Traditionally, with summer comes thoughts of barbecue (or barbeque or BBQ per your preference). But in Missouri, grilling and smoking is ever-present. In this article, writer Suzanne Corbett explains why, no matter what side of the state you’re on, they are “Crazy for MO Cue”! 

Keep this article handy on Pinterest to plan your Missouri BBQ trip.

Satisfying cravings has driven the barbecue faithful to hit the road and follow the smoke along Interstate 70 across Missouri to experience two-thirds of the newly dubbed Barbecue Triangle (St. Louis, Kansas City and Memphis). Destinations whose pit histories, iconic rib joints and festivals that have made Missouri a must stop for serious competition pit masters and barbecue crazed carnivores.

The decor in Sugarfire Smoke House in St. Louis, lets you know for sure that sauce is taken very seriously. Photo by Suzanne Corbett.

The St. Louis BBQ and the Kansas City Barbecue Societies officially sanction hundreds of competitions while collectively promoting barbecue as an American culinary art. Both spotlight amateur and professional barbecuing teams while embracing local smokehouses and legendary pit shacks that define each city’s style, revolving around meat cuts, wood and sauce.

Pork steaks, a St. Louis original barbecue meat, cut from pork butts, is traditionally grilled and slathered in sauce. Photo by Suzanne Corbett.

East Side, West Side Barbecue in Missouri

We all know barbecue has its regional differences. In Missouri those differences depends what side of the state you’re on. On Missouri’s east side, St. Louis was once known for its quick char-grilled meats soaked in sauce. Today not so much – covered smokers have replaced the 1950s style open grill – however, the affection for sauce remains. Fact is more barbecue sauce is consumed in St. Louis than in any other U.S. city.

Why so much sauce?  Blame it on the pork steak, a St. Louis specialty cut from the Boston Butt/ pork shoulder, a tougher cut that requires slow cooking. Since it was a tough cut pork steaks were cheap, which made them the preferred center of the plate at countless patio barbecues. To tenderize them backyard grill chefs would transfer their grilled pork steaks into a simmer bath of sauce place in a pan on the back of the grill. Thus began St. Louis’ love of sauce.

Sauce aside Pappy’s Smokehouse owner Mike Emerson has summed up St. Louis style barbecue as a highbred cross between KC and Memphis. A combination of dry-rubbed and slow smoking using primarily hickory or fruitwoods that’s generally finished with a slightly sweet tomato based sauce.

For a sweeter, smokier flavor travel I-70 west to Kansas City, which proudly describes itself as barbecue’s melting pot, the city where regional cue styles collide. “If it moves they’ll cook it” is the KC’s competitive barbecue chef’s cry. Kansas City is renown for barbecuing everything from pork to poultry, wild game to fish. But the pride of the KC pit is beef brisket; a favored meat that links it to the days when KC was a railhead for cattle being shipped to eastern markets. Beef brisket yields the city’s most famous charred delicacy, burnt ends.

The pride of Kansas City, Burnt Ends, served up by Q39. It’s signature, the Burnt End Burger. Photo by Suzanne Corbett.

Hungry for more? See what there is to do in St. Louis.

Just roll down the windows and drive around KC. You’ll soon pick up the smell of sweet smoke wafting from the pit shacks and smokers that dot the neighborhoods. Depending on where you are and who’s stoking the fire will determine the kind of smoke you’ll smell. At Arthur Bryant’s, considered Kansas City’s grandfather of barbecue, the wood used is hickory. Hickory smoke permeates thousands of pounds of pork, beef, chicken, sausage and ribs that Bryan sauces with its homemade sauce. A thinner, spicier sauce than KC’s signature thick, sweet, tomato based sauce but the original customers crave.

First timers to Kansas City in search of local cue often find it tough to decide where to begin. Many opt to take organized barbecue tours. KC Barbecue Tours are broken into themes such as the riblet tour or the originals, classics shops in great barbecue neighborhoods as the 18^th and Vine historic district, home of Arthur Bryant’s, the granddaddy of KC barbecue joints.

Arthur Bryant’s is the granddaddy of Kansas City Barbecue. Photo credit, VisitKC.

Festival Competitions for Barbecue

Barbecue festivals along the Triangle have become as much a part of summer as July Fourth fireworks. St. Louis and Kansas City Barbecue Societies sanction dozens of competitions during the year. The year’s competitions culminate with the Wildwood BBQ Bash in St. Louis and The American Royal, considered the World Series of BBQ in Kansas City.

During The Bash over a hundred restaurant and ammeter pit masters compete in the finale of the Budweiser BBQ Series. Stakes are huge and hopes are high for the overall winner gets their ticket punched to compete at the American Royal.

The American Royal began (and remains) as a livestock show and rodeo in 1899 in a modest tent at the Kansas City Stock Yards. Overseen by the Kansas City BBQ Society, The American Royal’s barbecue competition originally began on a restaurant’s parking lot in 1980 before it became part of the Royal’s festivities. In 2015 the competition outgrew the American Royal’s West Bottoms facilities and was moved to Arrowhead Stadium in order to accommodate the 600-plus national and international barbecue competing teams.

Last-minute adjustments for a competing team at the American Royal competition. Photo courtesy VisitKC.

The Kansas City Barbecue (www.kcbs.us) and St Louis BBQ Societies (stlouisbbqsociety.com) provides a compete list of official sanctioned contests and events, including judging classes. Anyone can become a certified barbecue judge and join the fun after successfully completing the daylong class. For more information on Missouri’s barbecue festivals and competitions along with a list of roadside smoke shanks and rib joints explore Missouri Tourism’s barbecue link at www.visitmo.com.