Celebrating Independence Day for many Americans includes firing up the grill or smoker for some home-cooked barbeque. But it’s not just a holiday tradition. Barbequing has rapidly become a popular American pastime. Surveys suggest 80% of American homeowners own a grill or smoker.
In fact, it is estimated that Americans spent $6.1 billion on grills and grilling accessories in 2021. Much of that is due to the growing popularity of barbeque contests. The world’s largest competition is “The World Series of Barbecue,” held in Kansas City, MO, with 500 teams competing and 70,000 spectators.
Which cities have the best barbeque? The answer depends on who you ask, and two recent rankings provide different results.
Last year Food & Wine magazine crowned “Austin and the surrounding hill country” as America’s best barbeque. In fact, Food & Wine’s top three destinations were in Texas, with Dallas at #2 and Brownsville #3. Two Missouri cities, Kansas City and St. Louis round out Food & Wine’s top five.
But a more recent ranking, by LawnStarter, finds a different result with an apparent snub to Texas barbeque. Kansas City, MO, barbeque is #1, according to LawnStarter’s rankings, with St. Louis #2. And, interestingly, Kansas City, KS, came in at #3.
Memphis ranked #4 by LawnStarter, with Houston at #5 the only Texas barbeque in the top 10. Austin, which topped Food & Wine’s list, was ranked #12 by LawnStarter.
