Fellow Kansas City barbecue joints followed suit, and burnt ends soon became a menu item that customers enthusiastically bought as a decadent prelude to their brisket sandwich or rib dinner.

Pull the membrane off the back of your ribs to allow smoky goodness to bathe the meat. It’s really slippery—use a paper towel ...

Apply rubs with low sugar content to avoid burnt spots on the ribs. Save anything with sugar for basting near the end of cooking. Use mustard or mayo as a binder for your rub—think of it as ...