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<\/h5>\nThese Kansas City women prove that good barbecue hath no gender<\/span><\/h5>\nWords by Kendall Wenaas<\/span><\/i><\/p>\nThe <\/span>barbecue<\/span><\/a> world can be a boys\u2019 club\u2014but these Kansas City women aren\u2019t letting that scare them. The city, which is home to the country\u2019s largest barbecue society, brings together meat specialties from all over the States. And from cutting the meat to judging the brisket, each of these women play a major part in the process.<\/span><\/p>\nThe Rule Maker<\/h6>\n
CAROLYN WELLS
\n<\/span><\/i>Carolyn\u2019s Favorite Thing to Barbecue: Pork Ribs<\/span><\/i><\/p>\nThough food has been bringing families together for centuries, Carolyn Wells learned firsthand that sauce is thicker than blood. She, along with her late husband Gary Wells and friend, Rick Welch, founded the <\/span>Kansas City Barbeque Society<\/span><\/a> in 1985. And over the last 31 years, she\u2019s formed bonds with barbecue connoisseurs across the country. <\/span><\/p>\n\u201cIt\u2019s been the best extended family that anybody could have,\u201d Wells said. \u201cWe regard barbecuing as a culinary technique, a sport and an art form.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nWells is credited by many for creating the competitive barbecue world in the Midwest. Although KCBS began as a small club of 30 members, it\u2019s since become a worldwide organization.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cThere was a hardcore little group of us who loved to cook and eat,\u201d Wells said. \u201cAnd here we are, 30 years later with 21,000 members worldwide, sanctioning 500 contests a year. We\u2019ve certified over 40,000 judges, and we\u2019re the most blessed people to be in barbecue at this point in time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nAnyone can apply to host a KCBS-sponsored contest. Wells says the vast majority of the contests they sponsor are for charity or civic awareness. Contest hosts then pay a nominal fee in exchange for KCBS\u2019 services.<\/span><\/p>\nAnd while, sure, a person could hold a barbecue contest without KCBS, they\u2019re better off if they do. Thanks to years of experience, KCBS has created <\/span>rules and regulations<\/span><\/a> for running a contest as smoothly as possible. When an organization hires KCBS, they get access to these perfected rules as well as access to KCBS\u2019 database of <\/span>judges<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>teams<\/span><\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\nThat way, they\u2019re sure the people involved know their barbecue. On top of that, KCBS sends representatives to the contest to make sure everything runs smoothly. <\/span><\/p>\nWhile the processes might be standard, these competitions vary in size and scale, and they\u2019re held year-round across the country. Gender variations at the barbecue concours are just as sizable\u2014KCBS\u2019 demographics are about 85 percent male and 15 percent female. <\/span><\/p>\n\u201cIt is a testosterone-packed sport,\u201d Wells said. <\/span><\/p>\nYet, she believes that most teams have at least one woman. \u201c[Women are] standing on their own,\u201d she said. \u201cThey\u2019re getting more visibility.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u00ad\u00ad<\/span><\/p>\nAnd when it comes to judging, there\u2019s no bias, Wells said. Each dish is placed in a white carryout container, which is numbered. Then the KCBS re-number it\u2014using a key that only they have\u2014and present it to the judges.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cWhen judges open the box, they don\u2019t have any idea if a man, woman or someone\u2019s robot made it,\u201d Wells said. \u201cSo we\u2019re completely colorblind, gender-blind\u2014you\u2019re judging meat in the box.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nThe Meat Slayer<\/h6>\n
DONNA PITMAN
\n<\/span><\/i>Donna\u2019s Favorite Thing to Barbecue: Chicken
