THE BARON'S BARBECUE

Warning: Measure Your Salt

2012-01-23T12:37:00.000-06:00

Warning: Measure Your Salt

Tony Cenicola/The New York Times

I was a Diamond Crystal baby. Diamond Crystal kosher salt was the only salt my mother used, the only one I knew as a child. Now, half a century later (yikes!), it remains the salt I reach for first — although I now have to fish for it among half a dozen that sit on the shelf. All those fancy sea salts, however, are used to finish dishes or added at the table, where their varied textures are a source of tactile delight. For cooking, I rarely use anything but the kosher salt of my childhood; I can judge, by eye and by feel, how much I need for any task from making a well balanced vinaigrette to seasoning a steak.

I always knew that Diamond Crystal was far less dense than table salt and that it was easily crushed between the fingers. I had a vague idea that these qualities resulted from the unusual shape and fragility of the crystals. The shape meant that in each handful, tablespoonful or pinch there was more space between grains of salt — hence, less salt. The fragility meant that a quick rub of the thumb and forefinger could “grind” the salt for, let’s say, quicker dissolving.

I’d always assumed that other kosher salts were the same. But one day, my supermarket ran out of the Old Reliable and I bought a box of Morton’s. Suddenly, I lost my knack for getting the salt spot-on: everything was oversalted. Everything. Pound cake tasted like something you might serve with pot roast, and pot roast tasted like the barrel-preserved meat served on HMS Bounty. For heaven’s sake, the spaghetti was too salty — I was over-dosing the pasta water.

Even when I figured out what was going on, I couldn’t get it right, which is an interesting if somewhat depressing reflection on the force of habit. And what was going on was this: Morton’s kosher salt is made by a different process, and each unit of volume (cup, teaspoonful, etc.) weighs nearly twice as much as the equivalent volume of Diamond Crystal — and hence contains nearly twice as much salt.
Ordinary table salt is typically made by taking the water out of brine in a series of evaporating pans; its crystals are cubic in shape (remember looking at it through a microscope in science class?). To manufacture its kosher salt, Morton’s runs such salt between rollers, which results in a thin, coarse flake.

By contrast, Diamond Crystal kosher salt is made using a particular open pan evaporating method (the Alberger method, just so you know) which results in handsome hollow pyramid-shaped grains. This hollow structure accounts for the salt’s lightness, and the thin walls of the “pyramids” for its crushability.

So I got out a one-cup measure and a scale, and I weighed similar volumes of Morton’s and Diamond Crystal kosher salts, plus regular table salt, generic coarse sea salt and Malden sea salt from England (included for no reason other than that I think it is the most beautiful of salts). Here’s the outcome, rounded off to the nearest five grams or eighth of an ounce (no, this is not a scientific inquiry):

Morton’s kosher: 250 grams (8 3/4 ounces)
Diamond Crystal kosher: 135 grams (4 3/4 ounces)
Table salt: 300 grams (10 5/8 ounces)
Coarse sea salt: 210 grams (7 3/8 ounces)
Malden sea salt: 120 grams (4 1/4 ounces)

It is the first three figures that we need to pay attention to, because those are the salts we’re most likely to use in our cooking and baking. We learn from them that a tablespoon of Morton’s kosher salt is the equivalent of 1.85 tablespoons of Diamond Crystal — just half a teaspoon shy of 2 tablespoons. We learn that a tablespoon of table salt can be replaced by 2 1/4 tablespoons of Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 1 1/4 tablespoons of Morton’s.

We learn that whenever recipe writers are rash enough to give a precise measurement for salt, they ought to specify what kind they’re talking about. Some do; but even then, some just say “kosher salt” — I’ve done this myself, but I’ve stopped, and I promise never to do it again.

Most important, we learn to add salt with circumspection and to taste at every step of the way. But we all knew that anyway. Didn’t we?

Masters of the Pit: Paul Kirk

2011-10-04T12:45:00.000-05:00

The Baron of Barbecue, Paul Kirk, shares his tales from the BBQ trail including this classic from the 2nd Annual American Royal in Kansas City.

Paul Kirk of R.U.B. Will Not Talk Trash About Kansas City BBQ Being the Best

2011-08-25T19:24:00.001-05:00

Paul Kirk: Baron of Barbecue

Paul Kirk's Chelsea barbecue palace is named R.U.B., which stands for Righteous Urban Barbecue. Amen. Now, Long Islanders have their own outpost, serving the same menu of ribs, wings, burnt ends, and other Kansas City goodness. Kirk, who earlier this week shared his recipe for Grilled Vegetables With Balsamic-Maple Dressing, shifts his attention back to meat with a primer on different barbecue traditions.

Are you excited about the new R.U.B. on Long Island?

Sure. It's basically going to just like the original, except that it can seat, like, 125 instead of 70 or 80 here in the city. It's going to be an exciting adventure.

Will you be doing anything different to cater to the Long Island scene?

No, we're pretty much doing the same recipes. We are going to do a burger night that we started here. We were voted one of Time Out's Best Cheap Burgers in New York City for the second time this year. We're going to do more with the burgers up there because we're better set up for it, but other than that we're pretty much going to do the same thing.

What's the difference between Texas-, Memphis-, and Kansas City-style barbecue?

Well, it's mostly the sauce as opposed to the actual cooking process. The cooking processes are very much the same. The seasonings are different in varying areas. Like, I grew up with salt and pepper and that's basically what they use in Texas. As rubs keep evolving, people will try different spices and say, "Wow, this really turned out great."

So, is Kansas City-style the best?

Basically, my recipe is what I developed in competition. I won seven world championships and that's another long story. It used to be difficult for me to say that Kansas City was the barbecue capital of the world until a bunch of us started venturing out in the world and winning with our style of barbecue. What we serve at R.U.B. is completely different than normal, commercial barbecue ... just the way we season it, the way we look after it.

Is there much trash talking between pit masters about the different types of barbecue?

No, not really. We each have our moments of "mine's better than yours" and so forth. But there's not really a whole lot of trash talking. Maybe when the BBQ Block Party comes out there may be some trash talking, but not so much as a general rule.

What are some of the biggest mistakes you see home cooks make when they try to do barbecue at home?
They don't have patience. They keep looking and opening the pit to see how the meat's doing. Listen, the meat's doing just fine. All that does is let a lot of heat out that you should keep constant. That's the biggest thing. And then cooking too hot usually.

Southern food and barbecue are everywhere these days. Why do you think that is?
Well, I say it's American food and it's comfort food. It's social food, you know, because that's where it started: People gather around for a barbecue. It's been growing in leaps and bounds. People enjoy it.

Do you have any favorite barbecue spots in New York when you're not at your own?
No, I really haven't had a chance to go out. I want to go out to Daisy May's and Hill Country. I've been to Blue Smoke. I've been to John Stage's Dinosaur Bar-B-Que. I really enjoy Dinosaur, but other than that I haven't had a chance to get out because usually I have a pretty full schedule when I'm here.
You're working on other restaurants in the tristate area?
Yeah, a couple more. Also, I'm working on a bunch of new cookbooks. I should have two new ones out next year and I may sign a contract on a couple more by then.

Are there ever any trends that emerge in the world of barbecue?
Not so much this year. I think it's been pretty steady. I think people instead of trying new things, they are just trying to hang on and get through this economy.

What do you like to drink with your barbecue?
I pretty much just drink water.

Dog Rescuers, Karaoke Queens and Commercial Actors Converge at R.U.B. BBQ

2011-08-20T16:59:00.003-05:00

Monday night Chelsea's R.U.B. BBQ opened on Long Island (2367 Hempstead Turnpike; East Meadow, Long Island), the first of several tri-state area expansions planned for the cultishly popular barbecue spot. Since opening in 2005, R.U.B. (aka righteous urban barbecue) has attracted countless barbecue fans from across the country, partly because of Executive Chef/Co-Owner Paul Kirk's star power. Known as the "Baron of Barbeque," Kirk, who was inducted into the Barbecue Hall of Fame (such a thing exists!) over two decades ago, is easily one the of the most accomplished meat men in the country.

But it's pit master Scott Smith who holds down the fort (and cooks the delicious burnt ends) at this BBQ mecca of sorts.

View more videos at: http://www.thefeast.com.

Are you in the mood for comfort food?

2010-09-06T18:16:00.000-05:00

CHEF PAUL'S BACON MAC & CHEESE

3 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
12 ounces Elbow pasta
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole milk, or half and half divided
2 cups finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1 teaspoon Louisiana hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 pound apple or hickory smoked bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

Cooking spray

Preheat broiler. Bring 6 quarts water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil. Add pasta; cook 8 minutes or until al dente; drain.

Combine flour and 1/2 cup milk in a saucepan, with a wire whisk, over medium heat. Gradually add 1 cup milk; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat; let stand 4 minutes or until it cools to 155° degrees F. Stir in 1 1/2 cups cheese. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, onions, hot sauce, pepper, and bacon; stir. Add pasta; toss.

