42

Buffalo Bill and the Indians

A grand barbecueWilliam F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody was one of America’s first self-invented

Wild West heroes and one of Kansas’ earliest white

residents. Young Bill Cody’s family settled in the

Leavenworth area in 1853. His father, Isaac Cody,

was a barbecue cook, and included in William

Cody’s 1879 autobiography, The Life and Adventures

of Buffalo Bill, are accounts of barbecue festivities

hosted by his family.

During the summer of 1853 we lived in our little log

house, and father continued to trade with the Indians,

who became very friendly; hardly a day passed without

a social visit from them. I spent a great deal of time

with the Indian boys, who taught me how to shoot with

the bow and arrow, at which I became quite expert. I

also took part in all their sports, and learned to talk the

Kickapoo language to some extent.

Father desired to express his friendship for these Indians,

and accordingly arranged a grand barbecue for them. He

invited them all to be present on a certain day, which they

were; he then presented them with two fat beeves, to be

killed and cooked in the various Indian styles. Mother made

several large boilers full of coffee, which she gave to them,

together with sugar and bread. There were about two hundred

43

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A grand barbecue

Heroes of WestportMost Kansas Citians know that the most important Civil War battle

west of the Mississippi was the Battle of Westport, fought primarily on

the ground that is now Loose Park, just south of the Plaza. What many

Kansas Citians don’t know is that William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody and his

friend James Butler “Wild Bill” Hickok both participated in the battle.

Cody was a private in the 7th Kansas Cavalry — known as “Jennison’s

Jayhawkers” —, and Hickok was a scout and sharpshooter for Gen.

Samuel R. Curtis, commander of the Union forces. Wild Bill was already

quite familiar with the area, having staked a claim in

1857 on 160 acres near what is

now the corner of

83rd and Clare Road,

in Lenexa. He also

served as constable

of Monticello

Township.

From left: Wild Bill, Texas Jack, and Buffalo Bill

Indians in attendance at the feast, and they all

enjoyed and appreciated it. In the evening they had

one of their grand fantastic war dances, which

greatly amused me, it being the first sight of the

kind I had ever witnessed.

My Uncle Elijah and quite a large number of

gentlemen and ladies came over from Weston to

attend the entertainment. The Indians returned

to their homes well satisfied.

44

with the Coffee KingAt once cordially communal and intensely intimate, the sharing of a cup

of coffee is an ancient rite that creates, re-creates and celebrates human

relationships.

This poetic perspective is offered up, over a cup of coffee, of course, by

Danny O’Neill, founder and president of The Roasterie, Kansas City’s premier

coffee company. Danny is as passionate about coffee as we are about

barbecue. We recently had a nice chat with Mr. O’Neill, during which he

reflected on both.

“Barbecue and coffee have a lot in common. Both are inherently social. Both

are best enjoyed with friends. And both are very egalitarian. They’re the

opposite of elitist. Even really good coffee is affordable and accessible.

“People will say to one another ‘Let’s have lunch sometime’ and it’s

understood that there’s a certain benign insincerity in putting that out

there. It’s like asking ‘How are you?’ It’s just something you say to express

goodwill. But saying ‘Let’s have coffee’ has a different connotation

altogether. You’re much more likely to follow through. Having coffee is less

of a commitment than lunch, but at the same time it’s a way of saying “I

really want to get to know you better.’

“When guests come to your house, what do you do? You make a pot of

coffee. Coffee is welcoming, comforting, and — in spite of the caffeine — it’s

relaxing.

“And even though coffee is very social, it’s also quite comforting and

contemplative, something you can enjoy by yourself. If you picture someone

sitting alone in their house drinking a scotch, and you almost feel sorry for

that person. It’s kind of a sad picture. The mood is lonely and somber, almost

A Cup of Joe

45

Danny O’Neill’s Smokin’ Cold Coffee:• 1oz.limejuice• 1teaspoonhoney

• 1sliceoffreshjalapeno• 2oz.toddycoffee(seerecipebelow)• ½cupice,plussomeadditional• 2oz.clubsoda

Thoroughlymixthelimejuiceandhoney.Pour

inmartinishakerandaddjalapeno,toddy

coffeeandice.Shake.Pouringlassandadd

clubsodaandadditionalicetotaste.Foran

additionalkickinthepantsaddoneounce

bourbon.