\n<\/span><\/i>Donna\u2019s Favorite Meat to Cut: Ribeyes<\/span><\/i><\/p>\nTypically, when a person pictures a butcher shop, they picture a strong-armed man<\/a> behind a large knife. And they\u2019re not wrong to do so. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the <\/span>meat cutting field is predominantly male<\/span><\/a>. But that\u2019s not exactly the scene at <\/span>Curt\u2019s Meats of Kansas City<\/span><\/a>. To begin with, it isn\u2019t owned by a guy named Curt. It\u2019s owned by butcher Donna Pitman. And Donna isn\u2019t the only woman behind the counter.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cWe currently have a predominantly female staff of meat cutters\u2014they do a great job. They\u2019re very customer-oriented but they\u2019re also very particular on how our fresh meat case looks.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nPitman has owned the shop since 1989. While hiring mostly women wasn\u2019t intentional, the store has capitalized on the uniqueness of a mainly female meat cutting staff (four out of the six meat cutters are women). For the past 15 years, Curt\u2019s has marketed their staff as the \u201cFamous Lady Meat Cutters\u201d and they\u2019ve generated a following beyond the Midwest. <\/span><\/p>\n\u201cWe have people who come in from Boston just to buy the brisket because they\u2019re hard to come by up in New England,\u201d Pitman said. \u201cWe also supply a number of barbecue teams, not only locally, but across the country and the world, with competition meats for various barbecue.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nWhat does it take? According to Pitman, detail, ability to focus and safety consciousness. Does gender play a part in it? Pitman said she\u2019s not sure.<\/span><\/p>\nBut one thing is for certain\u2014Curt\u2019s Famous Lady Meat Cutters are slicing through stereotypes.<\/span><\/p>\nThe Cookbook Connoisseurs<\/h6>\n
KAREN ADLER AND JUDITH FERTIG
\n<\/span><\/i>Karen\u2019s Favorite Thing to Barbecue: Smoked Shrimp
\n<\/span><\/i>Judith\u2019s Favorite Thing to Barbecue: Pork Butt<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n![\"Copy](\"http:\/\/urban-plains.com\/2016\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Copy-of-Karen-Adler-Judith-Fertig.jpg\")
Photo courtesy of Karen Adler and Judith Fertig<\/p><\/div>\n
Though Karen Adler and Judith Fertig spent years competing in barbecue contests, a few decades and dozens of sauce-slathered dishes taught the two that they prefer camaraderie when it comes to cooking up barbecue. <\/span><\/p>\n
The <\/span>barbecue<\/span><\/a> world can be a boys\u2019 club\u2014but these Kansas City women aren\u2019t letting that scare them. The city, which is home to the country\u2019s largest barbecue society, brings together meat specialties from all over the States. And from cutting the meat to judging the brisket, each of these women play a major part in the process.<\/span><\/p>\n CAROLYN WELLS Though food has been bringing families together for centuries, Carolyn Wells learned firsthand that sauce is thicker than blood. She, along with her late husband Gary Wells and friend, Rick Welch, founded the <\/span>Kansas City Barbeque Society<\/span><\/a> in 1985. And over the last 31 years, she\u2019s formed bonds with barbecue connoisseurs across the country. <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been the best extended family that anybody could have,\u201d Wells said. \u201cWe regard barbecuing as a culinary technique, a sport and an art form.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Wells is credited by many for creating the competitive barbecue world in the Midwest. Although KCBS began as a small club of 30 members, it\u2019s since become a worldwide organization.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThere was a hardcore little group of us who loved to cook and eat,\u201d Wells said. \u201cAnd here we are, 30 years later with 21,000 members worldwide, sanctioning 500 contests a year. We\u2019ve certified over 40,000 judges, and we\u2019re the most blessed people to be in barbecue at this point in time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Anyone can apply to host a KCBS-sponsored contest. Wells says the vast majority of the contests they sponsor are for charity or civic awareness. Contest hosts then pay a nominal fee in exchange for KCBS\u2019 services.