Spoon into a 2-quart broiler-safe dish coated with cooking spray; top with 1/2 cup cheese. Broil 7 minutes.

Yield: 6 servings

Barbecue guru Paul Kirk's burger recipe simple, meaty and pretty good

2010-08-04T20:54:00.000-05:00

By J.M. Hirsch (CP) – 6 hours ago

Simple and meaty. Pretty obvious and pretty good.

It's the essence of a great burger, according to Paul Kirk, a man who clearly knows his meat. He's one of the world's most accomplished barbecue gurus — with some 450 awards, including seven World Barbecue Championships — as well as executive chef at New York's R.U.B. BBQ restaurant.

"This may sound too obvious, but what makes a burger great is the meat. You can add different things to your patties or top them with whatever you'd like, but if you don't start with the right foundation, the whole building will crumble, right?" he said in an interview by email.

Kirk says he's all for experimenting with blends of different cuts of meat, but says the most important part for the home cook to focus on is the ratio of fat.

"Keep it somewhere in the 80/20 range and you'll end up with a flavourful, juicy burger," he said. "After that, I like to keep things pretty simple. Some hearty white buns and maybe some onion, but I don't top 'em with too much. I like to let the meat shine."

And so we asked Kirk to bring his barbecue expertise to AP's 20 Burgers of Summer series.

"The creation of my BBQ burger was a no-brainer. We had some chopped brisket available, as we tend to have at the restaurant, and thought about mixing a little of it in with our burger patty," he said. "It took two or three tests before we got the right balance so that you could taste the smokiness of the meat through the burger."

To up the barbecue flavour even more, Kirk added some of his dry barbecue rub to the burgers just before tossing them on the grill. He suggests using whatever variety rub you like.

BBQ Burger
Start to finish: 30 minutes

750 g (1 1/2 lb) lean ground chuck
250 g (8 oz) smoked or barbecued beef (such as brisket, short rib or tri-tip), finely chopped
50 ml (1/4 cup) purchased barbecue dry rub
1 vidalia onion, sliced into 5-mm (1/4-inch) rings
50 ml (1/4 cup) vegetable oil
4 slices smoked cheddar cheese
4 white hamburger buns
30 ml (2 tbsp) butter, softened

In a large bowl, mix ground chuck with chopped beef until well combined. Form mixture into four 250-g (8-oz) patties. Season both sides of each patty with barbecue rub, reserving just a bit of the rub.

In a small bowl, toss onion rings with vegetable oil and some of the remaining barbecue rub.

Heat a grill to medium and lightly oil the grate.

Spread butter on the inside of each bun.

Cook burgers until nearly done, flipping once, about 6 minutes per side for medium-rare, or to desired doneness.

Meanwhile, add onions to the grill and cook until slightly charred and soft.

Just before the burgers are done, top each with onions and a slice of the cheese. Cook for another minute or so.

Toast buns lightly over the grill and assemble the burgers.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 711 calories; 377 calories from fat; 43 g fat (16 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 170 mg cholesterol; 27 g carbohydrate; 57 g protein; 2 g fibre; 525 mg sodium.

The Kansas City Barbeque Society Cookbook, 25th Anniversary Edition and America's Best BBQ Book Signing

2010-07-21T13:27:00.003-05:00

Come out and join Ardie Davis and myself for a discussion and book signing of The Kansas City Barbeque Society Cookbook, 25th Anniversary Edition and America's Best BBQ book on August 5th in South Portland, ME and August 7th in Newington, NH.

Thursday, August 5 - 7 pm
Ardie Davis and Paul Kirk
Discussion and book signing
The Kansas City Barbeque Society Cookbook, 25th Anniversary Edition and America's Best BBQ

Borders
430 Gorham Rd
South Portland, ME 04106
207-775-6110

also:

Saturday, August 7 - 2 pm
Ardie Davis and Paul Kirk
Discussion and book signing
The Kansas City Barbeque Society Cookbook, 25th Anniversary Edition and America's Best BBQ

Barnes and Noble
45 Gosling Road
The Crossings at Fox Run
Newington, NH 03801
(603) 422-7733

KC Barbeque Society celebrates 25 years with book of recipes, memories

2010-06-23T09:34:00.001-05:00

By JILL WENDHOLT SILVA
The Kansas City Star

What’s your favorite sport?

For Carolyn Wells, Ardie Davis or Paul Kirk, the answer is competition barbecue.

The three friends are the sauce-stained and smoke-stoked minds behind “The Kansas City Barbeque Society Cookbook: 25th Anniversary Edition” (Andrews McMeel, $24.99), a collection of 200 recipes and a snapshot scrapbook released in honor of the nonprofit organization’s 25th anniversary.

This breakfast interview was conducted at Johnny’s Hickory House Bar-B-Q in Mission over plates of ribs and chicken. Kirk, a professional chef and winner of more than 475 cooking and barbecuing awards, brought along Brisket and Gravy With Flaky Biscuits, a recipe that appears in the cookbook.

Q: So you guys eat it for breakfast. You eat it for dessert. Is there any time you can’t eat barbecue?

Kirk: (Laughs.) No, not that I know of.

Wells: We haven’t found it yet.

Kirk: And I’m not looking!

So take me back 25 years. Could you ever have imagined the success of the KCBS?

Wells: Never. All we wanted to do was drink beer and cook and go home with meat.

Davis: It’s amazing because there are a lot of other barbecue organizations. Some have come and gone, and some are a lot older than we are. … I guess we just didn’t know it couldn’t be done. But for some reason, KCBS just took off.

Wells: Now we’re over 13,000 members.

Do you think the success of KCBS is because of what you’re doing with the organization as opposed to other organizations, or is it because the KCBS’ home base is Kansas City?

Davis: Some of both, but I think KCBS has a reputation for fairness. Most cooks prefer the blind judging format, and the reputation helps attract members and contests. Some of them have elaborate numbering systems, and competitors try to figure out how to beat the system.

Ours is just very straightforward, and everybody trusts it’s going to be blind judging so everybody knows they can get a fair shake. They even rotate the entries so that the same table doesn’t get the same entries every time.

I mean, it’s taken 25 years, and we’re constantly fine-tuning it. That’s why we say in the book, check the website ( http://www.kcbs.us/) for current rules and regulations.

Wells: And then culturally, barbecue is the ultimate comfort food. It’s everyman’s food. So even in tough economic times, people just sort of gravitate toward it. It’s all about food, family, fun and friends. Barbecue is not a solitary pursuit.

But with funny team names, pig noses and jazzed-up cookers, does KCBS win out because the members are wackier than other organizations?

Wells: The others are just as wacky, but they’re not as vocal about it. My catchphrase is barbecue people see themselves a couple of steps off center, and they like themselves that way. It’s a “Why be normal?” thing.

Putting the cookbook together over the last year must have been a real trip down memory lane for all of you.

Kirk: Some critics have said, “This looks like a yearbook.” You’re right. Thank you. But they said that to diss us.

Wells: We think the 30th anniversary book could be twice the size.

Are you already looking ahead to the next cookbook?

Davis: Absolutely.

Your first cookbook, “The Kansas City Barbeque Society Cookbook” (Favorite Recipes Press), was it timed to an anniversary?

Wells: No. But our last book sold 118,000 copies and made the Walter McIlhenny Cookbook Hall of Fame.

Davis: The book is full of memories, some of them bittersweet. You see friends that are gone. And we don’t want to forget them.

Is the cookbook something that you think will drive new membership?

Wells:You’d never believe that everybody in the world wants to be a barbecue judge. We’ve certified more than 15,000 judges, and they tend to travel in a pack like we do. So they’re friends with other judges, and it’s a great way to visit places you wouldn’t normally go and experience friendships you haven’t made yet.

Barbecue has got a fair tourism component to it, to the point that people are now doing economic impact studies to see how much revenue a barbecue contest brings to, say, Greenwood, S.C. There it has gone from $500,000 to $3 million in three years.

Kirk: I figured up what I spent for the Lenexa Barbecue Battle over the years, and it’s over $35,000 in meat alone. So if that’s bought in one small town, that’s a hell of an impact.

Wells: Anothercool thing is to see the industries spawned from competition barbecue. We didn’t invent rubs, but they became more of an everyday item after competition barbecue started coming along. While rubs may be expensive, we also know it takes years off the learning curve for competition cooking. The number of restaurateurs and caterers who have branched out from competition barbecue is considerable.

Kirk: The people I teach say rubs take three to five years off the trial and error.

Are younger cooks going to move up into leadership roles with the KCBS?

Wells: The next generation is equally passionate. But it’s an expensive sport, so you probably can’t afford it in your 20s unless you band a lot of people together.

But there’s plenty between 30 to 45 — the years when you’ve got the stamina and means, and/or sponsorship. Plus, these days people are professionally branding themselves now.

Davis: There’s a team out of California that is introducing an Asian influence. They’re savvy to umami (in addition to sweet, sour, salty or bitter tastes, the Japanese identify “umami” is an overall delicious, savory essence). They won the Great American Barbecue Contest last year. They’re a fairly new team, and they’re just cleaning up at competition.

