Gates & Sons Bar-BQ Kansas City, anyone?

[Hotler]

I"ve never been there. A few years back I was given a bottle by a river raft guide from KC working here in Colorado. Said he couldn't live without it, said he'd drink right out of the bottle. I tried it and liked it. I've been ordering by the case ever since.

[DrDan]

1. I love Gates!!!!!!!!

Lived in KC 25 years ago - and got hooked on Gates. Moved to Florida, but continue to buy it and bring it home every chance I get.

My favorite is to mix regular and hot half and half.

If you get a chance to go, you will love it!

Also - in KC - Bryants. Equally as good, but not as convenient as Gates.

Give their dry rubs a chance, if you haven't already.

[Hotler]

3. Dr. Dan are you a Husker???

I work with a guy born, raised, and schooled there. They just fired their coach (calahan??) Herbie, we call him Herbie, he was counting the days till he was fired. They lost to Colorado and the next day they fired his ass at 7:30 am and by 7:40 the school fight song was played from the school tower. Back to BBQ. I've been using Gates rubs & sauce, but the BBQ store I was buying it at closed up so now I order direct. I'll try the 1/2 & 1/2, sounds good. Thanks.
p.s. Just got done reading a story called "How did Husker Power start?"
I was suprised how late collages started strengrh training for performance. I would have guessed late 1950's, anyway, good litle fact tid bit I did not know.

[DrDan]

5. was born there - moved away mid-way through 6th grade.

Have remained a loyal Husker fan ever since - even though my grad work was at USC. I am still a big fan of "Big-8" style football.

Yeah - I tracked the Calahan era very closely. There were few happier than I when he was fired. Same for the AD - Steve Pedersen - the goofball responsible for brining Calahan to Nebraska.

I make it back from Florida at least once a year for a game. Always fly into KC - and you know why. A visit to Gates and a bit of a sauce restocking.

Weight/strength training has always been big at Nebraska - one of the leaders. This, in my opinion, caused their downfall - Calahan and the defensive coordinator did not emphasize it as it had been in the past. The result - more injuries - less aggressive play - a defensive that ranked dangerously close to the bottom of the NCAA.

[woofless]

2. "Hi, may I help you?"

I'll never forget my first trip to KC and Gates BBQ. Super good. Ollie Gates is one of my heroes. My Favorite KC bbq sauce comes from Quick's bbq in KCK. Their touch with the horseradish is perfect and something that I am unable to quite match. KC bbq is the ONLY thing I miss about the midwest.

Woof

[Neecy]

4. my favorite....mmmm....

I love their ribs. Their bbq beans are utter perfection.

Btw, I've tried this recipe for their sauce and it's pretty close...

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup salt
2 tablespoons celery seeds
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons ground red pepper
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 quarts ketchup
2 cups apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons liquid smoke
1 teaspoon lemon juice

In a small bowl, mix together sugar, salt, celery seed, cumin, red pepper, garlic powder, and chili powder.
Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients.
Add dry ingredients, and mix well.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 weeks or in freezer for up to 6 months.

[DrDan]

6. can't wait to try this, but sure seems like a lot of salt

have you tried it with that amount scaled down?

[Neecy]

7. I haven't....

I've only made it once and I wanted to follow the recipe exactly to see just how close it is to the original Gates sauce. It *is* a lot of salt, although it didn't taste particularly salty. There are enough ingredients in it, though, that you could probably cut down significantly on the salt without having too much impact on the final product.

[Hotler]

15. Breaker, breaker, Neecy, have you got your ears on? Come back.

I made that sauce last night. I cut it in half. Didn't add any salt till near the end. I used maybe a tablespoon. I would cut the garlic powder a tad. As it is it turned out on the spicy (hot) side. When I try it again i'm going to cut back a little with the red pepper. It turned out damn tasty. So tasty I had to go to the corner 7-11 for more white bread for dipping. Pretty good for a first time try at a recipe. Thank you for sharing with us. I going to try the recipe Pipoman shared with us this afternoon. Gee! what for breakfast? I know, white bread with BBQ sauce.