To make cold toddy coffee, addonepound

coarselygroundcoffeetoninecupsofwater

inacoldtoddycoffeemaker.Refrigeratefor

12–16hoursanddrain.

depressing. But picture someone at

home drinking coffee by themselves,

and the connotation is entirely

different. It feels quiet, restful,

reflective.

“Admittedly, coffee isn’t the first

thing you think of as a drink to

go with barbecue. That would be

beer, of course. Or maybe sweet

tea. But there are some cold

coffee drinks that are excellent

with barbecue. And coffee has

long been a popular secret

ingredient in prize-winning

barbecue rubs. Coffee adds

a complexity to a rub that

gives it that extra special

something.

“There’s absolutely no

doubt that Kansas City is

the Barbecue Capital of

the World. Here at the

Roasterie, we believe we’ve

helped make Kansas City a coffee capital as

well.”

The Roasterie’s master bean roaster, Norm

Killmon was recently honored with the first ever

lifetime achievement award by the Specialty

Coffee Association’s Roaster’s Guild for his

contributions to the coffee industry. This award

will henceforth be named the “Norm Killmon

Lifetime Achievement Award” and will be

presented annually to coffee roasters of

outstanding merit.

Kudos for Killmon

46

This step-by-step how-to describes basically the same process of making burnt

ends that our sponsored competition barbecue teams use. The exception

being that you’ll need to use your own smoker. Ours are generally full up. (If

you don’t have your own smoker, the folks at the Kansas City BBQ Store can

set you up.)

fig. 1 Start with a whole untrimmed brisket. Whole

briskets have two parts: the “flat” and the

“point.” The flat is the long, wide, flat-ish part

that makes up most of the brisket. The point

is the fatty lump of meat that sits on top and at the end of the flat. Burnt

ends are made from the point, so it’s important that you start with a whole,

untrimmed brisket. Be aware that many grocery stores only sell flats. If you’re

unsure, tell meat counter dude you need a whole brisket.

fig. 2Trim excess fat from the brisket. While you’re

doing this, notice where the point and the flat

are joined. Notice that the grain of the flat and

the grain of the point run perpendicular. This is

important, inasmuch as you will have to remove

the point from the flat later in the process.

fig. 3Season your brisket with a rub of your own

making (see recipe on page 7), or stop by the

Kansas City BBQ Store and choose from the

hundreds of rubs in our inventory. Seasoning

can be done anywhere from four to 24 hours

before you put your brisket in the smoker. Wrap

it in plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge.

BACKyArd BArBeCue BAsICs

47

fig. 4About an hour before you start cooking, take

the brisket out of the fridge and let sit on your

kitchen countertop at room temperature for

about an hour. Once your smoker is all fired up,

put your brisket in and cook it low and slow,

at 225 degrees, for about an hour-and-a-half

per pound. When the internal temp of the flat

reaches 160 degrees, pull it from the smoker,

quickly wrap it in aluminum foil and return it

to the smoker. Let it continue to cook until the

internal temp reaches 195 degrees. Remove it from the smoker and let it rest

in the foil for an hour on your kitchen countertop. Then wrap in a big beach

towel or two and put it in a picnic cooler and close it tight.

fig. 5While your brisket is cooking, chop some fresh

garlic, onion (and perhaps a slice or two of

pickled jalapeno pepper). In a stock pot, sauté

the onion in a little butter until golden brown.

Then add one quart beef stock, together with the garlic and let simmer

for about thirty minutes. After thirty minutes, remove from heat, carefully

strain the stock into a sauce pan. Stir in one-and-a-half cups of your favorite

barbecue sauce. Return the pan to the stove and keep warm.