I think part of their secret is they know flavors. They know how to balance and put things together.

Wells: The flavor profile is much more complex than it used to be. There’s so much more layering.

Kirk: It’s gone from salt and pepper to umami.

Wells: Literally.

How has the structure of the organization changed?

Wells: Organizationally speaking, we are teenagers right now. Over the last five years, through necessity, we’ve turned into, this is not the right word, but bureaucrats. We’ve added structure to the point where it is sometimes painful.

But we have to. Our combined purses are over $2.5 million a year. Anytime you get that much money involved, you have to. It’s a necessary component. And while we’re trying to keep the spirit of fun, we’re much more regimented than we used to be.

What’s the future of barbecue as sport?

Wells: I would like to see us doing more things to preserve grills, memorabilia — basically we need a shrine for a food group.

Where I see us going is embracing basically all forms of outdoor cooking. The next great migration will be a backyard barbecue contest, things you can do in one day. A place where people aren’t intimidated and can bring their kids. Kids Que’s. Going into tailgating. Dutch oven stuff. And even cooking with gas.

Kirk: Ugh.

Wells: Anything that you can do outdoors that represents outside-the-box talent. Again, it’s about the extended family, and tailgating promotes that same sort of thing as competition barbecue, and that’s where younger ones are going to come in droves.

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Brisket and Gravy With Flaky Biscuits

One of the mottos of the KCBS: “Barbecue … it’s not just for breakfast anymore.” Charter KCBS member and world champion cooker Paul Kirk, aka the Baron of BBQ, shares his biscuit and gravy recipe in the book.

Makes 10 to 12 servings

For the gravy:
1/2 pound bulk mild sausage
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 pound barbecued brisket point, diced
2 to 3 cups milk
Salt and black pepper, to taste

For the biscuits:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup bread flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
3 tablespoons lard or solid white vegetable shortening, chilled
3/4 cup cold milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted

For the gravy: Crumble the sausage into a skillet and cook over medium heat until browned. Sprinkle the flour over the browned sausage, stirring constantly. Blend in the brisket. When the mixture is thoroughly combined, slowly add the milk a little at a time until you reach your desired thickness. Stir constantly until creamy and bubbly, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

For the biscuits: Preheat oven to 425 degrees and make sure the rack is in the center of the oven.

In a large bowl, combine the flours, baking powder and salt; mix well. With your fingertips, two knives or a pastry blender, cut in the chilled butter and lard until the mixture resembles cornmeal. Stir in the cold milk and mix just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Gather the dough into a ball and place it on a lightly floured work surface.

Roll the dough into a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Using a 2-inch round biscuit cutter, flouring the cutter between cuts, cut out the biscuits, gather the scraps and form the dough into another 1/2 -inch thick piece of dough, being careful not to work it too much.

Place the biscuits 1 1/2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet and brush the tops with melted butter. Bake for 10 to 14 minutes, until golden brown. Serve immediately with warm gravy.

Per serving, based on 10: 374 calories (59 percent from fat), 24 grams total fat (11 grams saturated), 56 milligrams cholesterol, 25 grams carbohydrates, 13 grams protein, 562 milligrams sodium, 1 gram dietary fiber.
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Grilled Pork Roast With Pepper Jelly Glaze

Makes 8 serving

1 (2-pound) boneless pork loin roast

Marinade:
1/2 cup apple juice
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup hot pepper jelly

Glaze:
1/3 cup hot pepper jelly
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Place the pork in a large resealable plastic bag. Heat the marinade ingredients together over medium heat until the jelly melts, then pour the mixture over the pork in the bag. Seal the bag tightly and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.

Prepare a medium-hot grill. Remove pork from the marinade and discard marinade. Place the pork roast on the grill over a drip pan and close the grill hood. Grill for 30 to 45 minutes (about 20 minutes per pound), until the internal temperature on a meat thermometer reads 150 degrees.

While the meat is cooking, stir together glaze ingredients. During the last 10 minutes of cooking, coat the roast with the glaze. Remove the roast from the heat and let it rest until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees, about 10 minutes.

Per serving: 179 calories (31 percent from fat), 6 grams total fat (2 grams saturated), 31 milligrams cholesterol, 17 grams carbohydrates, 14 grams protein, 49 milligrams sodium, trace dietary fiber.
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Corn Bread Salad

Competition and camaraderie are what it’s all about. Carolyn McLemore of Big Bob Gibson’s Bar-B-Q in Decatur, Ala., shared this recipe.

Makes 10 to 12 servings

Corn bread:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 cups buttermilk
2 eggs
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chilies

Salad:
1 (1-ounce) package ranch-style dressing mix
1 (8-ounce) container sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
3 large tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped scallion
2 (16-ounce) cans pinto beans, drained
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups cooked and crumbled bacon
1 (15-ounce) can corn, drained

To make the corn bread: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Coat a cast-iron skillet with the vegetable oil and heat it in the oven. Mix the buttermilk and eggs in a bowl, then add the cornmeal, baking soda, baking powder, salt and chilies, stirring briskly. Pour the batter into the hot skillet. Bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool completely, then crumble.

To make the salad: Whisk together the ranch dressing mix, sour cream and mayonnaise and set aside. Combine the tomatoes, green pepper and scallion to form a salsa and set aside. Put half the crumbled corn bread in the bottom of a large serving bowl. Top with 1 can of the pinto beans. Follow with half of the salsa, half of the cheese, half of the bacon, half of the corn and half of the dressing mixture. Repeat the layers, starting with the rest of the corn bread and ending with the rest of the dressing mixture. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

Per serving, based on 10: 736 calories (63 percent from fat), 52 grams total fat (17 grams saturated), 117 milligrams cholesterol, 42 grams carbohydrates, 28 grams protein, 1,863 milligrams sodium, 6 grams dietary fiber.
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KC Rib Doctor’s Baked Beans

Guy Simpson, aka the KC Rib Doctor, had his baked bean recipe published in Woman’s Day magazine in March 1987. It has been continually tweaked over the years.

Makes about 6 cups

1 cup diced sliced bacon (about 1/2 pound)
1 large onion, diced (about 1 cup)
1 large red bell pepper, diced (about 1 cup)
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 cup tomato-based barbecue sauce
1/3 cup real maple syrup
3 (28-ounce) cans pork and beans, preferably Bush’s Original
Chopped brisket burnt ends, as desired

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Fry the bacon in a heavy skillet over medium heat until lightly browned. Add the onion and red pepper and cook for 3 minutes, until the vegetables are tender-crisp. Stir in the brown sugar, barbecue sauce and maple syrup. Put the beans in a 12-by-6-by 3-inch foil pan. Add the bacon mixture and burnt ends; stir to mix.

Loosely cover with a sheet of foil. Place the beans in the oven and bake for 40 to 60 minutes, stirring 3 times.

If you’re going to cook the beans in your smoker, preheat it to 230 degrees and cook uncovered for about 4 hours, stirring 3 to 4 times, adding barbecue sauce or liquid if the beans get too dry.

Per 1/2 -cup serving: 430 calories (26 percent from fat), 13 grams total fat (5 grams saturated), 30 milligrams cholesterol, 67 grams carbohydrates, 17 grams protein, 130 milligrams sodium, 4 grams dietary fiber.
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Wanna do lunch?

You’re invited to join barbecue masters Paul Kirk (from left), Ardie Davis and Carolyn Wells, along with other Kansas City Barbeque Society members, when they meet for lunch at Johnny’s Bar-B-Q in Mission, 5959 Broadmoor St., on the first Wednesday of each month. “Literally everyone is welcome,” Davis says. The gatherings start at 11:30 a.m. Everyone pays his or her own check.

The Baron Brings His Pitmasters Class to Kansas City, Kansas

2010-05-27T09:12:00.003-05:00

Bichelmeyer meats hosted another Pitmasters class in Kansas City, Kansas last Saturday. The Midwest was well represented by eager participants from Colorado, Indiana, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Texas, and Wyoming. I really enjoyed this group of participants. They were both high spirited and inquiring. Thank you all for making the class exciting for me!

Great American Barbecue Blast

2010-05-10T22:34:00.002-05:00

Great American Barbecue Blast

Start Time: Saturday, May 15, 2010 at 6:00pm

End Time: Sunday, May 16, 2010 at 11:00pm

Location: Hilltop Office Building at Briarcliff Village

Street: 212 Northwest Platte Valley Drive

City/Town: Riverside, MO

Description

Tickets are just $20 and include all-you-can-eat Oklahoma Joe's Barbecue and all-you-can-drink Clear 10 Vodka (and other beverages), silent auction with great items and music provided by DJ Anthony Nigro. David Ruisch and Ron Bailey will be bartending.

The event starts at 6pm and goes to 11ish (so great pre-bar). All proceeds benefit Fox4 Love Fund, Guadelupe Center, St. Mary's Food Kitchen, Wyandotte Co Parks & Rec Foundation and Kookers Kare.

