Kansas City BBQ

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BBQ tour

Fiorella's Jack Stack, 4747 Wyandotte St., Kansas City, Mo., (816) 531-7427. Other locations: 13441 Holmes Road; Kansas City, Mo., (816) 942-9141; 9520 Metcalf Ave., Overland Park, Kan., (913) 385-7427; 101 W. 22nd St. Kansas City, Mo., (816) 472-7427; www.jackstackbbq.com.

Brobecks, 4615 Indian Creek Parkway, Overland Park, Kan. (106th Street and Roe Avenue); (913) 901-9700, www.brobecksbbq.com.

Danny Edwards, 2900 Southwest Blvd., Kansas City, Mo.; (816) 283-0880 (on vacation until July 7).

Haywards, 11051 S. Antioch, Overland Park, Kan.; (913) 451-8080, www.haywardsbbq.com.

Gates, 1325 E. Emanuel Cleaver Blvd., Kansas City, Mo., (816) 531-7522; 1221 Brooklyn Ave., Kansas City, Mo., (816) 483-3880; 10440 E. 40 Highway, Independence, Mo., (816) 353-5880; 3205 Main St., Kansas City, Mo., (816) 753-0828; 201 W. 103rd (103rd and State Line), Leawood, Kan., (913) 383-1752; 1026 State Ave., Kansas City, Kan., (913) 621-1134; www.gatesbbq.com.

Arthur Bryant's, 1727 Brooklyn Ave., Kansas City, Mo.; (816) 231-1123; 702 Village West Parkway, Kansas City, Kan.; (913) 788-7500; 3200 N. Ameristar Drive, Kansas City, Mo.; (816) 414-7474, www.arthurbryants bbq.com.

-- Catharine Hamm

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Know your BBQ styles

The word "barbecue" is thought to have derived from the Taino and Carib peoples of the Caribbean and South America who slowly roasted meats over a bed of coals called a barbricot, which the Spanish pronounced barbacoa. In his book "Savage Barbecue," author Andrew Warnes theorizes that Europeans who encountered this way of cooking mixed the word "barbacoa" with "barbarian," and the word "barbecue" was born. It's not always easy to say what barbecue is, but purists will say what it is not: It is not grilling meat over an open flame. Barbecue is a slow method of cooking -- low heat, lots of time, lots of patience. Sauce may play a part, but might not be part of the cooking process. Here's a look at some of the regional differences.

Kansas City barbecue: The sauce tends to be tomato-based with molasses or brown sugar. It doesn't soak in; it sits on top. Meat may be beef, pork or poultry.

Texas barbecue: Beef brisket is king, and the sauce is spicier and thinner than the K.C. version.

South Carolina barbecue: This is pork (shredded or pulled), and the sauce might be yellow, because it's mustard-based. Coleslaw is part of the picture.

North Carolina barbecue: Sauce tends to be more vinegar-based with pepper. (In the western part of the state, it may have a hint of tomato.)

Memphis barbecue: Relies on spiced rubs; sauce may be an afterthought.

-- Catharine Hamm