Fiorella's Jack Stack Barbecue: Nice place, versatile menu, good food but it's not the best BBQ



We first came here years ago at the first original one on the Missouri. Very rustic crowded but worth it. The burnt ends were great and so was everything. This restaurant has a lot of character. Then the Overland Park one arrived. Since then have been many times to this location, with friends and ourselves.
This location is big but does not have the rustic flavor compared to the Missouri location to the South. However just like the other location, the menu is huge. Of course there is beef, brisket, pork, fish, sides and desserts so there is lots to choose from. This place is popular so you might have to wait.We did not have to wait long.
This time, I tried a combination plate. I had the burnt ends which the lamb ribs. The lamb ribs were more meaty then I thought they would be and very flavorful.This was a great find. My burnt ends were were meaty and had smoky flavor. The portion was good for about two small sandwiches. I liked the smoky BBQ beans and coleslaw. We tried the huge stack (like a pyramid) onion rings which were succulent. However I think this side is over priced.
My wife's burnt arrived " very burnt " so much so she did not want to eat it. The waitress was nice enough to order another free order of burnt ends that were be more to her liking, juicy, meaty and with less char. Since my wife's portion was going to be thrown away anyway, I asked to take it home anyway and it was okay for me. Previously at another trip, my brother-in-law got the Grilled Salmon which was very good. What is unusual about this fish is that the salmon has meat juices drip on it from above to you get that really smoky taste with the fish. If you don't want any type of beef or if you are a vegetarian that eats fish, then you should be aware of this.
This location can be quite noisy. The crowd was huge but we could still talk. Its a nice place but I have discovered some BBQ places that "give you more bang for your buck". I prefer a place that is not so frugal with the main portion of the meal and provide a bigger portions for the price. While the sides are very good, I would rather pay for more " meat".Still I have to give this place thumbs up. It has ambiance and looks nice and is a nice place to have a dinner or lunch with friends, family, kids and others of all ages. But now when I want BBQ, I will go to some other BBQ places that I have discovered that fills the plate to a greater extent and gives more "bang for the buck".

Best BBQ sauces

Thumbing through Rachel Ray's Everyday magazine, I saw beside some nice recipes a listing of their ideas about the best bbq sauces. I happily see in the list ulls Eye Barbecue Sauce which I use all the time and love. But I gotta try this ones below too and try them out.

Best in Texas- Secret Recipes Salt Like Bar- B- Que Sauce
Best in Carolinas- Georgia's Original Barbeque sauce
Best in Kansas City- Kansas City Cowtown Bar- B- Q sauce
Best from outside the Barbecue Belt - Legends Southwest Thick and Smokly Barbecue sauce
Best in the Grocery Aisle- Bulls Eye Barbecue Sauce Sweet Homestyle Blend
Best Hot and Spicy- Curtis All American Bar-B-Q Sauce Spicy Southern Style

365 Great Barbecue & grilling recipes book review

Superb book; great interesting recipes; great variety, July 4, 2008 By  Eric Flescher "Dr. Eric Flescher" (Olathe, KS (near Kansas City)) - See all my reviews I must have bought this book in the 1990's and have used it ever since. Great interesting recipes including engtrees , salass , chutneys, marinades, pesto, vegetable stuff , appetizers and much more beside standard BBQ- chicken , beef etc/ Hot and sweet section for interesting BBQ stuff. Desserts and sauce the hot and sweet section is really interesting . The index is well done and lots to help sort and find what you want\

It's BBQ time

I come from nearby Kansas City. We have some of the best BBQ and restaurants in the world. I prefer Beef and Brisket. I am a certified BBQ by the Kansas City BBQ society which means I have taken a class and learned how to make and judge bbq.

I have been judging for about 6 years. It is nice to meet nice people, eat some good BBQ, let others know what I think about the BBQ that we have to judge. I also get to take home what I have left. We eat and munch on it for the rest of the week!!! Then another judging and it comes all over again on until September.

I can't believe the time, sweat effort, money and time people use to try to get the best BBQ. Amazing.

Kansas City-style Baby Back Ribs with Onion Rings and Boiled Corn
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2006





2 full slabs baby back ribs, about 1 1/2 pounds each, cut in 1/2
1/4 cup Kansas City-style Rib Rub, recipe follows
2 tablespoons hickory wood chips for stovetop smoker
1 cup Kansas City-style Barbecue Sauce, recipe follows
3 to 4 ears sweet corn, in husk
3 tablespoons salted butter
3 cups rice flour
1 to 1 1/2 cups cold seltzer water
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon Essence, recipe follows
2 large Vidalia onions, or other sweet onions such as Oso Sweet, Walla Walla, or Maui, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch rings
6 cups vegetable oil, for frying

Ribs:
Season each slab of the ribs evenly on both sides with the Kansas City-style Rib Rub and refrigerate for up to 2 hours.

Remove ribs from the refrigerator and prepare a stovetop smoker with 2 tablespoons of hickory wood chips. Cover with the drip tray, followed by the rack, and lay the seasoned ribs on top of the rack. Set the smoker over a medium-high heat with the lid partially closed. Once the smoker begins to smoke, close the lid completely and reduce the heat to medium. Smoke the ribs for 30 minutes, remove, set on a sheet pan and brush on the meaty sides with the barbecue sauce. Wrap with aluminum foil, place the sheet pan in the oven, and bake until the ribs are tender, about 1 hour. Serve with the corn and onion rings.

Corn:
Preheat a grill to medium-high. Brush husks with oil and place on grill. Grill until husks are lightly charred and corn is cooked through, about 20 minutes, but cooking time varies based on grills. Remove husk before serving, top with butter, and season with salt and pepper.

Onion Rings:
Combine the rice flour, seltzer water, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl, and whisk to form a smooth paste. Combine the flour with the Essence in a shallow bowl. Toss the largest, outer rings in the seasoned flour, and dredge in the batter, shaking to remove any excess. (Save the remaining, smaller onion rings for another use.)

Heat the oil in a large, deep pot or electric fryer to 350 degrees F. Carefully add the onion rings to the hot oil, and cook, turning occasionally to prevent the pieces from sticking together, until golden on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Emeril live on TV had this recipe for BBQ
it can be used with any type of meat.

Kansas City-style Rib Rub:
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup paprika
2 tablespoons Essence, recipe follows
6 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl, and stir to combine. Be sure to crumble any lumps that may form with the sugar or spices. Use for meats and seafood to be grilled, as well as for making the barbecue sauce. Any unused rub may be stored in an airtight container and kept in a cool, dry place for up to 6 weeks.

Yield: about 2 cups

Kansas City-style Barbecue Sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup small diced onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups ketchup
1/2 cup molasses
1 tablespoon Kansas City-style Rib Rub
1 tablespoon hot sauce
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1 teaspoon liquid smoke

Set a 1-quart saucepan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the onions and garlic. Sweat the onions, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the vinegar and cook until reduced by half, about 1 minute. Add the remaining ingredients to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool. Sauce may be made up to 3 weeks in advance and refrigerated in a non-reactive airtight container.

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Yield: 2/3 cup

Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch, published by William Morrow, 1993.

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