Go to www.thinkbbq.com for more info or get tickets at the door.

Hope to see you there.

Smoke N' Fire's, "KC BBQ Books & Cooks"

2010-05-08T09:42:00.004-05:00

Tonight I participated in Smoke N' Fire's, "KC BBQ Books & Cooks" event, held from 6 - 8 pm. This event was put on to help Harvester's increase their food supplies. The organization is experiencing a 40 to 60% increase in people needing assistance. A minimum donation of $10 or 10 canned goods was suggested for entry into the event, and all proceeds are going to Harvester's.

The menu is Rob Russell's (of Good One Smokers) delicious pulled pork & brisket, Jim Cattey's delicious potato casserole, Steve Samazin's (Smoke N' Fire's in house grill master) grilled treats and adult beverages. Rhythm & Blues live music by Rich Berry, a Smoke N' Fire favorite.
Authors at tonight's event include:

Karen Adler & Judith Fertig a.k.a. Q Queens,

Carolyn Wells with the Kansas City BBQ Society,

Paul Kirk a.k.a. KC Baron of BBQ and

Rib Stars,Chef Richard McPeake

We all signed books purchased during the event and demonstrated recipes from our new books throughout the evening. Thank you to everyone that attended and participated to make this event a success!

GENTLEMAN,..... LIGHT YOUR SMOKERS!

2010-03-27T10:36:00.001-05:00

The coals are burning hot, the wood is burning clean, and the delicate smell of meat and spices cohabitating in a bath of smoke is caressing my nose while tickling my taste buds. Yep, BARBECUE SEASON HAS BEGUN!

Once again Guy Simpson (KC Rib Doctor) and myself, have begun the barbecue season by teaching our 1 day intensive barbecue class through Communiversity-Kansas City. This is a beginner’s class that lasts between 2 to 3 hours and covers all of the basics of barbecue (meat selection, fuel selection, temperature control, times and temperature, etc.). We usually close the class with a Q&A session and a complimentary barbecue dinner.

A big thank you to all that participated in our fist class of the year! I hope that the information that was given to you will help you to take your barbecue to another level of enjoyment!

Travel Channel to film barbecue special in Kansas City

2010-02-24T21:23:00.002-06:00

Carolyn Wells and I are delighted to be judges at this event.While this is probably not newsworthy, we want you to know that we are out there promoting Kansas City Barbecue!

Calling all barbecue aficionados, rib lovers and sauce superfans—Kansas City’s signature cuisine will soon be the main course for an episode of Food Wars, a new series airing this spring on the Travel Channel. The show features America’s most iconic food cities, and the next stop on the crew’s whirlwind culinary tour is Kansas City, where they’ll compare the barbecue ribs of two local institutions: Gates and Arthur Bryant’s.

The public is encouraged to join host Camille Ford at three film shoots scheduled for this weekend. More details below.

Friday, Feb. 26: Noon to 4 p.m.
Filming at Gates Bar-B-Q (1221 Brooklyn Ave.)
Public encouraged to attend, specifically loyal and enthusiastic fans of Gates

Saturday, Feb. 27: Noon to 4 p.m.
Filming at Arthur Bryant’s Barbecue (1727 Brooklyn Ave.)
Public encouraged to attend, specifically loyal and enthusiastic fans of Arthur Bryant’s

Sunday, Feb. 28: Starting at noon
Barbecue showdown filming at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (1616 E 18th St.)

No matter which side of the fence you may fall, all barbecue lovers are encouraged to attend. Amp up the enthusiasm and show your support with signs, banners or shirts bearing the name of your favorite rib restaurant – Gates or Bryant’s.

Food Wars premieres Tuesday, March 9, on the Travel Channel. The Kansas City episode will air later this spring on a date to be determined.

For more information about the show, visit www.travelchannel.com/TV_Shows/Food_Wars.

For questions regarding this weekend’s film schedule, please contact fanfoodcasting@gmail.com.

One On One With Personal Chef Wendy Boumo Chok

2010-01-27T23:42:00.004-06:00

For three days, personal chef Wendy Boumo Chok of Los Angeles, California, ate, lived and learned how to prepare barbecue. Chef Wendy came to me because she wanted to increase her knowledge while improving her preparation of America’s cuisine to astonish her clients. Well, I aim to please!

Wendy’s first day began with us paying a visit to Bichelmeyer Meats (704 Cheyenne Avenue Kansas City, KS 66105-2087 - (913) 342-5945). Bichelmeyer’s is a butcher shop that specializes in processing meats the old fashioned way. Meats and specialty cuts are processed to order. Sausage of various kinds are made fresh daily along with many other menu items. We were met by the owner, Joe Bichelmeyer, who gave Wendy a personal tour. He shared with Wendy the history of Bichelmyer’s, how the meats are processed and sold, and the inner working of Bichelmeyer Meats. For lunch we ate at what many consider to be the best barbecue restaurant in the Kansas City region, Oklahoma Joes (3002 W 47th Ave, Kansas City, KS 66103, www.oklahomajoesbbq.com ). There Wendy was given a personal tour of the kitchen before enjoying an excellent representation of what barbecue should taste like! After lunch it was time to get to work! Wendy and I began our one on one by learning how to create and balance her own signature “rub” or seasoning. From there Wendy trimmed and seasoned ribs with her signature rub and my rub just for the sake of comparison. We then discussed cooking times and temperatures as well as wood characteristics and flavoring. In to the smoker the ribs went. Wendy was a very enthusiastic student. While we were waiting for the ribs to cook I showed Wendy what to look for when selecting both briskets and pork butts. She then trimmed both meats for tomorrow’s lesson. After a little Q&A it was time to take the ribs out of the smoker. “Well how did she do?” you ask? Check the pictures below. It’s time to wrap things up for day one and get some rest.

Day two was met with Wendy’s lustrous smile. Today’s lesson began with us focusing on cooking times and temperatures for brisket and pork butts. We also discussed which herbs and seasonings best compliment each meat as well as wood pairings. In to the smoker they went. It’s time for a pop quiz, so on to Restaurant Depot we went. While we toured Restaurant Depot I had Wendy to select various cuts of meat and explain to me why she had chosen them. She passed with flying colors. All of this food is making me hungry. Let's eat lunch! Today we went to the one barbecue restaurant that exemplifies Kansas City barbecue, Arthur Bryant’s Barbecue (1727 Brooklyn Avenue, Kansas City, MO 64127-2530, www.arthurbryantsbbq.com ). Arthur Bryant’s Barbecue can trace its descent from Henry Perry, the "father of Kansas City barbecue", who in 1908 began serving smoked meats to workers in the Garment District in Downtown Kansas City from an alley stand. Perry moved to the 18th Street and Vine neighborhood where he sold barbecue for 25 cents a slab from a trolley barn at 19th and Highland. After enjoying lunch we were met by the current owner Bryant’s, Gary Berbiglia. Gary was more than happy to give Wendy a personal tour of the restaurant and share his wisdom about the barbecue restaurant business with her. Once again it was time to get back to work. After Wendy checked on the cooking progress of the briskets and pork butt, we created recipes for, cooked and bottled several barbecue sauces (Raspberry Chipotle, Kansas City style, Mustard Barbecue sauce, North Carolina Vinegar sauce, and Wendy’s own personal sauce). Once the sauces were bottled we mixed seasoning for homemade Italian and Texas Hot link style sausages. We mixed and refrigerated the sausage which will be cooked during tomorrow’s lessons. It is time to take the briskets and butts out of the smoker. Let’s evaluate the finished product. Wendy did well for this to be her first time cooking both meats. We have reached the point that we need to clean up and get some rest. Day two has come to an end.

Day three. Has Wendy had her fill of this thing that we love named barbecue? No! Once again I was greeted by her courteous and infectious smile. We began our day with a refresher of the information Wendy has learned so far. Wendy trimmed, seasoned, and placed ribs in the smoker. This was done to review and solidify what she learned on day one. We moved on to discussing cooking times and temperatures, flavor profiles, and wood pairings for chicken. Wendy then trimmed and seasoned chicken. After that, you guessed it, in to the smoker the chicken went. From there we created a recipe for barbecue beans. After mixing in the seasonings and burnt ends from yesterday’s brisket, Wendy put the beans in the smoker along with the sausage that she created the day before. It was time for more Q&A (I did not want to leave any stone unturned). We have reached the time for the final exam. How did everything turn out? Excellent! I am proud to say that Wendy Boumo Chok is now a graduate of Paul Kirk’s Pitmasters School of Barbecue!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

2009-12-25T16:34:00.001-06:00

Wishing you and your family a safe and joyous Christmas!

