Midwest
Kansas City home to America's best barbecue, chefs claim: 'Our variety makes us unique'
Kansas City, Missouri, is home to the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs — who open their season Thursday night against the Baltimore Ravens.
Outside Arrowhead Stadium, Chiefs fans are sure to be serving barbecue at the tailgates. But not just any barbecue. Specifically, Kansas City barbecue.
“For Kansas City, ‘barbecue’ is a noun. It’s not a verb,” Rod Gray, chief executive officer of the Kansas City Barbeque Society, told Fox News Digital via email.
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Kansas City, he said, has one of the highest numbers of barbecue restaurants per capita in the United States.
“If it can be cooked indirectly, with low heat and smoke, we do it,” Gray said. “Our variety of barbecue makes us unique.”
Kansas City Chiefs fans make the city’s renowned barbecue a staple of any tailgate outside Arrowhead Stadium. (Kansas City Barbeque Society; David Eulitt/Getty Images)
Barbecue was brought to Kansas City a little over a century ago by a man named Henry Perry, Philip Thompson told Fox News Digital in an email.
Thompson is the executive chef at Q39, a championship barbecue restaurant in Kansas City.
After Perry’s arrival, “the city became a melting pot of barbecue flavors from around the country,” he said.
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Eventually, Kansas City barbecue became known for “a signature tomato-and-molasses-based barbecue sauce,” Thompson said, and something called “burnt ends.”
“Burnt ‘edges’ were initially discarded,” he said.
Now, these “burnt ends” are “a staple of Kansas City barbecue, combining the bark from the top of the brisket with the marbled, juicy meat underneath.”
While burnt ends were initially discarded, now they’re emblematic of Kansas City barbecue. (Kansas City Barbecue Society)
Brisket, Thompson said, “is made up of two muscles – the flat and the point.”
“The point is the heavily marbled muscle on top that has rich fat running through it,” he said. When future Barbecue Hall of Famer Arthur Bryant would smoke brisket, he “would trim off the burnt edges from the top and hand them out to customers.”
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“They became so popular, they were added to his menu and renamed burnt ends,” Thompson said.
At Q39, burnt ends are “finished over a wood-fired grill, which gives them a wonderful, crispy, caramelized finish and a last kiss of smoke.”
One of the best things about Kansas City barbecue is the variety of meats, Rod Gray, chief executive officer of the Kansas City Barbeque Society, told Fox News Digital. (Kansas City Barbeque Society)
At its core, “Kansas City barbecue is really a combination of great meat, a beautiful, flavorful rub combined with sweet and tangy barbecue sauce,” Thompson said.
But, Gray insists, there is much more to it than just the sauce that makes Kansas City barbecue stand out.
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“Our sauce is as varied as our barbecue offerings,” he said.
“Beyond sauce, we offer poultry, pork and beef – where, until recently, the other cities didn’t, and some still don’t.”
Kansas City barbecue, shown here, is known for its tomato-based sauce. (Kansas City Barbeque Society)
Beyond briskets and sauce, Gray and Thompson spoke highly of another aspect of Kansas City barbecue: the people.
“Barbecue is about friends and family, it’s about hopes and it’s about dreams,” Gray said.
“I love barbecue because everyone I’ve ever met loves something about it, and that’s undeniable.”
Barbecue, Thompson said, “is really the ultimate gathering food.”
“We obsess about it. We work hard to perfect it.”
“You hang out and cook for hours, sharing stories around the smoker, and then you sit down and enjoy a delicious meal together,” he said.
For Thompson, “barbecue is essentially America’s cuisine, and we see travelers from around the globe flock to Kansas City to try our famous brand of barbecue.”
In Kansas City, “barbecue is a noun,” Gray told Fox News Digital. (Kansas City Barbeque Society)
“Barbecue is very competitive,” Thompson said, “and everyone always says their city or state has the best.”
People come to Thompson’s restaurant to find out just what makes it so different, he said.
“I love giving tours of our kitchen and pits. Everyone wants to know your secrets – find out what wood you are using or what you use in your dry rub. All of those details make a big impact,” Thompson added.
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For people in Kansas City, “barbecue is a way of life,” Gray said.
“We obsess about it. We work hard to perfect it.”
