Pitmaster Rob Magee preps a brisket in the new butcher room at Q39 South

Q39’s new South location at 11051 Antioch Road in Overland Park includes something the original 39th Street location doesn’t: a butcher room.

The tiled butcher room has windows so to-go customers can look in and see how the sausage, burgers and chicken wings are made. At the right time of day, they might see 80 briskets piled on a work table waiting for a spot into the smoker.

The butcher room is kept at a chilly 55 to 60 degrees. “It’s to make sure when we receive our product … that we maintain the freshest quality for our guests,” chef/owner Rob Magee says.

During a 20-minute Facebook Live show hosted by food editor Jill Silva, Magee chatted about the new concept and ran through a few of his most popular menu items — including a half rack of spareribs with honey-glaze, brisket and chuck burger topped with burnt ends and a jalapeno pickled slaw and a sliced brisket platter.

As if that’s not mouthwatering enough, Magee encourages fans to watch for new menu items “in the next couple of months.”

After I swiped a few juicy burnt ends, we left our perch at the bar and moved to the butcher room where Magee demonstrated how to trim, rub, wrap and slice a brisket.

In case you missed the trophy wall in the dining room, Magee is a former American Royal Barbecue Contest champion.

Want to read more about Magee and his transition from serious competitor to successful restaurateur? Check out my recent profile.