BACKyArd BArBeCue BAsICsBrisket & Burnt ends101

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49

some lIKe It hotOn May 16, 2010, at 11:26 a.m. TV talk show

host and really tall redhead, Conan O’Brien

tweeted his Twitter followers this message:

I’m in KC. I like my BBQ like I like my

women. HOT. Also, rubbed with molasses,

coffee grounds and cayenne.

We’d love to hear from anybody who has

tried the molasses, coffee grounds, and

cayenne formula in making barbecue. Post

your experience on our Facebook page.

We’d also like to hear from any married

men who have made a remark similar to

Conan’s and have lived to tell about it.

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tasty accompanimentsside dishes

up on the roofOur Facebook friend,

Trent Citrano, posted

this photo of himself on

our Facebook page last

month. Trent wanted us

to see that he wore his

Oklahoma Joe’s T-shirt

to a rooftop barbecue

party in Yokohama,

Japan, where he is the

principal of the St. Maur

International School. If

you’ve got a photo of

yourself wearing Joe’s

garb in an exotic locale,

post it on Facebook for all

to see.

410

Imagine the Super Bowl, the Academy Awards,

and Woodstock all cooked up into one big

shindig. Awesome, right? You got your intense

competition, your prestigious prizes, your

rock ‘n’ roll and your, uh, adult beverages. All

the ingredients for a primo event. Now add

barbecue into the mix. Now you’ve got: THE.

BEST. PARTY. EVER. You’ve got the American

Royal Barbecue.

Founded in 1980, the American Royal

Barbecue is the biggest and most prestigious

barbecue contest in the world. Nearly 500

teams compete in the Royal Open, and

in the Invitational more than 120 elite

championship teams go head-to-head for

the biggest, baddest, barbecue bragging

rights of all.

This year, on October 1-3, Slaughterhouse

Five — the barbecue team that gave

rise to Oklahoma Joe’s restaurants —

is celebrating its 20th consecutive

competition at the Royal.

Slaughterhouse five Competition BBQ team

Barbecue Royalty

We asked a number of top cooks and Kansas Citians for their

reflections on the Royal:

“There is no dispute that Kansas City is the barbecue

capital of the world,” says Rick Hughes, President and CEO

of the Kansas City Convention and Visitors Association.

“With more than a hundred barbecue joints and being host to

the largest barbecue contest in the world, barbecue is in

our DNA.”411

“The American Royal is my favorite contest of all time,” says

Rod Gray, of the championship barbecue team Pellet Envy. “If

you are lucky enough to cook in the Invitational, you are

cooking against true champions from all over our great nation.”

Famed barbecue chef, cookbook author, and TV personality, Ray

Lampe, says “The American Royal is the top of the mountain for

barbecue cooks. If you go to Oklahoma Joes on the Thursday

before the event you’ll see many of the top names in barbecue

having lunch.”

“I first attended the American Royal Barbecue in 1987 and

can say that this event has helped shape my life,” says Joe

Davidson, co-founder and former co-owner of Oklahoma Joe’s BBQ

& Catering, “I never dreamed I would someday be Grand Champion

at the Invitational. That win is still atop my list of proudest

wins. The Royal is truly an American barbecue tradition.”

“The American Royal contest has been the cornerstone that has

developed competition barbecue into one of the most popular

‘sports’ in the United States over the last 25 years,” says

Chris Marks, of Kansas City’s Three Little Pigs barbecue team

(the winningest team in Royal history). “The American Royal

has helped define Kansas City barbecue as the world’s most

recognized style of barbecue.”

Chris Lilly, champion barbecue cook, TV personality and VP

of the legendary Big Bob Gibson’s barbecue joint in Decatur,

Alabama, says, “The American Royal is a celebration of a

distinct American foodway, quenching not only competitive

spirit but a sense of community

412

Number ONe with a bulletB

eginning backyard barbecue cooks are often intimidated

by the process of buying their first smoker. There are

lots of choices. Each smoker offers a unique range of

features and benefits and prices vary widely. Overly confident

and ambitious first timers can easily spend too much on a rig

that’s way too big. Stingy timid types tend to spend too little,

quickly finding themselves frustrated at the limits and poor

performance of their new equipment. Best thing to do is ask the

advice of an experienced and seasoned cook. And most likely

they’ll recommend the Weber Smokey Mountain (WSM). Not only

will they say it’s the best all-round smoker for beginners, they’ll

say it’s one of the best all-round smokers, period, no matter your

level of experience and expertise.

