Kansas City’s Buck Tui and Meat Mitch Shine with Masters Dinner
As we have reported previously in The Smoke Sheet, the Kansas City barbecue landscape has been rapidly evolving in recent years. Last October, I helped to organize the inaugural Party in the Pit event celebrating the best of the Kansas City barbecue scene that featured many amazing new restaurants.
Among the Party in the Pit participants were two of the best new spots to open in the past few years: Buck Tui BBQ, a Thai-infused barbecue restaurant that I wrote about as one of the most interesting and exciting barbecue concepts I have ever encountered; and Meat Mitch BBQ, the namesake restaurant from championship barbecue competitor and restaurateur Mitch Benjamin. When I found out that these two restaurants were collaborating on a special chef dinner event, I jumped at the opportunity to make the trip from Omaha to be in attendance.
A special dinner was held in collaboration between chefs at Buck Tui BBQ and Meat Mitch BBQ in Kansas City last week. (Photo by Phon Wills)
The event, dubbed The Masters Dinner Buck Tui BBQ X Meat Mitch Chef Collaboration, was a 5-course dining experience featuring ten different Thai BBQ creations and collaborations from chef and pitmaster Ted Liberda of Buck Tui BBQ, 2023 James Beard Award nominee chef Pam Liberda of Buck Tui BBQ and Waldo Thai, chef and culinary director Michael Peterson of Meat Mitch, and “Meat” Mitch Benjamin himself. Beverages were curated by beverage director Darrell Loo of Waldo Thai, named "Best Mixologist in KC" by Feast Magazine.
Over the past ten years, Benjamin has been at the helm of the Meat Mitch championship competition barbecue team. In that time, he launched a line of award-winning sauces and rubs, helped open the excellent Char Bar restaurant, and authored the BBQ Revolution cookbook, before opening his namesake restaurant, Meat Mitch BBQ, where the event took place.
The first course of the evening included stuffed chicken wings, dumplings, and crispy rice salad. (Photo by Phon Wills)
The event began with a reception with appetizers that included Smoked Brisket Rangoon and Lemongrass-skewered Thai Chile Shrimp and a cocktail made with Old Forester Bourbon 100, lemongrass, makrut lime leaf, goji berry, citrus, Cellars Prosecco, and Kubler Absinthe.
One of my favorite drinks was this cocktail made from El Jimador Tequila, Slane Irish Whiskey, ginger, galangal, citrus, soda water, and umami bitters. (Photo by Phon Wills)
The first course included a Stuffed Chicken Wing with Thai Isaan-style sausage and cucumber relish; a Steamed Dumpling with sausage and sauce from Meat Mitch BBQ and a ginger soy vinaigrette; and a Crispy Rice Sausage Salad with Thai Northern style pork sausage, shallot, cilantro, mint, scallion, lettuce.
This Galangal Burnt End Soup was one of my favorite bites of the entire year so far. (Photo by Phon Wills)
The second course included my favorite bite of the evening and one of my most memorable bites of the year so far: a Galangal Burnt End Soup with oyster mushroom, onion, cilantro, and Meat Mitch burnt ends. The smokiness of the burnt ends, in combination with the rich flavors of the soup, was mind-blowing, and I hope to see this on the menu at Buck Tui BBQ in the future. This dish was paired with oolong tea with chrysanthemum and jujube.
The Pork Cheek Massaman Curry was one of the more interesting dishes of the evening. (Photo by Phon Wills)
Halfway through the meal, we were presented with Pork Cheek Massaman Curry made with smoked Berkshire pork cheeks, served with potato, fried shallots, and micro-cilantro. This dish was paired with a 2020 Von Winning 'Winnings' Riesling from Pflaz, Germany.
The Beef Rib Noodle dish was one of the most delicious and beautifully presented plates of the evening. (Photo by Phon Wills)
The fourth course of the evening included a Beef Rib Noodle dish, which was my second-favorite bite of the night. The dish included a smoked bone-in beef rib from Salt Creek Farm served with egg noodles, cilantro, scallion bean sprout, pickled veggies, and fried garlic paired. The dish was paired with a cocktail made with Ford's Gin, Cocchi, Americano, Mancino Vermouth Secco, pickled mustard green, shitake mushroom, and orange bitters. After this dish, I was on my way to being incredibly stuffed.
Chef Pam Liberda of Waldo Thai and Buck Tui BBQ was recently nominated for a James Beard Foundation award. (Photo by Phon Wills)
The fifth and final course of the evening was Mitch's Chocolate-Coconut Thai Whoopie Pie, which paid homage to Benjamin’s East Coast upbringing. I was able to finish the Whoopie Pie but could not have possibly taken one more bite after that.
