8 Traditional Foods
You Have To Try in Kansas City

Barbecued meat is the gastronomic passion of the so-called "world capital of barbecue", also known as Kansas City. Barbecued pork ribs, flavorful slices of hot or cold beef brisket, or a "pig salad" of succulent pulled pork - those are just some of the delicacies of the Kansas City-style barbecue. The barbecue craze dates back to around 1908, when Henry Perry, an African-American chef, first started slow cooking pork ribs over oak and hickory, drizzling them with a sauce consisting of molasses, chiles, and tomatoes. He served the meal in newspaper and sold it for 25 cents a piece, and the consumers' acceptance and love of barbecued meat went better than expected. While home cooks and chefs have added their own secret ingredients since Perry's time, the most basic barbecue sauce and the method of preparation still remain much the same. Every October, barbecue lovers from all around the world gather in Kansas City for the American Royal Barbecue competition. Launched in 1980, it challenges about 600 teams against each other in categories such as chicken, pork ribs, pork shoulder, sausage, and beef brisket, and those who aim for the Great Champion title must barbecue in all categories. With its four day cook-off, rodeos, horse shows, and feasting on meat at vendor stalls, Kansas City is a barbecue capital worthy of its name.Expand

Burnt ends are a delicious specialty originating from Kansas City. The name refers to the unusually-shaped, tougher, fattier end pieces of barbecued brisket which were served as appetizers, placed into stews, or given to customers free of charge. These smoky burnt ends capture melted fat during the barbecue process, making them incredibly flavorful. Nowadays, they are a staple menu item in the city, usually served cubed on their own or smothered in barbecue sauce. Burnt ends can also be used in sandwiches or combined with baked beans and french fries.Expand

Originally an American invention, succulent and smoky barbecue ribs have become one of the most famous dishes in the world. The dish is typically prepared with pork ribs, usually spareribs or the tender, leaner baby back ribs. Pork is the obvious choice for the dish since it tends to be juicier on the bone, allowing the meat to come right off after the grilling process. It is one of the barbecued dishes which leans on the American-style grilling, in which the meat is cooked long, slow, and at a low temperature. To give the ribs their distinct taste and texture, they are always treated before grilling. Two most common ways include marinating and dry-rubbing. Marinating is usually done with soy or Worchester sauce, different spices, ketchup, and occasionally even whisky or honey. As the name suggests, dry-rub is usually made with powdered spices such as smoked paprika, garlic, Mediterranean or Oriental spices, sugar, and mustard. During grilling, the ribs are repeatedly smothered with a spicy barbecue sauce, which eventually provides the ribs with a luscious, viscous, and slightly spicy external layer. Ribs are a typical part of classic American barbecues, although they can be found in restaurants around the world and are also commonly prepared at home.Expand

Although some may think that chili con carne is an authentic Mexican dish, it is actually an original American dish, made only in a few places in Mexico in order to cater to the tourists. If the dish were Mexican, it would still be a staple on the Mexican menus throughout the country, since traditional dishes do not go away that easily in Mexico. Chili con carne is a meat-based stew consisting of finely chopped beef, hot chiles, seasonings, and water, although the ingredients that go in a chili are a subject of endless debates. Purists insist that there are no tomatoes or beans in a real chili, although many others beg to differ. The earliest evidence of chili con carne can be found in J.C.Clopper's document, who visited San Antonio in 1826 and wrote about this poor man's dish where chile peppers were stewed together with tiny pieces of meat. Today, chili con carne is a wildly popular dish throughout America, with variations such as Tex-Mex, New Mexico, and Cincinnati chili. There are also numerous chili cook-offs in the country, attracting thousands of participants each year.Expand

Z-Man is an American burger originating from Kansas City. It consists of a split Kaiser roll that's filed with sliced smoked brisket, smoked provolone cheese, onion rings, and barbecue sauce. This burger was invented at a barbecue joint called Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que. Jeff, the owner, went to Zarrick, a sports talk show host on the local radio station, and asked him to talk about this new burger. The listeners chose the name as they began regularly asking for that Z-Man sandwich on the air, referring to Zarrick, who had begun calling himself Z-Man not long before. Eventually, the name stuck, and the burger was even proclaimed to be the "Best Sandwich in Kansas" by Zagat, and "One of 50 Sandwiches to Eat Before You Die" by Thrillist.Expand

Sloppy Joe is an all-American, simple sandwich consisting of ground beef, onions, seasonings, and tomato sauce or ketchup on a hamburger bun. The sandwich probably started as a variation of the "loose meat" sandwiches that didn't contain tomato sauce. A popular theory suggests that the original Sloppy Joe was invented by a cook named Joe in a café in Sioux City, Iowa in 1930. Joe added tomato sauce to the "loose meat" sandwiches, and the rest is history. The sandwich is extremely popular with children and is a staple at school cafeterias throughout the United States, but it is also a favorite of parents since it is cheap and very easy to prepare.Expand

Mac and cheese—a seemingly simple combination of macaroni and melted cheese—is one of the most popular dishes in the United States. The preferred American combination consists of curved macaroni pasta and Cheddar cheese, but modern varieties include vegetables, breadcrumb toppings, or gourmet ingredients such as crab, lobster, or truffles. Although it is an American staple, the dish was probably inspired by similar pasta dishes enjoyed in Italy and France. In the United States, it was popularized by none other than Thomas Jefferson. He fell in love with the combination of pasta and cheese during his European travels, and soon after returning, he started importing macaroni and had the pasta machine shipped to Virginia. Jefferson's chefs prepared macaroni and cheese and served it at his lavish banquets, and his distant cousin Mary Randolph published the first mac and cheese recipe in 1824. The dish was further popularized when Kraft placed the boxed variety on the market. Mac and cheese is a cheap, no-frills dish that could feed the whole family, and it is no surprise it has become a mainstay in American kitchens. It is the ultimate comfort food and is often listed as one of the most iconic American dishes. Expand

A staple of Southern fried food in the United States, hushpuppies are an extremely popular snack consisting of deep-fried cornmeal batter. The batter is sometimes enriched by the addition of onions, garlic, corn, and peppers. Regarding the origins of the dish, there are as many theories about it as there are recipes for the hushpuppies. One of the most popular theories states that hunters and fishermen would feed the fried cornmeal to their dogs and command them to "hush, puppies", so the dogs would not disturb their prey. Another, similar theory states that Confederate soldiers would also feed it to their dogs so that the enemy soldiers wouldn't hear the dogs' barking. Hushpuppies are best when served steaming hot with tartar sauce or a smoked trout dip, while some claim that a glass of crisp sparkling wine proves to be the best accompaniment.Expand