My wife and I sampled burnt ends, sausage, brisket and St Louis-cut ribs. Burnt ends... burnt in the most perfect way possible. Lean, but moist and richly, deeply smoked - on the top shelf with the best I've ever had. The brisket passed the KCBS "bridge" test. Hold a slice by each end, gently pull. The whole slice should begin to open up, lace-like, and then break. And the mahogany smoke-ring boasted the smoker's craft. The ribs were both firm and tender, wonderfully smoked.
Have I missed anything... ah yes, the sausage. I'm very demanding when it comes to sausage. Jack Stack and Smokestack (to name the more prominent joints in Kansas City) use Krizman's barbeque roll. It's the gold standard for a reason. How ya gonna standout? Make your own! I won't spill Greg's secret, but he has "cracked the code" to the best bbq sausage I've had outside of Elgin, Tx. And it will likely be the best you've ever tasted.
Fireside has their own selection of sauces, too. I liked the spicier end of the spectrum. What I always look for is real flecks of spice in the sauce. Fireside has plenty of "roughage" indicating the goop is not poured together in a factory, but carefully handcrafted. Well done.
Fireside is literally a dream gone up in smoke in the best way possible. Greg and his family have invested so much in the riskiest business one could venture. But quality has a way of conquering odds. Drop by Fireside BBQ as soon as you can. You'll see exactly what I'm talking about.
Note: Fireside's hours are as lean as their meat... check the website and it wouldn't hurt to call ahead just to make sure. And although the website currently says they're open on Saturdays, they are not currently open on the weekend.
