St. Louis, Missouri
"A major BBQ hub known for its highly trimmed ribs, thick sweet sauce, and the local favorite of crispy pig snouts."
The Staple
Pork Ribs (St. Louis Cut) & Snoots
Sauce Base
Sweet & Sticky Tomato
Fuel Source
Hickory & Apple
The Gateway to the West’s BBQ
St. Louis consumes more BBQ sauce per person than any other city in America. It sits at a crossroads of BBQ culture. It borrows the sweetness of Kansas City but maintains a real love for pork. Specifically, the rib.
The St. Louis Cut
The city’s big contribution to the BBQ world is the St. Louis Cut Rib. This is a rack of spare ribs where the sternum bone and cartilage have been trimmed away. This leaves a uniform, rectangular rack that cooks evenly and looks great.
The Sauce: Sticky and Sweet
St. Louis sauce has a lot in common with Kansas City sauce. It is tomato-based and very sweet. Folks often use brown sugar or corn syrup. However, it tends to be a bit thinner than the KC style. The ribs are heavily mopped with this sauce at the end of the cook. This creates a sticky, caramelized glaze.
The Local Favorite: Crispy Snoots
You can’t talk about St. Louis BBQ without mentioning Snoots. These are pig snouts. They are typically seasoned and grilled. Then they are deep-fried or roasted until they have the texture of a giant pork rind. They are served with sweet BBQ sauce and have a real crunch.
Pork Steaks
Another St. Louis staple is the Pork Steak. These are thick slices cut from the pork shoulder. Instead of smoking them for pulling, they are grilled over direct heat. They are often braised in a pan of BBQ sauce and served tender.