ABOUT THE CUISINE
Barbecue typically refers to slow-cooked meats-usually beef or pork- cooked indirectly by the hot gases of a wood fire. Before cooking, meats are often rubbed with seasoning or marinated for several hours.
A FEW DISHES
Des Moines may not be famous for it's barbecue like Kansas City, but there are still plenty of places to find authentic barbecue, including two new restaurants: Jethro's BBQ and Woody's Smoke Shack.
Classic barbecue includes ribs, brisket, and pork shoulder, mostly tough cuts that need to be cooked "low and slow" to tenderize and release the flavors. Other cuts of beef, pork and chicken can also be smoked.
Traditionally barbecue sauce is served on the side. Types range from a ketchup-based sauce that is sweeter and thicker to a vinegar-based sauce that is more tart.
Jethro's BBQ is home to Iowa meats smoked over oak and hickory planks. The ribs ($16.95 for a half slab) are finished in a dry rub that's got a bit of a peppery kick to it. Other menu items include your choice of pulled-meat sandwiches ($8.95) or a brisket dinner ($8.95 1/2-pound) with sides like cole slaw, baked beans, corn and corn bread. Five homemade, vinegar-based barbecue sauces ranging from thick and sweet to hot and smoky are available on each table.
Flying Mango smokes meats over cherry or apple wood. The restaurant's Memphis-style ribs ($22 for a full slab) are finished with a dry rub of paprika, chili powder, celery salt, cayenne pepper, roasted red pepper flakes, and garlic and onion powder.