<\/span><\/p>\n And while, sure, a person could hold a barbecue contest without KCBS, they\u2019re better off if they do. Thanks to years of experience, KCBS has created <\/span>rules and regulations<\/span><\/a> for running a contest as smoothly as possible. When an organization hires KCBS, they get access to these perfected rules as well as access to KCBS\u2019 database of <\/span>judges<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>teams<\/span><\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n That way, they\u2019re sure the people involved know their barbecue. On top of that, KCBS sends representatives to the contest to make sure everything runs smoothly. <\/span><\/p>\n While the processes might be standard, these competitions vary in size and scale, and they\u2019re held year-round across the country. Gender variations at the barbecue concours are just as sizable\u2014KCBS\u2019 demographics are about 85 percent male and 15 percent female. <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt is a testosterone-packed sport,\u201d Wells said. <\/span><\/p>\n Yet, she believes that most teams have at least one woman. \u201c[Women are] standing on their own,\u201d she said. \u201cThey\u2019re getting more visibility.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u00ad\u00ad<\/span><\/p>\n And when it comes to judging, there\u2019s no bias, Wells said. Each dish is placed in a white carryout container, which is numbered. Then the KCBS re-number it\u2014using a key that only they have\u2014and present it to the judges.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhen judges open the box, they don\u2019t have any idea if a man, woman or someone\u2019s robot made it,\u201d Wells said. \u201cSo we\u2019re completely colorblind, gender-blind\u2014you\u2019re judging meat in the box.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n DONNA PITMAN Typically, when a person pictures a butcher shop, they picture a strong-armed man<\/a> behind a large knife. And they\u2019re not wrong to do so. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the <\/span>meat cutting field is predominantly male<\/span><\/a>. But that\u2019s not exactly the scene at <\/span>Curt\u2019s Meats of Kansas City<\/span><\/a>. To begin with, it isn\u2019t owned by a guy named Curt. It\u2019s owned by butcher Donna Pitman. And Donna isn\u2019t the only woman behind the counter.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe currently have a predominantly female staff of meat cutters\u2014they do a great job. They\u2019re very customer-oriented but they\u2019re also very particular on how our fresh meat case looks.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Pitman has owned the shop since 1989. While hiring mostly women wasn\u2019t intentional, the store has capitalized on the uniqueness of a mainly female meat cutting staff (four out of the six meat cutters are women). For the past 15 years, Curt\u2019s has marketed their staff as the \u201cFamous Lady Meat Cutters\u201d and they\u2019ve generated a following beyond the Midwest. <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe have people who come in from Boston just to buy the brisket because they\u2019re hard to come by up in New England,\u201d Pitman said. \u201cWe also supply a number of barbecue teams, not only locally, but across the country and the world, with competition meats for various barbecue.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n What does it take? According to Pitman, detail, ability to focus and safety consciousness. Does gender play a part in it? Pitman said she\u2019s not sure.<\/span><\/p>\n But one thing is for certain\u2014Curt\u2019s Famous Lady Meat Cutters are slicing through stereotypes.<\/span><\/p>\n KAREN ADLER AND JUDITH FERTIG Photo courtesy of Karen Adler and Judith Fertig<\/p><\/div>\n Though Karen Adler and Judith Fertig spent years competing in barbecue contests, a few decades and dozens of sauce-slathered dishes taught the two that they prefer camaraderie when it comes to cooking up barbecue. <\/span><\/p>\nThe Rule Maker<\/h6>\n
\n<\/span><\/i>Carolyn\u2019s Favorite Thing to Barbecue: Pork Ribs<\/span><\/i><\/p>\nThe Meat Slayer<\/h6>\n
\n<\/span><\/i>Donna\u2019s Favorite Thing to Barbecue: Chicken
\n<\/span><\/i>Donna\u2019s Favorite Meat to Cut: Ribeyes<\/span><\/i><\/p>\nThe Cookbook Connoisseurs<\/h6>\n
\n<\/span><\/i>Karen\u2019s Favorite Thing to Barbecue: Smoked Shrimp
\n<\/span><\/i>Judith\u2019s Favorite Thing to Barbecue: Pork Butt<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n
![\"Copy](\"http:\/\/urban-plains.com\/2016\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Copy-of-Betsy-Masters.jpg\")