecue traditions. (Though Missouri was not part of the

Confederacy, it was a slave state and a political/cultural cousin to Old

Dixie. Kansas Citys barbecue tradition can be traced directly to the Deep

South and to Texas.) Historically, Chicago has not generally been known as

a barbecue town. However, it is home to some mighty fine rib joints, and

over the last few decades a Chicago-style barbecue has begun to emerge.

The signature item on the Chicago barbecue menu is rib tips with fries;

consisting of the tasty (cartilage-filled) trimmings left over when making St.

Louis-style ribs, served on a bed of French fries, covered in barbecue sauce.

GO HERE: Chicago native, TV personality, and celebrity barbecue

cookbook author Ray Lampe (see page 19) recommends Smoque,

at 3800 N Pulaski. I think its Chicagos best barbeque joint.

www.smoquebbq.com.

47

Kansas CityNeither barbecue nor the blues were born in Kansas

City. But once they got here, we perfected them. We

put a jump and a shout in the blues and we put a

crunchy smoky burnt end on our barbecue

Jump Blues is an up-tempo, jazz-inflected blues form

that first emerged among horn-driven swing bands

in the mid- to late Forties. Jump Blues typically

feature a powerhouse vocalist, a hard-driving rhythm section, and honking

tenor sax solos. Jump Blues is a direct ancestor perhaps even the daddy

of rock n roll.

The two most famous and important pioneers of the Jump Blues were

Kansas Citys own Count Basie and Big Joe Turner. Count Basies One

OClock Jump was the first hit record in the Jump Blues genre. Big Joe

Turner a seminal figure in American popular music whose role in the

birth of rock n roll has never been fully acknowledged and appreciated

was a huge and direct influence on rock n roll giants James Brown, Little

Richard, Bill Haley and the Comets, Fats Domino, and Bo Diddley, whose

impact on subsequent generations of performers is incalculable.

BLUE NOTE: Practitioners of Jump Blues include Count Basie, Jay

McShann, Louis Jordan, Pinetop Perkins, and Big Joe Turner.

All of Americas original barbecue traditions migrated to Kansas City after

the Civil War, and in the early Twentieth Century. They each found a second

home here and flourished. To these traditions,

Kansas City added its own burnt ends and

sweetish tomato-based sauces and in so doing

became the Barbecue Capital of The World.

GO HERE: Truth is, Jump Blues arent played

much around these parts anymore. But for

a great all-around Kansas City barbecue and

blues experience we highly recommend

B.B.s Lawnside BBQ, 1205 E. 85th Street.

www.bbslawnsidebbq.com.

48

TEST YOUR KC BBQ IQA Kansas City and Barbecue-Themed Crossword for Your Puzzling Pleasure

1 2 3 4 5

6

7 8 9 10

11

12 13 14

15

16

17

18 19

20 21

22

23 24

25 26 27

28

29

30 31 32

33 34 35 36

37

38

39

Answers to this puzzle will be posted on the

Oklahoma Joes website and Facebook page.

49

Across1. Slab

4. Originally known as the Dallas Texans, in the American Football League

7. Jack Stack

10. Standing at the corner of 12th Street and _______.

11. BBQ joint home of pink pig on Southwest Boulevard

12. KC Blues wailer, Big Joe _________

13. Home city of original Oklahoma Joe's (abbrev.)

15. Second topper on the Z-Man

16. Barbecue Capital of the World

17. Pork cut smoked for barbecue

18. Award-winning brand of sauces and rubs, including "Night of the Living Bar-B-Q"

21. First topper on the Z-Man

22. Kansas City's premier coffee bean roaster

23. Big state known for brisket and sausage barbecue

26. Abbreviation for Kansas City's food

28. Joes favorite music

30. Mr. Gates

32. Charlie Finleys team, before the Royals came to town

33. Anthony___________, who named Oklahoma Joe's "One of Thirteen Places to Eat Before You Die"

36. City known for ribs

37. Youll probably have to stand in one at Oklahoma Joe's

38. Oklahoma Joe's-based championship barbecue team (and Vonnegut novel)

39. Beef cut smoked for barbecue

Down2. Gas sold at Joe's KCK joint

3. Oklahoma Joe's famous sandwich

5. Proprietors Jeff & Joy

6. State known for vinegar sauce and chopped pork barbecue

8. Spicy slaw on top of pulled pork

9. Arthur ___________, whose world famous joint is at 17th & Brooklyn

14. Sausage maker on Strawberry Hill

17. "Man vs. Food's" Adam Richman's "meat s'mores"