The collaboration between Buck Tui BBQ and Meat Mitch BBQ was a hugely successful event. (Photo by Phon Wills)
The delicious food served that evening was made even more wonderful by the warm and welcoming atmosphere. I was seated at a table with Chef Fernanda Reyes and Brian Goldman, owners of the Overland Park restaurant Taco Naco KC, and Lisa Nguyen, popular content creator, and YouTube sensation. Throughout the evening, the chefs and hosts spoke to the crowd about each of the collaborative dishes and made the rounds to greet guests.
It is more clear than ever that the barbecue landscape in Kansas City is being reshaped, with old rivalries between local barbecue restaurants giving way to a newer sense of community. The Masters Dinner event hosted by Buck Tui BBQ and Meat Mitch BBQ is exactly the type of collaboration I hope to see more of in the future.
Ryan Cooper (BBQ Tourist)
Co-Founder, The Smoke Shee
—Hogs for the Cause hosted an exciting BBQ competition and raised $3.6 million for charity this past weekend. (Photo via Hogs for the Cause / Facebook)—
HOT OFF THE PRESS
The annual Hogs for the Cause barbecue cookoff and music festival was a huge hit this past weekend, raising $3.6 million for families impacted by pediatric brain cancer. More than 90 teams competed, with the Children’s Hospital New Orleans Grand Champion award going to Hog Addiction. “We broke the scale this year,” said Becker Hall, Hogs CEO and co-founder, in a press release. “The amount of good that can be done with these funds is astonishing. We are so thankful for our teams, attendees, volunteers, sponsors, and families. Together, we have hit another high with $3.6 million raised by our amazing teams.” READ MORE.
Stadium barbecue has been improving in recent years, and now the Texas Rangers have a mighty good offering with Hurtado Barbecue at Globe Life Field in section 101. Owner Brandon Hurtado smokes his stadium meats using Two Oyler rotisserie smokers in the ground floor kitchen. Texas Monthly BBQ Editor Daniel Vaughn tested out the goods and liked what he tried. “I got two thick slices of well-smoked fatty brisket on a toasted bun,” Vaughn writes. “It was easily the top brisket I’ve eaten from a stadium or arena concession stand, but the birria tacos were the best item I’ve ever enjoyed at a sporting event, period. They don’t come with a cup of customary consommé, but the shredded brisket stuffing had plenty of juice, and the melted jack cheese nicely held the generous portion of beef.” READ MORE.
One of Kansas City’s top barbecue restaurants, Q39, is currently celebrating its ninth anniversary in business by bringing back customer-favorite items and a special Chef’s Dinner. “For the entire month of April, the menu will showcase a few throwback dishes as well as an exclusive Chef’s Dinner to highlight the restaurant’s made-from-scratch cooking tradition,” Kansas City Magazine reports. “The Chef’s Dinner is comprised of four courses conceptualized by Chef Philip Thompson, who has been diligently carrying on the legacy of the late founder of Q39, Rob Magee.” Some of the special menu items include smoked and fried chicken, buffalo cauliflower, and sausage and pork belly corn dogs. READ MORE.
ADDITIONAL READS
Pitmaster Jordan Rosemeyer of Rosemeyer Bar-B-Q in Spring, TX is offering up “great brisket, sausage, and ribs” from a small trailer.
Aaron Franklin's New Orleans-style spot, called Uptown Sports Club, will open soon on Austin's East Side.
Shoutout Miami profiled Dan Misuraca, pitmaster and owner of Red White and Que Smokehouse in Green Brook, NJ.
Hill City Chop House is serving up great barbecue in Tolar, TX, a town of fewer than 700 people.
J.C. Reid writes in the Houston Chronicle about barbecue joints finding their niche, including Reveille Barbecue Co. with beef ribs.
Shiner Beer has opened its first-ever barbecue restaurant, called K. Spoetzl BBQ Co., at its brewery in Shiner, TX.
The Pioneer Woman shares 20 perfect side dishes for ribs for your next cookout.
John Tanner reports that True BBQ in West Columbia, SC, is serving up great pork and addictively good hash.
—Pitmaster Fernando González shows Danny Kim what it takes to cook award-winning craft barbecue at 2fifty Texas BBQ.—
WATCH
I Spent 24 Hours With A Pitmaster — Danny Kim
Popular YouTuber Danny Kim spends a day at 2fifty Texas BBQ in Riverdale Park, Maryland. The restaurant cooks between 2,000 to 3,000 pounds of meat each week, with staff working around the clock. Kim follows along as they trim, season, cook, and serve their barbecue at this award-winning restaurant. WATCH HERE.
