Ship Z-Man Kits 15% OFF
In 1997, not long after Jeff and Joy Stehney opened their original gas-station barbecue joint at the corner of 47th & Mission Road in Kansas City, Kansas, they were approached by Mike Zarrick — a man who would soon go on to launch his own sports talk radio program, 1510 AM. He pitched the idea of advertising their restaurant on his station.
“I recognized the guy,” recalls Jeff. “He was a regular customer. He told me how much he liked our restaurant, so I decided to take a chance on him. What sold me was his absolute passion for our barbecue. I’d rather partner up with someone who has passion and enthusiasm at a little station than with some big conglomerate with all the Arbitron numbers and no passion.”
Later, Jeff had an idea. He had crafted a new sandwich that featured sliced smoked brisket, smoked provolone cheese, topped with onion rings and a bit of barbecue sauce — all served on their signature Kaiser roll.
“So I went to Zarrick and asked him to talk about the sandwich on the air and to invite his listeners to try it in the restaurant and submit names for it. It would be a contest, and the winner would get a prize, and we’d use that name on the menu.”
“Well, Zarrick was getting pretty popular and had begun calling himself ‘Z-Man’ on the air. So when people came in to try the sandwich as part of the contest, they would ask for ‘that Z-Man sandwich.’”
Eventually, a winning name was chosen, but it never stuck. By the time the contest ended, everybody was calling the sandwich the Z-Man! We’ve been calling it that ever since.
The original Z-Man formula: tender smoked brisket, melted provolone, crispy onion rings, and our classic Joe’s Bar-B-Que sauce on a toasted Kaiser roll.
Slow-smoked pulled pork piled high and finished with provolone, onion rings, and Joe’s Bar-B-Que sauce — a Kansas City favorite with a twist.
Juicy pulled smoked chicken layered with provolone, onion rings, and Joe’s Bar-B-Que sauce — lighter in feel, big on smoke and flavor.
Thick-cut, smoked Portobello mushroom cap layered with melted provolone cheese, crispy onion rings, and our signature Joe’s Bar-B-Que sauce on a toasted Kaiser roll. A rich, hearty, vegetarian twist on the classic Z-Man — available in restaurants only.
Not sure which Bar-B-Que to send? This collection features some of our best-selling Joe’s Kansas City BBQ packages — the favorites customers can’t get enough of. We ship our award-winning Bar-B-Que to all 50 states, and each package includes everything you need to create that authentic Joe’s KC experience at home. Send a little Kansas City smoke anywhere in the country!
The one, the only — the Z-Man! Our award-winning, fan-favorite BBQ sandwich can now be enjoyed anywhere in the country. Each Z-Man Kit includes everything you need to assemble the sandwich at home, complete with our signature sauce. Shipped fresh to all 50 states.
No meal is complete without the sides! We ship our award-winning BBQ side dishes to all 50 states — from barbecue baked beans to our signature sauces — all ready to ship. Add sides to your order and make your KC BBQ experience complete!