19. Home city of Oklahoma Joe's second restaurant

20. Kansas City barbecue and hot sauce maker

21. Henry _______, owned Kansas City's first barbecue enterprise

22. Dry mix of spices applied to meat to make barbecue

24. Spicy, sweet, tomatoey

25. Brewer of Bully Porter

27. Bestselling barbecue sauce in grocery stores

29. Boulevard's Wheat Beer

31. Kansas Citys Negro League baseball champs

33. Legendary leader of Kansas City big band

34. American ___________, world's biggest, baddest, barbecue contest

35. Magically turns meat into barbecue

410410

For three generations the Krizman

family has been handcrafting the finest

Old World-style bratwurst, knockwurst,

kobasa, Croatian blood sausage, salami,

and summer sausage, all from its tiny

plant at 6th and Elizabeth in KCK. And,

for years, many of the citys top barbecue

restaurants, including Oklahoma Joes,

have teamed up with Krizmans to create

unique sausages for their respective establishments. The Krizman House

of Sausage was doing the artisanal thing decades before anyone had even

heard the word artisanal.

Joe Krizman Sr., the familys patriarch, emigrated to the United States from

Croatia in 1914. He settled in the Strawberry Hill district and took a job in

one of Kansas Citys thriving meat packing plants in the West Bottoms, as

did hundreds of Croatian and Serbian immigrants in the early years of the

twentieth century. In 1939, Joe and his cousin, Matt Grisnik, opened a small

grocery store on The Hill. Joe made sausage by hand for the stores meat case

and the Krizman familys reputation was soon established.

It continues to this day. Joe Krizman III (pictured above), grandson of the

original Joe, runs the place now. We recently sat down in the cluttered back

room that serves as the House of Sausages office to talk with Joe about his

familys recipe for familys success.

Well, its a seventy-two year old recipe, Joe said. Thats how long weve

been making sausage. And thats also how old our recipe for Polish sausage

is seventy-two years. That was our first product and it hasnt changed in

all these years. Sausage is the only thing we do. All our creativity, energy,

and commitment to quality, is focused on crafting the best possible product.

Theres a lot of artistry and craftsmanship in making our sausage. The

other important reason weve been successful is our relationship with our

customers and our community. Strawberry Hill is an integral part of our

identity. Folks here have been buying from us for generations. They get their

sausage from us for all their family special occasions and holidays. We know

them by name. Thats what its all about. Relationships.

The Best Wurst.

411

1largewholeheadpickledcabbage(ThesesauerheadsmaybepurchasedatKrizmansHouseofSausagewheretheyaremadeweekly.)

OnepoundgroundchuckOnepoundgroundporkcuprice(Donotuseminute-stylerice.)

1/2cupchoppedonion1/4cupFantbrandseasoningmix(forsarmu)*

3/4tspofVegetabrandseasoningmix*

1/2tspfreshlygroundblackpepper

1/2tspgarlicpowder1/2tsppaprika1/2tspkoshersalt1/2tspfreshgroundpepper4cupsbeefstock4oz.tomatopurestirredintostock

Combinemeat,rice,onion,andseasoningsinamixingbowl,Seasonwithsaltandpepper.Setaside.

Removestemandcorefromthecabbagehead.Removetheouterleavesandrinsewithcoldwater.Letdryonpapertowel.

Formegg-shapedmeatballusingabout1/3cupofmeatmixtureforeach.Placeeachmeatballonthethickendofacabbageleafandrollitupburrito-style.Skewerwithatoothpicktokeepitwrapped,ifnecessary.Repeatuntilallthemeatballsarewrappedandrolled.

Shredorchoptheremainingcabbage.Spoonhalfofthiscabbageintothebottomofalargeroastingpan.Placethecabbagerolls(sarma)ontopoftheshredded/choppedcabbage.Coverwiththeremainingshredded/choppedcabbage.

Coversarmawithbeefstockwithaddedtomatopure.Coverpanandbringtoaboil.Reduceheatandsimmer1-to2hours.

YIELD:16-17cabbagerolls

*FantandVegetaseasoningsmaybepurchasedatspecialtyfoodmarketsthatcarryEasternEuropeanandMediterraneangroceries,suchasEuropeanDelightsat95th&Antioch,andMediterraneanMarketat75th&MetcalfinOverlandPark.LjubitzabuyshersattheStopNGoconveniencestoreat7th&CentralinKCK.

