Memphis has their ribs, Texas has their oak-smoked brisket, and the Carolinas have their whole-hog cookouts, but Kansas City is the best place to eat all kinds of BBQ.
From delectable burnt ends to fatty cuts of brisket, Kansas City is known for embracing multiple types of BBQ meat. Unlike the mustard-based Carolina sauces that can taste a little sour, Kansas City drenches their BBQ in a sweeter, tomato-based sauce.
As someone who worked in a BBQ restaurant for a year to help pay for college, I have firsthand experience making oversized batches of homemade sauce and trying to get that perfect blend of ingredients.
This BBQ sauce from Fiorella’s Jack Stack in Kansas City is delicious, and a two-pack costs $20 on Amazon.
Reece Rogers/Insider
Recently, I used this BBQ sauce when grilling chicken. It also tastes great on ribs, brisket, pulled pork, and French fries.
The sauce isn't overly sweet and has a pleasant, smoky flavor that pairs especially well with chicken. Some of the main ingredients include tomato paste, sugar, distilled vinegar, brown sugar, hot sauce, dehydrated onion and garlic, molasses, and Worcestershire sauce.
I brush the sauce on the chicken while it's still on the grill.
Reece Rogers/Insider
When grilling, I swear by charcoal. (Sorry Hank Hill, no propane grilling for this household.) Brushing the Jack Stack sauce on the chicken while it is grilling really lets the flavors soak in.
In addition, I recommend this dry rub from Jack Stack for seasoning chicken.
Reece Rogers/Insider
A quality dry rub is essential, and this one from Jack Stack has the perfect amount of garlic. The inclusion of celery seeds in the dry rub imbues the meat with a pleasant, earthy flavor. This rub is salt-based, so I would not recommend it if you are on a low-sodium diet.
Before putting our chicken on the grill, I coat it with the Jack Stack dry rub. It instantly elevates plain chicken into something flavorful and vibrant.