MY ROAD TRIP TO PAPPY'S SMOKEHOUSE

2009-12-04T20:13:00.009-06:00

I have been hearing good reviews about a barbecue restaurant in St. Louis, Missouri. It was rumored that my old Executive Chef from RUB in Las Vegas was running the kitchen and serving the best barbecue in the city. It was time to find out if the reviews were true, so yesterday I took a road trip to St. Louis to find out for myself. After driving for a little under 4 hours, making a couple of pit stops, and dealing with a cranky GPS system, we arrived in mid- town St. Louis. My anticipation built as we arrived right around the time that the lunch rush begins to die down. I’ve heard stories of how the line to place your order during lunch comes out of the front door, wraps around the side of the building, and back inside to a hallway via a side door. We were lucky. We just missed that experience. Once you walk in you are greeted by the inviting smell of wood and meat becoming barbecue. This seemed promising.

As I made my way from the back entrance to the front counter, I say to myself “is that a familiar face that I see?” Yes! It is Skip Steele, Executive Chef of Pappy’s Smokehouse! I was greeted by a welcoming handshake that had surprise and glee. Skip is both an accomplished barbecue cook and chef. He used to compete on the Memphis in May contest circuit (now known as MBN), cooking in both the whole hog and ribs divisions. He has placed first, second, and sixth place overall in the whole hog division, and third place overall in the ribs division at the Memphis in May Championship contest between 1996 and 2006. This barbecue championship contest is held each year in Memphis, Tennessee. It is the world’s largest pork barbecue contest and is known as” the Super Bowl of Swine”.

As Skip led us to our table we were then greeted by Mike Emerson, owner of Pappy’s Smokehouse. Mike has been in the restaurant business since the early 70’s. He started out owning a pizza restaurant. After a while Mike opened a white cloth establishment. Mike tells me that in the 80’s he walked away from restaurants all together. Well, I for one am glad that he decided to come back.

It was time to validate my reason for coming to Pappy’s. We were served a sample platter that included sliced brisket, sliced smoked turkey breast, pulled pork, loin back ribs, potato salad, sweet potato fries, and baked beans. Skip describes the food as “Memphis style slow smoked barbecue”. Some cuts of meat spend up to 16 hours in the smoker. We were told that on a Saturday Pappy’s sells 700 to 750lbs. of ribs, 300 lbs. of brisket, 400 lbs. of pulled pork, 250lbs. of chicken, and 30 gallons of beans. According to Mike, Pappy’s is the largest seller of sweet potato fries in the United States.

Folks, let me tell you, if I could use only one word to describe the food from Pappy’s it would be OUTSTANDING! The brisket is smoky, moist and flavorful. The pulled pork is melt in your mouth tender and moist. And the ribs… WOW! The ribs are so tender that your grandmother can eat them without having her dentures in. The three sauces that Pappy’s has to offer really compliment the meat and can accommodate the pickiest of eaters. They do not skimp on the portions at Pappy’s and their service rivals the food. This is what I came to St. Louis for!

If you are ever in St. Louis or just live close by, I recommend that you pay Pappy’s Smokehouse a visit! They are located at 3106 Olive (on the corner of Cardinal & Olive streets next to Harris – Stowe State University). They recommend that you call ahead to place your order (314- 535 – 4340). Or you can check them out online at http://www.pappyssmokehouse.com/.

Skip Steele and the Baron

Catching Up

The Menu

Skips Trophies

Mike Emmerson and the Baron

Mike and Paul talking shop

No time to talk

The smile says it all

Skips special sauce!

Enough said!

CORPORATE TEAM BUILDING WITH BARBECUE

2009-10-09T13:42:00.007-05:00

Tonight’s Team Building corporate class was sponsored by a sales team from Bayer CorpScience. The team of 16 reps are from various parts of the country (I believe 8 different states), and are here in Kansas for a conference. This was possibly the most fun that I have had teaching a class this year! This “rambunctious group of rebel rousers” was brimming with enthusiasm and made the class very entertaining. Speaking of entertaining, I would like to thank Mark “Marinate” Grainer of Iowa for providing most of that entertainment.

We got to work right away by dividing everyone into teams. Each team then created their own signature rub. From there the teams received one slab of ribs which they seasoned with the rub they created. The ribs were put on the pit as they would be submitted later for judging. We then moved on to discussing how to trim and season, as well as cooking times and temperatures for briskets, pork butts and chicken. This information went a looong way for some that enjoy using a good “marinade”.

Break time! The KCBS certified judges began to arrive as we took a break and ate dinner. Amongst the certified judges that helped were Paul and Tracy Satterfield of the Great American Barbecue and Bob Carruthers of the Forbes Barbeque Society in Australia. As everyone ate it reminded me of quiet time in kindergarten. Could it be that they really enjoyed the food? Yep, the empty pans confirmed it.

After dinner we took the ribs off of the pit and discussed presentation for turn in boxes. Each team received a turn box and the slab of ribs that they seasoned earlier. The air was filled with elation from the flavors of the final products that were produced. After being sliced and sampled, each team submitted there “tour de force” for judging like proud parents in a spelling bee. This is how each team faired;

6th place with 122 points – Redneck Raiders

5th place with 129 points – Rub It Out

4th place with 130 points – Rib Dr.

3rd place with 133 points – Magic Jack

2nd place with 134 points –There’s the Rub

1st place with 136 points – Boss Team

Congratulations to Jeff Hensley of Iowa, Barry Lewis of North Carolina, and John Carlson of North Carolina for taking first place honors with their ribs!

Thank you to Lon Crager from Bayer CorpScience for setting this class up, Paul and Tracy Satterfield of the Great American Barbecue, Bob Carruthers of the Forbes Barbeque Society in Australia, and all of the team members from Bayer CorpScience that participated! You really are a special group of people!

BARBECUE SAUCE DEMO FOR K.C. MASTERPIECE AT THE AMERICAN ROYAL

2009-10-04T10:16:00.000-05:00

It's the number one barbecue sauce in Kansas City!

I want to thank the 80 to 90 people who attended my barbecue sauce presentation sponsored by K. C. Masterpiece at the American Royal Barbecue contest today. It was the groups participation that made creating this barbecue sauce a success! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. Here is the recipe that we created.

K. C. Masterpiece Demo BBQ Sauce

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon restaurant grind black pepper

2 teaspoons rubbed sage

1 teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon granulated garlic

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground clove

1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder

1/4 teaspoon ground mace

1/2 cup white vinegar

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons Soy sauce

1-32 ounce ketchup

Combine all of the dry ingredients in a non-reactive saucepan. Blend in the liquid ingredients. Stir dissolving the dry ingredients. Blend in the ketchup. Bring to a boil, being careful; when ketchup boils it pops so be careful. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste. Use the sauce warm or chilled.

Makes about 6 cups.

ONE ON ONE WITH THE BARON

2009-09-21T17:12:00.001-05:00

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to play football with your favorite football player? What about driving in a race alongside your favorite Nascar driver? Well Wade Herguth had just that experience this weekend with me! Wade’s wife Michelle and their children arranged for me to come to their home and teach a One on One class with Wade for his birthday.

We had a bright and unseasonably mild morning for what promised to be an exciting day of learning. As we began I sensed that Wade was skeptical of my hands on class format. By the end of the day I could see that he was convinced that this class was all that it was made out to be and then some. Don’t take my word for it, look at the pictures.

Wade’s day began with me explaining fuels, cooking temperatures, and how to control your cooker temperature. I then discussed cooking times and finishing temperatures for cooking briskets. Wade trimmed and seasoned a couple of whole briskets and onto the cooker they went. Next, we discussed the cooking times and finishing temperatures for cooking pork butts. Wade then trimmed and seasoned a couple of pork butts. Onto the cooker they went.

Wade then designed and hand mixed his own rub based on his favorite ingredients. He was very pleased with his final product.

We moved on to the cooking times and temperatures for cooking ribs. Loin back ribs ala’ Wade was on the menu today. They were trimmed and then seasoned using Wade’s fantastic rub! Onto the cooker they went.

Five pounds of Italian sausage was made using a seasoning blend hand mixed by Wade. We then moved onto chicken were Wade spatchcocked (butter flied) several chickens, trimmed and seasoned them, and yes, onto the cooker they went.

After a tasty lunch of homemade sausage and burnt ends, I had Wade to create his own barbecue sauce recipe using his favorite ingredients. After I critiqued and approved the ingredients, Wade went to work making it. To his surprise, I had made up some custom pre-labeled bottles for Wade’s barbecue sauce. Both Wade and Michelle were pleasantly surprised by this. Hey, I aim to please!

Michelle had invited some of the neighbors to come over and partake of Wade’s hard work. As the plates began to fill with the tender smokey goodness of Wade’s labor, you could see a sense of pride in Wade from what he presented to his neighbors to eat. They enjoyed Wade’s sauce so much that many asked if he planned on selling it. The cherry on top of the icing for Wade was when his neighbor (originally from Arkansas) announced that “This is one damn fine brisket Wade! Damn Fine!” I love a happy ending!

Wade beginning his barbecue journey

I think Wade has done this before.

Nothing like the smell of beef brisket and pork butts in the am!

Prepping for a little Q&A.

Getting ready to make rub.

Wade creating his master blend.

Nothing like the loving support of your wife.

It's time to make sausage.

Ribs ala' Wade!