LISTEN
Smoke ‘N Magic BBQ’s Breana Via and Brad Colter — Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast
Breana Via and Brad Colter led the breakout competition BBQ team in 2022, winning their first KCBS Grand Championship and the Made for KC Grand Championship. The latter included putting their own menu creation and recipes in the new Made for KC BBQ Experience restaurant in a new terminal at Kansas City International Airport. Brad Colter and Breana Via of Smoke ‘N Magic BBQ are living an open-fire dream these days – while dealing with a whirlwind schedule for the just-opened restaurant. The Tailgate Guys BBQ Podcast visits with Via and Colter about life and what’s ahead for the talented and personable couple. Also joining the show is Craig Sharry, two-time World Champion at the Houston Livestock Rodeo & BBQ Cookoff. Sharry, owner and operator of Texas Pepper Jelly and Rib Candy, discusses his BBQ journey and the growth of his company, which has now expanded into BBQ sauce and spice rubs. LISTEN HERE.
READ
The Ultimate Big Green Egg Cookbook: An Independent Guide: 100 Master Recipes for Perfect Smoking, Grilling and Baking — Chris Sussman
Get ready to take your BBQ from just alright to flat-out amazing with your Big Green Egg! Packed with 100 mouthwatering recipes and vibrant photography, this is the only book you’ll need. Chris Sussman, a.k.a. The BBQ Buddha, is here to help you achieve that next-level flavor you’ve been searching for. His comprehensive recipe collection provides you with a reliable road map to cook any food you crave on your Egg―every possible smoked meat, comfort-food classics, flavor-packed veggies, and even desserts. You’ll also get Chris’s best tips and tricks from his years devoted to mastering the Big Green Egg. Whether you’re a bona fide EGGhead or new to the Big Green Egg community, this cookbook has everything you need to master your ceramic cooker and make every backyard gathering a certified success. ORDER HERE.
—This Double-Smoked Ham with Apricot BBQ Sauce Glaze is the perfect recipe for Easter celebrations. (Photo by Lauren Nagel)—
How To Smoke A Ham On The Big Green Egg
By Bon Appeteach
This Easter, if you want to free up your oven and try your hand at smoking a ham, Lauren Nagel of Bon Appeteach has you covered. While this Double-Smoked Ham recipe was designed for the Big Green Egg, it can be replicated on any standard home smoker or even a gas grill. Nagel’s Apricot BBQ Sauce Glaze adds some serious flavor to the ham and will surely impress your guests.
—Don't miss out on awesome BBQ events this spring and summer like Brisket King NYC in Queens, NY. (Photo by Sean Ludwig)—
April 26, 2023: Brisket King NYC — Queens, New York
The 12th Edition of Brisket King NYC will be held outdoors at the huge Pig Beach BBQ location in Queens, NYC this April. The event will feature brisket dishes from upcoming barbecue pitmasters and chefs. Historically, Brisket King has featured many pitmasters before they were household names, so you’re also getting a look at the future of the barbecue scene. MORE INFO HERE.
April 29, 2023: 3rd Annual Jeff Michner BBQ Benefit — Queens, New York
Join the crew at Pig Beach for the 3rd Annual Jeff Michner BBQ Benefit, a full-day meat smokin’ extravaganza organized in honor late friend, Pig Beach BBQ Executive Chef Jeff Michner, who passed away suddenly in 2018 at age 36 leaving behind his wife Sara and daughter Hayes. This all-day “swine around” will feature more than 25 indoor and outdoor food stations helmed by celebrated chefs and barbecue royalty, plus complimentary beer, specialty cocktails, and non-alcoholic refreshments. MORE INFO HERE.
May 5-6, 2023: The BBQ Fest on the Neuse — Kinston, North Carolina
The 42nd annual BBQ Festival on the Neuse kicks off soon in Kinston, NC. The large festival will include a whole hog cookoff, food competitions, shopping, arts and crafts, wine garden, children’s activities, and more. Expect a good time for families and BBQ enthusiasts. MORE INFO HERE.
May 17-20, 2023: Memphis in May — Memphis, Tennessee
Recognized as one of the world’s most prestigious barbecue contests, the Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest is a four-day competition held in Memphis. Teams representing the best of barbecue that have been honing their craft for years compete for the title of World Champion and a share of the more than $145,000 in prize money. The event will be held again at Tom’s River Park after a hiatus. However, based on the reduction in space in the new Tom Lee Park the event organizers expect the contest will be limited to 150 teams. MORE INFO HERE.
May 27-28, 2023: Denver BBQ Festival — Denver, Colorado
The Denver BBQ Fest, held at Empower Field at Mile High (where the Broncos play), is a huge event that brings barbecue fans together to get a taste of great local and national barbecue bites. On top of the top-notch food, there’s also live music and great drinks to enjoy. To get a taste of this event, be sure to read writer Ed Reilly’s recap of the 2022 Denver BBQ Festival. If you’re near Denver, don’t miss this. MORE INFO HERE.
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