The Weber Smokey Mountain is a shining (and shiny) example of

design elegance and simplicity. Nicknamed “The Bullet” for its

cylindrical body and domed top (and bottom), the Weber Smokey

Mountain is pleasingly easy on the eyes and ridiculously easy

to operate. It may not cook as much meat as the big rigs, but it

more than holds its own in performance. The Bullet comes in

two sizes. The original 18.5-inch (diameter) version and the new

22.5-inch model. The original stands 41 inches high, and the

newer edition is 48 inches tall.

While it’s possible to make barbecue on a classic Weber kettle,

the kettle is made primarily for grilling, not smoking. (Let’s

review: Grilling = high heat, fast cook times. Barbecue = low

heat, slow cook times.) The WSM, however, is specially made to

cook low and slow. It’s air-tight design and quality construction

make for efficient and effective temperature control, critical to

producing tasty barbecue.

WSM owners are an enthusiastically loyal bunch. Rick Salmon,

one of the competition barbecue champions on staff at the

413

Number ONe with a bullet the weber Smokey Mountain

Kansas City BBQ Store is one of them. “I

like the Weber Smoky Mountain because

it is the best smoker for the money,” Rick

says. “It’s very versatile in that you can

cook barbecue on it, grill on it, or even

cook Memphis style on it. It is easy to

use, fuel efficient and needs very little

attention. With a little ingenuity you

can add extra shelves to it to increase

its capacity. It’s an excellent backyard

cooker, but at the same time can win

major barbecue competitions with it.”

Dan Hathaway, manager of the Kansas

City BBQ Store, and a competitive

barbecue champion in his own right,

agrees that the Bullet is one of the easiest

charcoal/wood burners to operate.

“Right out of the box you can fire it up

and achieve 6-8 hour cooks without a

lot of fire maintenance. For someone

just getting started in the backyard this

is perfect, because they’ll actually learn

how things cook, instead of learning

how not to ruin their food.”

Fans of the durable cooker have even

created a website devoted exclusively

to discussion and information exchange

regarding the smoker and its use. The

enormously utilitarian site — called “The

Virtual Bullet” www.virtualweberbullet.

com — offers cooking techniques,

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415

whomp! there it is! By day Mitch Benjamin, 39, is a sales rep for

TaylorMade-adidas Golf, but by night — and

on weekends — Benjamin is a barbecue

sauce mixologist and entrepreneur. His new sauce Meat Mitch’s “Whomp!”

BBQ Sauce has just been released (and is on sale at the Kansas City BBQ

Store). We sat down with Mitch recently for a little Q&A:

How’d you get into barbecue?

It was out of self defense. My fiancée loved barbecue so much that she was

starting to eye up big dudes in overall’s with nicknames like “Stack” and “Big

Rig”. I had to react.

What’s your favorite barbecue experience?

The American Royal is our team’s favorite time of the year. We get fired up,

having the biggest, wildest, best party of the year, serving all of our friends

the very best food we can make along with all the beer, wine, and spirits

they can muster!

What’s your barbecue philosophy?

Have your recipes organized, know what everyone’s role is, don’t sway too

much from your original plan and don’t start playing quarters at midnight.

Everyone thinks their own sauce recipe is the best. How about yours?

Meat Mitch “Whomp” BBQ sauce was created to win BBQ competitions. It has

all the elements the judges are looking for, a beautiful glaze finish, a sweet,

rich, depth and character, and it finishes with a little kick that says “Hello,

Jim!”. My first production run of the sauce was on a Wednesday this past July,

by Friday we had set up camp at The Wild Blue BBQ State Championship in

Burlington, KS, and we walked away with the Grand Reserve Championship

trophy and never even cooked any of the meat, just poured the sauce on it.

WHOMP!

BBQ&A