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On the roster: Aidan Hutchinson, DJ Wonnum, Derrick Moore, Payton Turner, Tyler Lacy, Tyre West, Ahmed Hassanein
Twentyman: Hutchinson, 25, was named Second-Team All-Pro after setting a new career single-season high in sacks (14.5) while leading the NFL with 100 total pressures. Hutchinson is the first player in franchise history to log multiple 10.0-sack seasons through the first four years of a player’s career. With Al-Quadin Muhammad and his 11.0 sacks last year signing with Tampa Bay in free agency, the Lions needed to find Hutchinson a new running mate on the opposite edge.
Detroit added Wonnum in free agency and Moore in the NFL Draft and like what both bring to the table. It will be interesting to see how their unique skillsets fit in Kelvin Sheppard’s defense. Onwuzurike is a defensive tackle by trade but could also get some run as the big end.
While Detroit’s 49 sacks were the fourth most in the NFL last year, Detroit’s average time to pressure of 2.92 seconds was the slowest in the NFL, per Next Gen Stats. It wasn’t always the kind of pressure that affected the timing of opponent passing attacks as opposing quarterbacks finished with a 92.5 rating against Detroit’s defense, which ranked 19th.
On roster: Jack Campbell, Derrick Barnes, Malcolm Rodriguez, Jimmy Rolder, Damone Clark, Trevor Nowaske, Joe Bachie
Twentyman: The departure of Alex Anzalone means the Lions will have a new starter at the WILL in 2026. The leading candidate to fill the role is the veteran Rodriguez. Rolder has an interesting skillset, but is he ready to step in right away after playing limited defensive snaps at Michigan? Could the versatile Clark potentially be a fit there too? The competition for the starting WILL spot will be one of the better ones to watch in camp.
It will also be interesting to see how Sheppard might evolve his scheme after an extensive sit-down with head coach Dan Campbell this offseason going through all the cut-ups on defense from last year. Detroit wants to be more adaptable and versatile. Will Barnes’ SAM role change at all within the defense? Will a team that played the most base defense of any team in the NFL last year play more nickel?
MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission will meet on Thursday night, May 7, to discuss a number of items – including the use of Flock cameras, along with a resolution to tweak the Milwaukee Police Department’s current use of force policy.
Flock cameras
What we know:
Concerns over the use of flock cameras to fight crime – that’s one of the big topics set for discussion at tonight’s FPC meeting.
The cameras have faced push back from the community after prosecutors charged an MPD officer for misusing the technology in March.
Prosecutors allege Josue Ayala used Flock cameras to track a romantic partner and that partner’s ex. They say in the span of a month, the officer searched the pair 179 times. In February, prosecutors charged Ayala with attempted misconduct in public office.
A number of Common Council members wrote a letter expressing “serious concern” to the Milwaukee Police Department over the use of Flock cameras.
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In the letter, the Milwaukee aldermen said they had serious concerns about what they call “a lack of adequate guardrails, auditing, supervision and transparency.”
During Thursday’s meeting, the Milwaukee Police Department will be fielding questions from members of the FPC – including what guardrails are actually in place to avoid potential misuse.
“We also understand, especially from a recent situation, that we can do better. We understand that we have to put in more robust checks and balances,” said Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman.
Use of Force
What we know:
There are more possible changes coming to how Milwaukee police officers report the use of deadly force.
The modification to the use of force policy is specifically targeted at how and when officers must report the use of deadly force.
Under the current version of MPD’s standard operating procedure, a use of force report must be completed when a department member discharges a firearm. It excludes training situations, or if and when a member points a firearm at a person.
The potential change would include when a member “draws or displays a firearm (including a shotgun or rifle) to effect an arrest or seizure of a person.”
The resolution is sponsored by Alderman Peter Burgelis, who said in a meeting last month this essentially restores a recently deleted requirement previously in place.
Additionally, during Thursday’s meeting, they are also expected to dicuss the ongoing debate over MPD’s chase policy.
The Source: FOX6 News obtained Milwaukee Police Department data and utilized prior coverage.
Frey, Klobuchar condemn ICE presence in Minnesota after shooting
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar called for ICE to leave Minneapolis after another fatal shooting.
After eight years as the mayor of Minneapolis, Jacob Frey has a well-tested recipe for his State of the City speech.