Wade's making some tummy yummy's.

Wade's Gourmet Elixer! It'll fix what ails ya'!

Quality control!

I love a happy ending!

CEDAR ROE BOOK SIGNING/ DEMO

2009-09-12T17:19:00.000-05:00

What an amazing day for a book signing! The weather gods really smiled down on me today as they provided a calm 81 degrees, a slight breeze with no humidity, and the sun was shinning as bright as an infants smile!

Today’s book signing/ demo was held in the park across from the Cedar Roe Library (5120 Cedar, Roeland Park, KS). It was practically in my own backyard. What an incredible feeling it was to have my community come out and support me today. I saw old friends (Brad Breeden, his wife Cheryl Breeden, and thier son Nicholas Breeden) and made new ones, both young and old.

Thank you to the staff of Cedar Roe Library for all of their help, my daughter Erin Kirk for her help with the demo, and to everyone that came out today and made this event such a big success!

AN INTIMATE GATHERING

2009-09-09T10:18:00.002-05:00

It was another fun night for Guy Simpson and me as we talked and answered questions about our favorite subject, BARBECUE! This was an intimate class of 9 participants held in Guy’s garage. This lively group seemed to be made up of family, friends, and co-workers. Their enthusiasm was what you hope for when teaching a class, especially on a wet and dreary evening.

I would like to personally thank everyone that came out for last night’s class. I truly enjoyed your zeal for learning more about barbecue. I genuinely enjoyed your questions and our time together.

Here are a few pictures from last nights get together.

On a side note, one of my many passions in life is teaching. I receive such pleasure in knowing that I have helped someone to realize their aspirations. Here is a fact about me that many of you don’t know. Before I became the Kansas City Baron of Barbecue I was a teacher, Ohhh! I taught 2 years at Saint Pius X High School located in North Kansas City, MO, and 1 year at Bishop Ward High School located in Kansas City, Kansas. I taught typing /business management and I was the head coach for the wrestling team, both the B and freshman football team, and an assistant coach for the varsity football team. I wrote my first book while I was teaching.

FRUGAL CREATIVITY ~ BOOK REVIEW OF AMERICA'S BEST BBQ

2009-09-04T22:05:00.000-05:00

While surfing the net yesterday I found a review of "America's Best BBQ"on the Frugal Creativity blog. I hope that you enjoy it as much as I have.

Thursday, September 3, 2009

My family loves barbecue. We've taken road trips and lengthy detours to try new BBQ restaurants and visit old favorites. Imagine my enthusiasm when I had the chance to review America's Best BBQ: 100 Recipes from America's Best Smokehouses, Pits, Shacks, Rib Joints, Roadhouses, and Restaurants (Ardie A. Davis & Chef Paul Kirk).

We've visited a few of the places in this book, and our all-time favorite-- Ridgewood Barbecue in Bluff City, TN--is included. But this book is more than just a guide for travelers looking for good BBQ: it's a scrapbook of barbecue culture, with photos and history notes. It also includes 100 recipes--some original "top secret" and some "copycat" versions--for the specialties of each restaurant. Each pair of facing pages includes details about a restaurant, photos, and a recipe or two.

The book is divided into sections as a menu is: Starters, Main Dishes, Sides and Condiments, and Desserts. The Starters chapter includes recipes for traditional and regional favorites such as onion rings, Brunswick stew, burgoo, and Rocky Mountain oysters. Main Dishes, of course, is all about the 'cue: ribs, pulled pork, barbecued pig snout, and more. The Sides and Condiments section is not only cole slaw--white, pink, red, you name it--but also baked beans, cornbread, hushpuppies, and potatoes. Dessert recipes include Lexington banana pudding, bread pudding, apple crisp, and fried peach pies.

Hungry yet?Andrews McMeel Publishing has graciously allowed me to share with you the recipe for the Ridgewood Barbecue Blue Cheese Bowl. This is served as a starter at the Ridgewood, and it's amazingly good. I've tried to recreate this recipe on my own, but the recipe in America's Best BBQ is much closer than my version ever was! At the Ridgewood they serve this with saltine crackers, but you can dip celery or carrot sticks, if you like.

Blue Cheese Bowl Appetizer

Makes 2 cups

1/2 cup Danish or other blue cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup dairy sour cream
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated onion
1 large clove garlic, pressed
1 teaspoon Lawry's Seasoned
SaltBlack pepper, to taste

In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients and blend well. Cover and chill for at least an hour to allow the flavors to blend.

GUESS WHAT'S FOR DINNER?

2009-08-22T19:03:00.001-05:00

Lamb is often overlooked when it comes to barbecue. I think the reason behind this oversight is because many cooks do not know how to cook lamb. I'm sure many in the southern states will agree with me when I say if cooked properly, lamb is one of the most flavorful melt in your mouth treats there is!
This is the recipe that helped me to win 1st place in the National Lamb contest. I'm sure that it will be a winner with your guests too!

Chef Paul’s 1st Place National Lamb Contest Recipe

BARBECUED LAMB

1 leg of lamb (7 to 9 pounds) or
2 racks of lamb trimmed or
6 to 8 lamb chops or steaks
Lamb Seasoning(below)
Raspberry Mint Barbecue Sauce and Glaze(below)

LAMB SEASONING

1/4 cup dried brown sugar
2 tablespoons garlic salt
2 tablespoons onion salt
2 tablespoons Hungarian paprika
2 tablespoon lemon pepper
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cayenne
1/2-teaspoon oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon whole celery seed

Combine the sugar, garlic salt, onion salt, paprika, pepper, chili powder, cayenne, oregano, ginger, coriander, and celery seeds in a bowl and mix well. Store in an airtight container in a cool dry place.

RASPBERRY GINGER BARBECUE SAUCE

2 cups ketchup
3 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated
4-clove garlic pressed
1 1/2 cups Melba sauce (raspberry sauce)
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup clover honey
1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier or other orange flavored liquor
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon orange zest
2 scallions, chopped
2 teaspoons ground chipotle pepper
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon sea salt

Combine the ketchup, ginger, garlic, Melba sauce, sugar, honey, orange juice, Triple Sec, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, zest, scallions, chipotle, allspice, salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes. Strain and remove the scallions.
Yield about 5 cups.

RASPBERRY MINT BARBECUE SAUCE AND GLAZE

3 cups raspberry ginger barbecue sauce
1 1/2 cups mint jelly

Combine the raspberry barbecue sauce and the mint jelly in a saucepan and heat, stirring until melted and blended. About 10 minutes. Don't let the sauce boil. Use as a glaze and as a sauce.
Yield about 4 1/2 cups.

Which ever cut of lamb that you wish to use, trim as desired. Season the meat on all sides and barbecue, grill or smoke. Remember when direct grilling and using this seasoning to turn the meat often so it doesn't caramelize. Baste with the sauce/ glaze every 5 minutes in the last 15 minutes of cooking.

Lamb is best served rare to medium rare (between 135 to 145 degrees Fahrenheit). Once the lamb has reached your desired temperature, let the lamb stand for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy!

My Favorite Way to Enjoy Popcorn

2009-08-05T10:09:00.000-05:00

My favorite way to fix popcorn, (no its not with the microwave) it’s with a lot of garlic and bacon. At least that was my favorite way to fix it until last week when I was doing a class in Quebec, Canada it was Bacon Cheddar Popcorn. My next popcorn adventure is going to be combining the two recipes. Here are the 2 recipes.

Bacon Garlic Popcorn

4 to 6 slices smoked bacon
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 to 6 large cloves garlic, sliced thin
1/2 cup popcorn kernels
Garlic salt to taste

In a skillet, fry the bacon over medium heat until crisp, drain on paper towels, and crumble.
Pour 3 tablespoons of the bacon grease into a stove top popcorn or a deep heavy saucepan with a lid, add the oil. Heat over a medium high heat; add the sliced garlic and sauté until it turns light golden brown. Add the popcorn and bacon, cover and shake the pan until the popping stops.
Pour into a large bowl and season with garlic salt to taste.

Bacon-Cheddar Popcorn

4 slices smoked bacon
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup popcorn kernels
1/2 pound extra-sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated
Salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 250º degrees F.
In a skillet, fry the bacon over medium heat until crisp, drain on paper towels, and crumble, finely.
Pour 3 tablespoons of the bacon grease into a stove top popcorn or a deep heavy saucepan with a lid, add the oil. Heat over a medium high heat; until the mixture begins to smoke. Add the popcorn, cover and shake the pan until the popping stops. Pour the popcorn into a large heatproof pot, add the cheese, bacon and salt and toss. Heat in the oven until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Serve hot.

Martha Stewart Living Radio/ Sirius XM Satellite Radio ~ "Everyday Food"

2009-07-13T18:22:00.000-05:00

On Thursday, July 16th, 12:15pm est., I will be on Martha Stewart's Sirius Radio Show "Everyday Food". I will be sharing information with you that will take your barbecue sauce to the next level! So pull up a chair, tell a friend and enjoy!