The Best Wurst. Sarma JoeKrizmanwaskindenoughtosharethisrecipeforsarmaEasternEuropeancabbagerollswhichcomesfromLjubitzaMaracic,aBosnianemployeeattheHouseofSausage.Ljubitzaisanawesomecook,Joesays.

411

412

Ancient Asian design. High-tech American product.

In advance of his return home from the Korean War, a young soldier sent

a letter to his family in Kansas City with instructions regarding his arrival.

Specifically, he wanted his new Corvette Stingray waiting for him at the

airport, and in the passengers seat he wanted not his girlfriend or his

loyal dog, but his beloved Korean ceramic barbecue cooker, which hed

had shipped home ahead of him.

This kind of devotion may leave some mystified. But its a barbecue thing.

Kansas Citians understand.

For millennia, humans on every continent and in every culture have used

earthen vessels for cooking. In southern Japan, the mushikamado, a round

clay pot with a removable domed lid has been used for centuries to steam

rice for ceremonial occasions. Over time, these pots evolved to include a

damper and draft door for better heat control, and charcoal replaced

wood as the primary fuel source. This ancient design now serves

as the template for modern barbecue cookers made in America,

manufactured with Space Age ceramics.

The best of these is the Big Green Egg. Made

in Georgia, these cookers are as simple and

elegant as they are efficient, versatile, and

durable. The high-tech ceramic holds heat incredibly

well, optimizing temperature control, and greatly enhancing

moisture retention. The Big Green Eggs ability to maintain a

consistent internal temp also makes it an ideal year-round all-

weather cooker.

Dan Hathaway, manager of the Kansas City BBQ Store, is a big fan of

the Green Egg. Its not only the most unique looking smoker we sell

it is also one of the most versatile. We have cooked everything from

burgers to sourdough bread on the thing and it has come through

every time. The amount of air that moves around inside the cooker

makes it easy to control temperature and allows for a moist

flavorful finished product.

Big Green Egg

Dr. BBQs Kansas City

Barbecue Sauce 2tablespoonsbutter1mediumonion,choppedfineOne12-ouncecanofbeer1cupbrownsugar1cupketchup1/2cupcidervinegar1teaspoonceleryseed1teaspoonhotsauce1teaspoonsalt

Yield:About21/2cups

Heatthebutterinamediumsaucepan,addtheonion,andsautovermediumheat,stirringoften,untiltheonionissoft,aboutfourminutes.

Addtherestoftheingredientsandbringtoaboil.Reducetoasimmerandcookuncovered,stirringoccasionally,forabout20minutes,untilthickened.

FromDr.BBQsBigTimeBarbecueRoadTrip,byRayLampe(St.MartinsPress,2007)

The Kansas City BBQ Store has a

complete inventory of Big Green

Egg cookers and accessories. Stop

in to take a look and to chat with

our experienced staff about these

fine products.

www.thekansascitybbqstore.com

Ray Dr. BBQ Lampe is Big Green Eggs ambassador to the barbecue world. (See interview on page 19.) Rays bigger-than-life persona and out-of-this world cooking skills have made him a bona fide barbecue celebrity. Heres a tasty recipe from one of his many cookbooks.

413

414414

Pork ribs are a sacred part of the Holy Trinity of Barbecue, together with

brisket and pulled pork. In some parts of the country, ribs and barbecue are

practically synonymous. Yet some folks, even here in Kansas City, dont know

their long-ends from their short-ends. Heres a pork rib primer:

There are two basic styles of pork ribs commonly sold in restaurants and

grocery stores; spareribs and loin back ribs. So-called country style ribs are

not really ribs. These are actually split pork chops from the blade end of the

loin, or from the shoulder closest to the loin.

However you cut em, pork ribs have taste to spare!

415415

Spareribs come from belly-side of the hogs rib cage. Loin back ribs as the

name implies come from the top of the rib cage, where the ribs connect

to the backbone. Spareribs are meatier than loin backs, though not as tender.

Spareribs are also fattier than loin backs and therefore more flavorful. A slab

of spareribs may weigh from 2-5 pounds. Loin backs will typically weigh less

than 2- pounds.

The terms loin back ribs and baby

back ribs are often used interchangeably.

