Get Your Grill On

Barbecue, (or is it barbeque, BBQ or Bar-B-Que), can be a noun or a verb. It can be food, like a plate of barbecue, an event, like a church barbecue, or it can refer to a piece of equipment like a barbecue grill. Not surprising is the fact that real barbecue folks draw a distinct line between the act of barbecuing and grilling, (they are after-all, two totally separate things) and most of the barbecue hands I know refer to their equipment as a “cooker”, a “smoker”, a “pit” or a “barbecue pit” rather than a barbecue grill. So where did the name barbecue grill come from? Even the Weber-Stephen Products Co., makers of the famous Weber Kettle refer to it as a “grill” or a “charcoal grill”. Advertising maybe? I don’t know. I do know we have a lot more to disagree on, so I won’t waste any more time here.

The origin of barbecue is something else you really can’t put your finger on. Some of the theories make for some great reading, and discussing it with folks in-the-know can lead to some lively conversation. Usually some friendly ribbing and blowing of smoke takes place, but there are some strong opinions out there. Several stories imply that barbecue is a derivative of the West Indian term “barbocoa” and that one sounds good to me. The most obscure theory I have heard is that barbecue (the food or event, not the equipment) was born from an advertisement for a bar, pool hall and pig roasting joint known as the BAR-BEER-CUE-PIG. Okay, now that we’re sort of positive on the origin…..we can at least agree that barbecue is a southern thing, right? And that in barbecue circles, pork is king. Well, except in Texas where beef rules and let’s not forget a section of Kentucky known for barbecued lamb and mutton….

It is documented (finally!) that before the Civil War, southerners ate about 5 times as much pork as beef. Since refrigeration was not real common, pigs were kept “on the hoof”. Slaughter time was a celebration of sorts and southern barbecue grew out of these gatherings. A whole hog barbecue was only small part of the big picture. The main pork by-products of the slaughter however were cured hams and bacon. Before long barbecues became a part of other events ranging from weddings to funerals, church picnics to political rallies. Some of these events were called “pot luck” and attendees would bring a covered dish or some baked goods to enjoy with the barbecued hog.

Different geographical areas developed different styles and flavors of barbecue. Side dishes changed too. It’s impossible to call one style the best. You have your favorites and I have mine but I will agree that southerners are proud of their traditions. In the Carolina’s, pork is chopped and folks generally agree on a vinegar based sauce, but disagree on whether tomato or mustard (or neither) should be added to it. In Tennessee, the tomato based sauce they serve (sometimes on the side) is sweetened with molasses and has a peppery back flavor. On the other hand, some joints specialize in “dry ribs” which get flavor from only a coating of rub. In Kansas City the sauce is on the sweet side too, but it goes on everything, almost to excess. Here, pork is still on the top of the menu but beef brisket and more importantly burnt ends are served. Travel through Alabama and you can find a spicy red sauce for pork and beef. (Also popular in Alabama is a mayonnaise based white sauce for chicken, but I’m trying to stick to pork and beef). The state that can’t agree on any one style is Arkansas. Man…they have a little bit of everything there. The state that can agree on one thing is Texas. They agree that beef is the meat best suited for barbecue. And the #1 cut of beef is…..Yep you guessed it pardner, brisket. Because of it’s size, and Texas is BIG, there are some differences from north to south and east to west. If I had to describe a Texas sauce without stepping on too many toes, I would call it red and thin. Or maybe brown and thin. Sausages should get a mention here as it’s hard to not to get a sausage on the side when you are eating barbecue in Texas.

One variable that influences barbecue flavor is wood. Nobody will agree on one wood for all meats. But why do certain areas swear by certain woods? Because that is what they have on hand; they learned to cook with what grows near by.

So, even though it looks like we may disagree on beef or pork …. chopped, sliced, or pulled…. sauced or plain …. sweet or spicy …. cooked on hickory, oak, mesquite or cherry (just to name a few). I think we can agree that good barbecue is heavy in tradition, flavored with passion and love, cooked to perfection over a low bed of coals, served with pride and enjoyed by friends and family.

Photo Credit - Brisket & Butt by Author