| Barbeque, in the southern and Midwest parts of the | | | | from something lathered with barbeque sauce and put |
| United States, consists of slow-cooking meat over | | | | in the oven for a few hours. In Missouri, there are not |
| indirect heat. Chicken, beef, pork, sausage, ham, and | | | | one, but two predominant styles of barbeque, both of |
| ribs can all be barbequed - even mutton is sometimes | | | | which favor beef, which is not surprising given the |
| barbequed, at least in Kentucky. With so many ways | | | | history of both Kansas City and St. Louis as "cattle |
| to make so many dishes, the perfect way to make | | | | towns." They share a tomato-based sauce that is |
| barbequed meat can be a regional "bone" of | | | | added after cooking, and can be replicated by mixing |
| contention. In Memphis, Tennessee, barbeque is almost | | | | ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, and Worcestershire |
| a religion. Barbeque ribs - most often pork, are cooked | | | | sauce. Interestingly, Missouri's Ozarks are the source |
| for long hours, until the meat is so tender that it is | | | | of almost half of the charcoal briquettes produced in |
| ready to fall off the bone. The city bills itself as the | | | | the United States. |
| pork barbeque capital of the world, and has over one | | | | Kansas City, like Memphis, has a large number of |
| hundred barbeque restraints to back up that claim, | | | | barbeque restaurants and hosts several annual |
| many of whom participate in the annual pork cook off | | | | competitions. However, it is particularly famous for its |
| that is listen the Guinness Book of World Records as | | | | sauces, which are thick, rich, tangy, and spicy. The |
| the largest pork barbeque contest anywhere. The | | | | sauce is based on during the last few moments of |
| contest, part of the celebration called "Memphis in | | | | cooking, and more can be added thereafter. Dry rub, |
| May", draws some 90,000 cooks and spectators. | | | | too, is common on Kansas City style barbeque. In St. |
| Competitors come from fifty smaller cook offs | | | | Louis style barbeque, ribs are the flagship dish. These |
| sponsored by the main contest. It even runs a series | | | | famous spare ribs are a rack of ribs with the chine |
| of training seminars for potential barbeque judges. | | | | bone and brisket bone removed. They are cooked |
| Good barbeque, they say, is all about being tender, | | | | with a sauce that is less vinegary, tangier and thinner |
| without being too mushy, and being smoky, without | | | | than its cross-state equivalent, closer, in fact, to that |
| being overpowering. Ribs commonly come "wet," that | | | | served in Memphis. Whether sweet or spicy, dry or |
| is, with barbeque sauce of some kind, usually mild and | | | | wet, slow cooked or grilled over an open flame, |
| sweet in Memphis and basted on before and after | | | | barbeque is one of the most diverse of all American |
| cooking, or "dry," with a dry rub of herbs and spices | | | | foods, and one to which many cities lay claim. Each |
| that is applied during or right after cooking. Regardless | | | | has its own unique character, so get some bread and |
| of which style is favored, the taste of the meat should | | | | crackers, or some Cole slaw, or even beans, (all |
| come through - this is what separates good barbeque | | | | traditional barbeque side dishes) and give them a try. |