burnt ends

Post Oak Barbecue delivers above average barbecue in Denver

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Name: Post Oak Barbecue
Date: 8/23/24
Address: 4000 Tennyson Street, Denver, Colorado
Order: Brisket, ribs, sausage, turkey, burnt ends, collards, okra (link to menu)
Pricing: $$

Speedy: Denver is not really known as a barbecue city, but Monk and I once had a great experience there at the now closed Owlbear Barbecue, which I also re-visited (and enjoyed) in 2021. So on a recent weekend trip, I knew I wanted to try barbecue for at least one meal. Fortunately, my college roommate and Denver native Leor mentioned Post Oak as his favorite in town, so we went (along with a couple of other friends). 

Monk: While our first experience with Denver barbecue was fairly average, that Owlbear Barbecue visit was quite memorable, and surely one of the best Texas barbecue experiences I’ve had outside of the state of Texas.

Speedy: Post Oak is in what looks like an old school store front, and is a long, skinny restaurant, with the ordering station on the right, and a bar on the left, and scattered tables and bar seating. It almost looks more like a bar where you’d go to have a beer and watch a game than a barbecue joint, but hopefully the food exceeds game day bar food. The team let me do the ordering, so we ordered a little bit of everything (meat-wise) minus the pulled pork, including the Friday special – burnt ends. The meat came out pretty quickly, and we were off.

Starting with the brisket – I was pretty impressed. It was well seasoned, tender, and moist, but not quite as melt-in-your-mouth as your top tier Texas brisket. Still, this was my favorite meat of the meal, and I’d return to Post Oak for it.

The turkey was also a standout. Every bite was moist, buttery, and flavorful. I am a pepper fiend and could use a little more seasoning, but still really good. There is seemingly a bit of a turkey renaissance in the barbecue world, and I’m here for it. Long live the bird!

Monk: Count me in for the turkey-ssance as well!

Speedy: The ribs and sausage were both good but not standout, and while my table all liked the burnt ends, I found them a little chewy – probably the only thing I wouldn’t order again. For the sides, the fried okra is a must order, and the collards were solid, with chunks of pork mixed in. 

While Post Oak Barbecue doesn’t look the part of traditional barbecue joint, the ‘cue turned out to be more than solid, and our whole group enjoyed the meal. All in all, another great barbecue experience in Denver.

Ratings:
Atmosphere/Ambiance – 3 hogs
Brisket – 4 hogs
Turkey – 4 hogs
Ribs – 3.5 hogs
Sausage – 3.5 hogs
Burnt Ends – 3 hogs
Sides – 4 hogs
Overall – 4 hogs

Tasha Hammett continues her grandfather’s legacy at LC’s BBQ

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Monk: LC’s BBQ is a Kansas City barbecue institution founded in 1986 by LC Richardson. Located adjacent to the Royals and Chiefs stadiums, it has become a must stop for home and away fans on game days. Anthony Bourdain even filmed part of his 2012 Kansas City episode of “No Reservations” there and raved about the burnt ends.

In this video, Xplor Kansas City meets with Richardson’s granddaughter Tasha Hammett, who took over the restaurant after his passing in 2021 but still maintains his original recipes. From his old weathered office chair, she discusses what she learned from her grandfather, early memories of the restaurant, and even gives some advice for aspiring restaurateurs. Staying true to her Kansas City roots, Tasha picks LC’s burnt ends as her favorite dish from the restaurant.

Initially too small to see over the counter when she began helping out at the age of 12, Tasha now oversees the entire operation while maintaining her grandfather’s original recipes that she inherited along with the 38 year old joint. That’s not to say she didn’t make some changes though, starting with some much needed upgrades to the ever-present three tiered smoker in the middle of the restaurant.

Hammett hopes that upgrade plus her business sense will help LC’s BBQ last at least another 38 years. From the looks of it, the city of Kansas City is also hoping for the same as well.