However, according to pork industry

specifications, baby back ribs are loin

backs weighing less than 1- pounds per

slab. Loin back ribs are very tender, but

because they are leaner and not as meaty,

they are less flavorful than spareribs.

Spareribs are typically marketed in two

primary cuts or styles; whole and St.

Louis-style. Whole spareribs will include

part of the hogs sternum (breast bone)

still attached, as well as a strip of meat

and cartilage along the belly-side edge of

the slab. There is usually a small flap of

meat called the skirt attached to

the bone side of the slab.

St. Louis-style ribs are cut from spareribs

to create a more uniform, rectangular-

shaped slab. Consistency in both size

and weight is important in a restaurant

setting.

However you cut em, pork ribs have taste to spare!

416

In the seventeen years since he arrived here

to take the helm at the American Restaurant,

chef Michael Smith has raised the standard

by which dining is defined in Kansas City. His

straightforward, yet innovative, approach to food

is refreshingly unpretentious. His two restaurants,

Extra Virgin and (namesake) Michael Smith, are

appropriately located at 19th & Main among the

galleries in the Crossroads Art District.

Michael frequently travels to South America in

search of new tastes, and graciously shared this

wonderful recipe with us. Its perfect with ribs,

and also with pork loin, and pork chops. It is,

however, something of an ingredient-hunting challenge, which Oklahoma

Joes owner, Jeff Stehney, gladly accepted. A few of these items had to be

ordered online, Jeff says. But the end result was totally worth it. It was

fabulous rich, complex, and memorable. You just have to plan ahead and

allow time for the ingredients to arrive in the mail.

To prepare St. Louis-style ribs, the butcher or pitmaster will cut through

the costal cartilage (see diagram) along the belly-side edge of the ribs. The

trimmings removed in this process are sometimes called rib tips, which

may be cooked separately, and are sometimes featured on barbecue

restaurant menus. The skirt flap is also removed.

For more about pork ribs visit www.virtualweberbullet.com, which was used

as a source for this article.

Oklahoma Joes has recently begun serving St. Louis-style ribs

in its restaurants. This switch from traditional spareribs will

provide our customers with a more consistent product. Youll

find our St. Louis-style ribs to be meatier, and more flavorful. The

only problem with these new ribs is the name. St. Louis? Really?

Everybody knows that St. Louis doesnt have any good barbecue!

Chef's Corner

Sauteeonionsandgarlicinalargesouppotwiththevegetableoil.Cookuntilcaramelized.Combineallremainingingredientswiththeonion/garlicmixtureandbringtoaboil.Reducetoasimmerandcookforthreehoursoverlowheat.Removefromheat.Allowmixturetocooljustabit.Removecinnamonstick.Whilestillwarm,puremixtureinblender,untilsmooth.Adjusttheacidlevelwithapplecidervinegariftheglazeistoosweet.Seasonwithsaltandpepper.Brushonribs30minutesbeforetheyrefinishedcooking.

www.michaelsmithkc.com www.extravirginkc.com

41/2teaspoonsvegetableoil1/2yellowonion,finelychopped

1tablespoonfreshgarlic,minced

3anchochilies,toasted,stemsremoved

4cupsketchupOne16ouncecanguavamarmalade(Thisproductisnotlikethesweetenedjam-likemarmaladespreadusedontoastorbagels.Itsmorelikeapure.JeffusedConchitabrand,whichheorderedonAmazon.com.)

16ouncesguavajuice1/2cupajiAmarillopaste(Peruvianyellowchilipaste.)(Alsomaybe

purchasedonAmazon.com)11/2teaspoonachiotepaste(MaybepurchasedintheHispanicfoodsectioninmanyareagrocerystores)

4teaspoonsfreshlygroundcoffeebeans(usefinestgrindsettingonyourcoffeegrinder)

1bunchcilantro,stemsincluded

Freshlysqueezedjuicefromtwooranges

Freshlysqueezedjuicefromonelime

3/4teaspoongroundcumin1/2stickcinnamon1/4teaspoondriedleaforegano

1Serranochili

417

Michael Smiths Guava Barbecue Sauce (gentlyadaptedbyJeffStehney)

418

NAME: Jeremy

AGE: 33

POSITION: Kitchen Manager, Oklahoma Joes, Olathe, Kansas

TENURE: Three years

Barbecue is simple food. But dont mistake simple for simplistic. And though

one of the things that makes Kansas City such a cool place to live is that it

is populated with tens of thousands of excellent amateur barbecue cooks,

we here at Oklahoma Joes care too much about our barbecue to leave it to

amateurs. Thats why weve hired some of Kansas Citys finest professional

chefs to prepare our food and supervise our cooking staff. One of those

professionals in Jeremy Tawney, Kitchen Manager at our Olathe restaurant.

