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