Here's the info for Thursday:

NETWORK: Sirius XM Satellite Radio
CHANNEL: Martha Stewart Living Radio Sirius Channel 112/ XM Channel 157
SHOW: Everyday Food
HOST: Betsy Karetnick
DATE: Thursday, July 16th, 2009
TIME: 12:15 PM Eastern Standard Time
LENGTH: Approximately 15-20 minutes
TOPIC: Great Ideas for Barbecue Sauces

America's Best BBQ: 100 Recipes from America's Best Smokehouses, Pits, Shacks, Rib Joints, Roadhouses, and Restaurants ~ A Book Review

2009-07-06T13:41:00.000-05:00

Original Review by John Raven, Ph.B.

Ardie Davis and Paul Kirk do not just cook, eat and write about bar barbecue, they live barbecue. They have been mainstays in the Kansas City Barbecue Society since its formation some twenty-five years ago. Each man has written a half dozen or so books on the subject of barbecue.

Now they have teamed up to bring us "America's Best BBQ". The book is soft cover but tightly bound and, for its size, is heavy.

The reading is not the heavy part. The stories and recipes are written in a down-home style that is easy to read and understand. The book is, as they say in the trade, profusely illustrated. The photos and illustrations are not your run of the mill food stylist type. The entire book is an incredible montage of illustrations, photos, barbecue postcards, actual signs from the barbecue joints and more.

The content of the book is not limited to the Barbecue Belt from the Carolinas through Texas and Missouri. The joints and recipes cover the nation from Florida to Maine, from California to Washington State and all the country in between.

"America's Best BBQ" is divided into sections labeled:
Starters
Main Dishes
Sides and Condiments
Desserts
Favorite BBQ Restaurants
Legacy Recipes
BBQ Basics
So you want to start a barbecue business?
Joints we like to visit
Joints we would like to visit

Just so you know, Appetizers are called Starters in a barbecue joint. Davis and Kirk include starters ranging from onion rings to cheese dips, brisket nachos to deviled eggs, gumbo to burgoo and fried green tomatoes. Each recipe given is a specialty from an actual barbecue joint.
The main dishes are, as you would expect, mainly meat. You have your beef ribs, brisket, rib eye, and prime rib recipes and techniques from around the nation. The pork main dishes include: the ever-popular ribs, pork steaks, pork butt, pig wings (ham shanks), and the party-size whole hog. Other meats given careful attention are baloney, sausage, mutton, lamb, chicken, turkey and seafood.

Main dishes you would not expect in a barbecue book include beer-battered cod and pan-fried chicken livers. Again, all recipes give point of origin, ingredients and cooking details.
The traditional sides for barbecue are beans, coleslaw and potato salad. "America's best BBQ" covers these sides in depth. There are several recipes for each, plus recipes for boiled and fried potatoes, along with cornbread and hushpuppies.

Most visits to a barbecue joint result in folks being so stuffed they have no room for desserts. For those of us who think there is enough -- but never too much -- of a good thing, Ardie and Paul have rounded up some fine desserts for the book.
The boys start with good old American apple pie and work their way to Bananas Foster. The most intriguing recipe in the whole book may be Pop's Salt Lick Sundae. This dessert from the Salt Lick Bar-B-Q in Driftwood, Texas is simply vanilla ice cream with Salt Lick Original Bar-B-Q Sauce on it. No substitutions.

Included in the book is much information about the world of barbecue in general. Ardie and Paul list the Top Ten joints they have visited. Without giving away too much, Ardie's number one favorite is Cooper's Old-Time Pit Bar-B-Que in Llano, Texas. Paul lists The Dixie Pig in Blytheville, Arkansas as his top pick. The duo list a number of joints they intend to visit and report on.

There are pages devoted to barbecuers who have reached a measure of fame through their love of "Que". They talk about recipes and techniques. Scattered throughout the book are tidbits of barbecue legend and lore. You can learn how some of the barbecue traditions began, such as serving on butcher paper, why white bread is served with barbecue, and more.
Of course, no barbecue book would be complete without a discussion of various cooking apparatus and fuels. The chart of estimated cooking times is there.

To sum it up, "America's Best Barbecue" is the Wikipedia of barbecue information.

The 28th Annual Great Lenexa Barbeque Battle ~ State Championship

2009-06-28T21:24:00.000-05:00

Wow! It is hard for me to believe that this weekend marks the 28th anniversary of the prestigious Great Lenexa Barbeque Battle. I have competed in every contest put on by Lenexa. Hell, I am the Grand Pubah of this event as I won the very first Great Lenexa Barbeque Battle! There were 16 contestants in the very first contest, and the Grand Champion was decided by the number of number of high placing ribbons you won. The first year I had 6 blue ribbons (first place ribbons) and 1 red ribbon (second place ribbon). I won hands down! The second year I had 6 blue ribbons and 1 red ribbon. Though I had more high placing ribbons than anyone else, I did not win! The Grand Champion, Gene McKee, came over to me after the awards ceremony and said “Paul, there’s something wrong. You won this contest”. POLITICS! They make strange bedfellows.

I really had mixed emotions about the contest this year. Though I look forward to this contest every year, I was somewhat disappointed by a few changes that have been made.

· Contestant spaces were shifted and somehow I ended up with a space that was five feet wider in the front with an extreme taper in the back. I am grateful to have a neighbor like Jeff that exemplified the spirit of barbeque. Jeff shared his space and helping hands without hesitation. Thank you Jeff.

· A decision was made not to give the teams the traditional 1x4 with your teams name engraved on it (I was looking forward to this as I wanted to reveal my new team name to the public, “Chef Use-ta-wuz”).

· We went from receiving as many as 14 complementary bags of charcoal in the beginning years to just 4 bags of charcoal and a bottle of barbeque sauce.

· As much as I hate to say it, I was put off by the KCBS judging system at this contest for not allowing me to enter my “Bacon Bomb” in the sausage category (sausage stuffed into pork belly, the pork belly acts as the casing). I was told that it was not allowed as the bacon is a pre-seasoned meat. Well what is sausage then?! POLITICS!

The one consistent thing that you can count on every year at the Great Lenexa Barbeque Battle is the weather! It was 93 degrees and humid. I am truly grateful for the person that forgot to order the rain for this years contest.

I really enjoyed seeing old friends and meeting new people this year. Thanks to all that stopped by for an autograph or just to say hi.

I feel that we turned in decent products though everything was cooked 25 to 30 degrees hotter due to me misplacing my pit thermometers. Lesson to everyone; check, check, and check again to make sure that you have everything you need to be successful when cooking. It does make a difference.

Our chicken was juicy, tender, and flavorful. On the other hand, you could have soaked up the Missouri river with our brisket. The judges saw things differently. It turns out that the judges really enjoyed our Smoked Pork Tenderloin glazed with a Blueberry – Pomegranate sauce. This is how our score sheet reads:

Chicken: 163 of 188
Ribs: 151 of 188
Pork: 38 of 188
Brisket: 32 of 188
Sausage: 128 of 176
Miscellaneous: 7 of 151
Overall: 94 of 188

Let's get down to business!

This is my secret to winning so many brisket titles. Quality control!

The view from my site.

The making of my "Bacon Bomb"!

The Bacon Bomb is set to explode with flavor when cooked!

What ya' doin Jeff?

Beef, it's what's for dinner!

Sirloin steak, garlic bread, and peaches & cream corn.

I love the smell of barbeque in the morning.

The Baron's buffet being prepared. Is that Parkay?

Turn the camera off and get back to work!

It’s Finger-lickin’ Good

2009-06-17T17:04:00.000-05:00

This month I am featured in the new edition of the American Way magazine. The article is written by Michael Slenske and it features two recipes that will blow your guests away at your next BBQ!
Enjoy!

It’s Finger-lickin’ Good
by Michael Slenske

Seven-time world barbecue champion Paul Kirk (http://www.baron-of-bbq.com/) is to grilling what Elvis was to rock and roll -- the king. So we asked him for a stick-to-your-ribs recipe (one used in competition) that’ll blow away the judges at your Fourth of July cookout. “Recipes to me are a plaything,” says Kirk, whose new book (coauthored along with Ardie A. Davis), America’s Best BBQ: 100 Recipes from America’s Best Smokehouses, Pits, Shacks, Rib Joints, Roadhouses, and Restaurants (Andrews McMeel Publishing, $20), hit shelves last month. In other words, have some fun with this one.

Barbecue Ribs

BARBECUE SEASONING:

1/4 cup garlic salt
1/4 cup onion salt
1/2 cup cane sugar
1/2 cup paprika
1/4 cup annatto powder (or more paprika)
1/4 cup restaurant-grind black pepper
2 teaspoons cayenne
2 teaspoons ground celery seeds
3 slabs St. Louis–style spareribs

Combine all of the ingredients and blend well. Trim the ribs of any excess fat and remove the membrane from the back of the ribs. Season the ribs all over with the barbecue seasoning. Place bone side down in a covered smoker preheated to 230 to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Turn the ribs and baste with apple juice every hour for four to five hours or until you can take two side-by-side ribs and tear them apart easily.