Most of Jeremys thirteen years of professional experience have been in fine

dining restaurants. Ive had the opportunity of working with several award

winning chefs from around the world, Jeremy says. Food is my passion. I

love to cook. It allows me to use my creative and artistic talents in the work

place.

Jeremys passion for food is perhaps matched only by his love of the

outdoors. His ancestors arrived in Kansas territory as homesteaders in the

mid-1800s, and he was raised on the family farm, where he still spends much

of his free time working with his father and nephews. The farm is also where

Mr. Tawney acquired his work ethic, which he applies to his supervision of

the restaurants kitchen staff.

The secret to a smooth running kitchen is no secret at all, he says. It takes

dedication and discipline. Every employee is trained and taught to respect

the food, the customers, and the team they are a part of.

Wanna work at Oklahoma Joes? Drop us a line at jobs@oklahomajoesbbq.com and

tell us a bit about yourself. Well get back to you.

Someone's in the Kitchen

Meet Jeremy Tawney

419

Ray Lampe is probably the most recognized barbecue cook in the world. Since he

left his job as a truck driver in Chicago eleven

years ago to become a full-time barbecue man, he

and his trademark white crewcut and goatee have been featured in scores

of magazine and newspaper articles, and appeared on dozens of television

shows, including several Food Network programs. Ray has authored five

popular cookbooks and has served as Executive Chef at Justin Timberlakes

New York restaurant; Southern Hospitality BBQ. We caught up with Ray in

between gigs for a little Q&A.

Q: You used to be a truck driver in Chicago, right? Now youre a celebrated barbecue cook, TV personality, and cookbook author. Howd you get here from there?

A: The trucking thing had just run its course, but luckily I found myself at

a point in my life where I could roll the dice for my next career. And since

the only other thing I knew how to do was cook barbecue it was an easy

decision. I moved to Florida and began selling food out of a trailer at a

produce stand. The real break came when that enterprise failed and I had to

find a better path. I hit the road teaching barbecue classes and promoting

products. Then came a book deal and the rest is history.

Your cookbooks reflect a great love and respect for Americas barbecue traditions. What makes barbecue so special?

For me the history and lore of barbecue usually outweigh the actual food.

The cooking is the magic and the food is just the by-product. The stories and

characters are endless. Every town I go to has at least one old barbecue man

with a story and they are revered more than the finest chefs.

Youve cooked on all kinds of barbecue equipment, but you seem to have settled on the Big Green Egg. Tell us about the BGE and why you like it.

My favorite thing about the Big Green Egg is its versatility. Its a great steak

and burger grill, a great smoker for butts and briskets, and a great pizza

oven. Some grills can smoke and some smokers can grill, but nothing other

than the Egg can do all of these things with such a high level of excellence.

If you have an Egg on your deck you dont need anything else. Oh yeah, the

food tastes really great off of it too!

BBQ&A

An occasional publication of recipes, music, lore, useless information, shameless self promotion and questionable advice, from the good folks at

Oklahoma Joes BBQ of Kansas City and Olathe, Kansas.

Pigs RuleAmericas first barbecue:A pulled pork primer

1no.

smoky crunchy bits of Kansas City barbecue

burnT EndsburnT Ends

BURNT ENDS was created, written, and edited by

Doug Worgul, Oklahoma Joes Writer-in-Residence,www.dougworgul.com

AND Kelly Ludwig, Queen O Design, www.ludwig-design.com.

Be our friend and fan on

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Jeff and Joy Stehney,

Owners & Proprietors

Steve Querrey,

Director of Operations

2 LOCATIONS 47th & MISSION

3002 West 47th Ave.

Kansas City, Kansas 66103

913-722-3366

Monday-Thursday: 11 am - 8:30 pm

Friday & Saturday: 11 am 9:30 pm

Closed Sundays

OLATHE

11950 S. Strang Line Road

Olathe, Kansas 66062

913-782-6858

Monday-Thursday: 11 am - 9 pm

Friday & Saturday: 11 am 10 pm

Closed Sundays

WWW.OKLAHOMAJOESBBQ.COM