Description: Xplor the legendary Kansas City barbecue joint – L.C.’s Barbecue, famous since 1986 for its slow smoked meats and sweet tangy sauce! Meet Tasha, the owner’s granddaughter, as she shares the history of this family-filled restaurant, the secret behind their distinctive barbecue flavors, and her personal journey growing up in the business. From renovating the old fire pit to preserving her Grandfather’s chair, Tasha reflects on the legacy of L.C.’s, from its humble three-bar-stool, outdoor-smoker beginnings to it becoming a Kansas City staple. She provides a few wise words for anyone looking to start in the business, emphasizing the importance of location and customer service. If you’re in the Kansas City area, make sure to visit L.C.’s Barbecue, located at 5800 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, to taste some of their tantalizing barbecue recipes.

Friday Find: The Definitive Guide To BBQ In Kansas City

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Monk: Barstool Sports hits Gates Bar-B-Q, Jones Bar-B-Q, Slap’s BBQ, Q39 (which Speedy recently reviewed), Arthur Bryant’s, Char Bar, and Joe’s Kansas City. In a way only Barstool Sports can.

Caution: Explicit Language

Description:
Rone and Lil Sas hit Kansas City to try out the world famous barbecue joints.

Q39 – Kansas City, MO

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Name: Q39
Date: 6/8/21
Address: 1000 W 39th St, Kansas City, MO
Order: Beef brisket plate (with burnt ends), add pulled pork, side of white bean cassoulet (link to menu)
Pricing: $$$

Speedy: I recently embarked on a cross-country roadtrip with my brother (same parents variety, not blog-about-barbecue-with variety), which took us through Kansas City. Of course we had to find a place for ‘cue in the burnt ends capital. After a bit of research, we settled on Q39, a more up-ish-scale restaurant that is (relatively) new on the scene, opening in 2014.

We walked in on a Tuesday night, and the place was packed, but after a short wait, we were seated. Q39 has tables and a wait staff, and a large bar area, as well as outside seating. It’s decorated in a rustic fashion, and overall, was a nice atmosphere.

My order was easy – the beef brisket plate (which comes with burnt ends and slices), but I did add on some pulled pork and the Bro went with the housemade chipotle sausage plate, as well as the onion straw appetizer.

While service was good overall, the wait was a bit longer than normal for a barbecue joint (perhaps due to the crowd), but still, our food was out shortly.

Let’s not bury the lede. In Kansas City, burnt ends are king, and Q39’s burnt ends were the star of the show. Tender but not too fatty, with a nice sauce that had a hint of sweetness, every bite was flavorful and a real treat. At Q39, there is a burnt ends appetizer (which they were not serving that night), but otherwise, you cannot order the burnt ends alone – only with the brisket plate. This is too bad because the slices on the brisket place were not too exciting. They were served with sauce already applied, which was necessary on the lean brisket that was on the dry side. It still had decent flavor, but paled in comparison to the burnt ends.

Monk: Interesting that you can’t get the burnt ends without ordering the brisket. I wonder if this is the norm in Kansas City, or a case where Q39 is looking to save costs.

Speedy: Hard to know, Monk. I assume they’re cooking full briskets, so trying to sell at the same rate. I think this also explains why your brisket just comes lean – the point has already been used. The pork was also served sauced, which I felt was a mistake. The “zesty” sauce does have a vinegar base, but is also loaded with sugar, favoring sweetness over tang. The pork was cooked well and had decent flavor, but the sauce took away from the flavor for me.

Monk: I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that a KC barbecue joint uses a sugary sauce on their pork.

Speedy: The Bro’s sausage was my second favorite part of the meal. The homemade sausage had good flavor, nice snappy casing, and was not greasy at all. Overall a good effort. 

The white bean cassoulet is a side I’ve never seen our heard of, but from a taste standpoint, it was basically Brunswick stew. It was very hot out – so not stew weather – but I would order it again. The Bro loved his baked beans (I didn’t try any), and the onion straws (with barbecue remoulade) were really good, and worth ordering.

Overall, I would recommend a visit to Q39 to anyone in Kansas City, especially if you focus your attention on the burnt ends. 

Ratings:
Atmosphere/Ambiance – 3.5 hogs
Burnt Ends – 4.5 hogs
Brisket – 3 hogs
Pork – 3 hogs
Sausage – 4 hogs
Sides – 4 hogs
Overall – 4 hogs