[Neecy]

16. I'm here!

I'm glad it turned out well - nothin' better than white bread with BBQ sauce!

[Callalily]

19. Thanks for the update!

I too plan on making the BBQ beans, but I'll just use fresh garlic vs. garlic powder.

[pipoman]

8. I have always felt that Gates sauce was a little

more like Memphis Bar-b-que because of the vinegar based sauce than KC style (a little sweeter). I like it but I like Bryants a little better of the big BBQ restaurants in KC. My favorite KC style bbq however is from a small joint in Hutchinson KS, Roy's. They make fresh meat every day an are open from 11am til the food is gone (usually around 3pm). If anyone is interested I will post my take on their sauce recipe.

Sorry to dredge up an old thread, I just had to add my $.02..

[Hotler]

9. Don't be sorry. Your $.02 is welcome.

More sauce please! Sauce us up Pipoman. Please share your recipe with us.
Thanks

[pipoman]

10. OK here goes

this is my own recipe which I believe is very close to the original Roy's secret recipe. People who like and know Roy's sauce agree it is close and few have ever guessed Dorthy Lynch as a main ingredient. It is very much a KC style sauce IMHO. I consider myself a BBQ connoisseur eating at every hole in the wall and BBQ cook off in the State of Kansas. This is the sauce I make time and again for my own slow cooked smoked meats. This obviously makes a large quantity, I smoke 50 pounds +/- of meat at a time. It can easily be scaled back.

32oz Heinz or Hunts ketchup
32oz Dorthy Lynch salad dressing
12oz Guldens Brown Mustard
3 cups dark brown sugar
1 4oz bottle hickory liquid smoke or make your own
3 tbsp coarse black pepper
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp kosher salt
crushed red pepper to taste (it should be spicy (not hot) and tickle the back of the tongue)

Mix all ingredients well. Refill the liquid smoke bottle with water, shake well and add.

As with all KC BBQ sauce this is not a marinade or basting sauce it should be used as a condiment to well seasoned, fully cooked, smoked meat. I serve it warm. Enjoy!

[blondie58]

11. cool- thanks for the recipe, pipoman

I am anxious to try it. I love BBQ. A few years ago, I impulsively bought ebay tickets to a Barenaked Ladies Show (i'm a closet groupie) and my good friend didn't question my sanity and made the trek from CO to Kansas City, KS. Anyway, we went to what I believe was a Gates BBQ and it was awesome. I would love to do a culinary tour of the US- there are so many hotspots for good food.

[pipoman]

14. You're welcome...see below I forgot about boiling the sauce!

[Hotler]

12. Thank you. Sounds good. eom.

[pipoman]

13. I just looked at the recipe and I forgot to bring the sauce to a boil

which I do to get a good combine of ingredients and melt the sugar.

[Hotler]

17. Breaker, breaker! Pipoman you got your ears on? Come back,

I made your sauce. I made a half a batch. Another good one right off the page. Good yet different must be the Dorthy Lynch. A tad to much onion for me yet I can't stop dipping in it. I agree about sneaking up on the red pepper. Thank you for sharing with us. A little tuff to BBQ in Colorado this time of year so I'm off to 7-11 for white bread for dipping. Again thanks.

[pipoman]

18. I'm glad you liked it

and I make mine by tasting as I go. The recipe should be very close but without having tasted Roy's sauce it would be difficult. For me it is the combination of sweet, tangy, and spicy...if it is perfect all three are equally discernible. Again, I am glad you liked it.

[Hotler]

20. Pipoman you there?

That sauce along with some of the crunchy edge off of some BBQ or some bacon would make killer BBQ beans. Thanks again

[pipoman]

21. I failed to mention that

I use that sauce in my beans. I usually use around 3 or 4 parts sauce and one part tomato sauce to ease up the richness a little. And you are exactly right about the crunchy edge. I like finely chopped pork shoulder, rib tips or brisket if there isn't enough crunchy edge.

So glad you liked the sauce.