During the last 30 minutes, glaze the ribs on both sides with barbecue sauce and cook for 10 minutes, repeating the process two or three times. Remove the ribs from the smoker and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes, covered. Cut into individual ribs and serve hot.

SPICY AND SWEET BARBECUE SAUCE:

2 cups ketchup
1 cup water
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon horseradish (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne

Add all the ingredients in small saucepan and heat on medium heat until bubbly (about five to eight minutes), or combine in microwave-safe container and heat on high for five minutes.

Book Signing at I Love A Mystery

2009-05-30T18:45:00.000-05:00

Ardie Davis and I spent some time today discussing and signing our new book “America’s Best BBQ” at I Love A Mystery bookstore (located at 6114 Johnson Drive, Mission, KS). This lively and tasty event (catered by Johnny’s BBQ, 5959 Broadmoor, Mission, KS) began at 1 pm and lasted until 3:30 pm. We were pleasantly surprised by the turnout of barbecue enthusiasts and well wishers of our joint venture.

Here are some pictures from the event for you to enjoy!

I Love A Mystery located in Mission, KS. Stop in and "solve a mystery".

Let's talk about our road trips.

What a great audience.

Time to get to work!

Thank you to everyone that came out for our book signing!

The ’cue masters: Barbecue experts share some tasty bits of advice

2009-05-25T19:48:00.000-05:00

By EDWARD M. EVELD
The Kansas City Star
Posted on Tue, May. 19, 2009 10:15 PM

Barbecue goes by many names in Kansas City: Arthur Bryant. Gates. Oklahoma Joe. You’ve no doubt made their acquaintances.

But to deepen one’s relationship with this food, there are a few more names you should know.

Kansas City is famous for its barbecue, sure, but also for its barbecue writers and teachers.

And this outdoor cooking season is marked by something unheard of, the arrival of five new books by five local grilling and smoking experts: Karen Adler, Ardie A. Davis, Judith Fertig, Paul Kirk and Richard W. McPeake.

As Memorial Day weekend approaches, it’s enough to hail this the Summer of Barbecue Love.

The books are instruction manuals on the art and science of outdoor cooking, as well as recipe books. One also serves as a guide to barbecue fare around the country.

The authors are indeed experts, respected nationally and internationally. But don’t let the word “expert” intimidate you. After all, if you have to get as twitchy about barbecue as you do about fine dining, something is very, very wrong.

These Kansas Citians are opinionated, even philosophical, about barbecue. But they are also hometown and laissez-faire. They love to share everything they know about barbecue while allowing you to find your own barbecue self.

PAUL KIRK

Remember Ardie Davis’ story about the backyard brick pit? Paul Kirk has just such a memory of his backyard, only it was in Merriam, and his dad favored concrete blocks.

Branch trimmings from apple, pear and walnut trees were the fuel for the fire. Gatherings of Kirk’s extensive family meant cases of ribs and plenty of half-chickens.

But Kirk’s training actually started in the kitchen, where his mom kept her eye on him by enlisting his help baking cookies and cakes.

No doubt his success as a chef is owing to a God-given talent: “I’m fortunate my mom and dad were both good cooks.”

In high school, he carried hods for a brick mason and quickly learned why he got the job. “The only reason I hired you,” the mason said, “was to get your dad’s barbecue sauce recipe.”

What developed in Kirk was a kind of perfect pitch when it comes to recipes, the ability to re-create a dish after simply tasting it. Kirk, who lives in Roeland Park, has hundreds of cooking and barbecue awards, including seven world championships.

Chef Kirk trains barbecue restaurant staffs and, as the operator of Baron’s School of Pit Masters, has taught classes all over the world. He’s a partner in Righteous Urban Barbecue (RUB) restaurants in New York and Las Vegas.

On breaking it down for cooking newbies: Ever make sausage, Kirk asks students. Everybody says no, intimidated by the whole idea. “You’re lying, and you shouldn’t do that.” In fact, sausage is just chopped, seasoned meat, so anybody who has made a hamburger or a meatloaf is well on his way.

On smoking meat faster in aluminum foil: Kirk lampoons the method as the “Texas crutch,” a shortcut with a bad outcome. “I won’t compromise with what I do.”

On barbecue restaurants that ride their reputations: Some of the “big boys” — famous barbecue restaurateurs — aren’t in Kirk and Davis’ new book, which names their 100 favorite joints. “They ask why and I say, ‘Because we shopped you four times and you weren’t consistent.’ ”

ARDIE A. DAVIS

Every Saturday before picking his dad up from work, Ardie Davis and his mom would stop at the brickyard and load a few more bricks into the trunk.

Eventually, they collected enough for his dad to build a backyard brick pit for grilling. His dad rigged a car jack to raise and lower the fire bed.

It was the 1950s in Oklahoma City, and just a block’s walk from his house, Davis and his friends could each score a barbecue sandwich, a bag of chips and a Dr Pepper or RC Cola for a quarter.

“It’s been in my blood a long time,” Davis says.

The modern age, you might say, of Davis and barbecue started in 1984 with an unusual barbecue sauce fixation.

First, he collected sauces. Then he organized a competition (the Diddy-Wa-Diddy National Barbecue Sauce Contest), which took place on his backyard patio. That evolved into the American Royal International Barbecue Sauce, Rub & Baste Contest and the sauce, baste and rub contest at the Great American Barbecue Festival.

Davis is a charter member of the Kansas City Barbeque Society, which began in 1985 and now has more than 10,000 members. He helps confer Doctor of Barbecue Philosophy degrees.

“It’s a coveted degree” involving actual tests and requirements, says Davis, who lives in Roeland Park, “You have to work for it.”

On meat seasonings: Focus on basic cooking techniques rather than obsess about seasoning. “Once you’ve tasted things in what I call a more primal way, you’re going to be fussy about what you should add to that.”

On flare-ups when grilling: Don’t battle them. Have a hot zone and a cool zone when grilling. Move food to the cool zone during a flare-up.

On the biggest mistake when smoking meat: Lack of patience. A bone-in, untrimmed pork butt can cook for eight hours, a brisket for 10 or 12. “You have to save that for Saturday or Sunday.”

Five local barbecue aficionados have written new books. They are (clockwise from left) Ardie A. Davis of Roeland Park, Paul Kirk of Roeland Park, Richard W. McPeake of Shawnee, Judith Fertig of Overland Park and Karen Adler of Kansas City.

Let's talk about my new book

2009-05-13T18:31:00.000-05:00

Come out and meet authors Paul Kirk and Ardie Davis as they discuss their new book, America's Best BBQ.

Ardie Davis and Paul Kirk
1-3 p.m. Saturday, May 30
I Love a Mystery Bookstore
6114 Johnson Drive, Mission, KS 66202
(913) 432-2583
www.iloveamystery.com

Ardie Davis and Paul Kirk
6:30 p.m. Monday, June 8
Fiorella's Jack Stack Barbecue
Freight House location
101 W. 22nd Street, Kansas City, MO 64108
BBQ buffet including ribs, beef brisket, chicken, burnt ends, Jack Stack side items, nonalcoholic drinks and dessert (alcohol, tax, and gratuity additional)
Reservations: Amy Johnson, (816) 941-4309
Cost: $50.00 includes a signed copy of America's Best BBQ
jackstackbbq.com

What do I think about my new book..?

2009-05-11T22:09:00.001-05:00

Join author-chef Paul Kirk for a barbecue dinner

2009-05-11T20:22:00.000-05:00

KANSAS CITY, MO (May 11, 2009) — Join Kansas City cookbook author and champion pitmaster Paul Kirk on June 4 as he grills on the patio of Renee Kelly’s at Caenen Castle in Shawnee, Kan., and signs his new book, America’s Best BBQ (May 2009, $19.99, Andrews McMeel Publishing).

Kirk will be cooking for a tasty barbecue buffet that will include ribs, pulled pork, chicken, beans, potatoes, and slaw, all made from recipes featured in America’s Best BBQ. For $55 guests will receive dinner and an autographed copy of America’s Best BBQ, which includes recipes for starters, main dishes, side dishes, and desserts that Kirk and co-author Ardie A. Davis have collected over the years from their favorite barbecue spots across the country.

Kirk has been involved in the business, sport, and art of barbecue for more than 50 years. He is the operator of Baron’s School of Pitmasters and has won more than 475 cooking and barbecue awards. Among those are seven world championships, including the prestigious American Royal Open, the world’s largest barbecue contest. The event begins at 6:30 p.m. For reservations, call (913) 631-4100. Renee Kelly’s is at 12401 Johnson Drive.

WELCOME!

2009-05-11T19:22:00.000-05:00

Pull up a seat and sit a spell. This is a place where you can tell a few stories, enjoy a good laugh and share my passion for cooking and traditional barbecue.

Food is essential for the body. Good food (and barbecue) brings family, friends and strangers together while nourishing the soul!

Welcome!