Start with a healthy base of events that tested the city in the past year, but also drew out its strengths. Next, mix in updates about pet projects – Stable Homes Stable Schools, efforts to end exclusionary zoning, an uptick in police recruitment numbers – before sprinkling with some shout-outs to local businesses. Finally, add in the secret ingredient: the applause line about the Timberwolves.
Tuesday morning’s State of the City speech – the first of Frey’s third term – had all of that. But there was a little more bite than usual to the optimism that often shines through the annual address.
The mayor, who has taken some heat locally for his national notoriety, said that local government leaders needed to refocus on their core responsibilities before the city’s strong standing takes a downward trajectory, referencing discord between his administration and the Minneapolis City Council, though never saying exactly where he’d assign the blame.
“We tried to do everything – things that aren’t always a local government’s job – and in the process we didn’t always do the most important things well enough,” Frey said. “We’ve spent time debating things that are not the most critical parts of our job.”
Those critical parts, Frey said, start with public safety. He cited the police response to the Annunciation shooting and 911 operators’ work during Operation Metro Surge as core reasons to invest in public safety before proudly sharing that in 2025, 2,328 people had applied to become officers with the Minneapolis Police Department.
He also focused on some ground-level efforts, including the now-completed backlog of streetlight replacements and the upcoming implementation of the Community Safety Ambassador program in Uptown.
Not directly mentioned was his controversial veto of a Council ordinance that would have decriminalized the possession of drug paraphernalia. Supporters say the ordinance would’ve aligned the city with Minnesota state law and the principles of harm reduction – the idea that reducing the negative consequences of illegal drug use is an effective way to get users on a path to recovery.
“Continued open (drug) use on our streets is devastating: for residents, for families, and for businesses, large and small,” Frey said in his speech. “Compassion matters but it doesn’t mean anything goes.”
Switching to affordable housing, the mayor praised the transformation of commercial spaces into housing, citing examples like Opportunity Crossing and Groove Lofts. He also pushed for the city to cut the red tape keeping more properties from being built, including controversial accessory dwelling units.
The speech also marked a change in his rhetoric on one specific topic: Minneapolis’ return to office work, especially downtown.
In his 2023 speech, he said he didn’t really “get” remote or hybrid work, though he understood the appeal of “sweatpants on Mondays” and encouraged a commitment to in-person work in downtown Tuesday through Thursday.
“Wouldn’t that be nice,” he said, “to have everyone back downtown for three whole days each week?”
He was a little more blunt in 2024, expressing growing concern from “residents having to pick up the tab because less taxes are generated from downtown buildings.”
Last year, he noted that “nearly 70% of downtown workers are back at least once a week – by the way, please keep it coming.”
In Tuesday’s speech, though? A note that COVID-19 had “expedited a necessary transition away from full-time, in-person work” and a push for businesses to consider changes to how they use their buildings.
“If you’re willing to invest in a big vision for a building where the basis has been lowered, come talk to us,” said Frey, calling out the use of tax increment financing to support redevelopment. “If you’ve got one gigantic retail space on Nicollet Mall, and you want to change it to a bunch of smaller ones, come talk to us.”
As he closed, he made another call for city leaders to get serious about results, foreshadowing a challenging budget process ahead and “hard conversations” about programs and investments that weren’t delivering for residents.
Minneapolis Council members respond to Frey
Council president Elliott Payne (Ward 1), vice-president Jamal Osman (Ward 6) and member Robin Wonsley (Ward 2) spoke briefly with press after the speech, expressing a general appreciation for Frey’s remarks and a hope that they could collaborate.
“Governance is not an individual sport,” Payne said. “We govern collectively and we move our city forward together. And so we’re looking forward to a four year term where we have deeper collaboration with the mayor and can actually advance a working class agenda that really puts the people first.”
Wonsley called for additional revenue options to reduce the burden of property taxes on residents, saying that things like income taxes or taxes on empty homes could raise millions “so that we can make sure we’re preserving the programs that actually help our residents have a good quality of life.”
And asked about the recent vetoes, Payne said he was open to discussions about solutions that could make it past the mayor’s desk.
“We would like the mayor to set his veto pen down and meet me at the whiteboard so that we can actually come up with the solutions to a lot of those intractable problems,” he said.
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