the history of barbecue

7/28/2019 The History of Barbecue

1/22

The History of Barbecue

By Laura Dove

The Etymology of Barbecue

The roads of the Southern United States are lined with a succession of grinning pigs,advertising the availability of barbecue in countless restaurants. The origins of barbecuein the South, however, are traceable to a period long before the smiling pig became afixture on Southern roadsides. The etymology of the term is vague, but the mostplausible theory states that the word "barbecue" is a derivative of the West Indian term"barbacoa," which denotes a method of slow-cooking meat over hot coals. Bon Appetitmagazine blithely informs its readers that the word comes from an extinct tribe inGuyana who enjoyed "cheerfully spit roasting captured enemies." The Oxford English

Dictionary traces the word back to Haiti, and others claim (somewhat implausibly) that"barbecue" actually comes from the French phrase "barbe a queue", meaning "fromhead to tail." Proponents of this theory point to the whole-hog cooking method espousedby some barbecue chefs. Tar Heelmagazine posits that the word "barbecue" comesfrom a nineteenth century advertisement for a combination whiskey bar, beerhall, poolestablishment and purveyor of roast pig, known as the BAR-BEER-CUE-PIG (Bass313). The most convincing explanation is that the method of roasting meat overpowdery coals was picked up from indigenous peoples in the colonial period, and that"barbacoa" became "barbecue" in the lexicon of early settlers.

Barbecue Before the Civil War

The history of barbecue itself, aside from its murky etymological origins, is more clear.For several reasons, the pig became an omnipresent food staple in the South. Pigswere a low-maintenance and convenient food source for Southerners. In the pre-CivilWar period, Southerners ate, on average, five pounds of pork for every one pound ofbeef (Gray 27). Pigs could be put out to root in the forest and caught when food supplybecame low. These semi-wild pigs were tougher and stringier than modern hogs, butwere a convenient and popular food source. Every part of the pig was utilized-- the meatwas either eaten immediately or cured for later consumption, and the ears, organs andother parts were transformed into edible delicacies. Pig slaughtering became a time forcelebration, and the neighborhood would be invited to share in the largesse. Thetraditional Southern barbecue grew out of these gatherings.

William Byrd, in his eighteenth century book writings The Secret History of the DividingLine Betwixt Virginia and North Carolina has some pretty snippy things to say aboutsome Southerners' predilection for pork. He writes that hog meat was:


2/22

the staple commodity of North Carolina . . . and with pitch and tar makes up the wholeof their traffic . . . these people live so much upon swine's flesh that it don't only inclinethem to the yaws, and consequently to the . . . [loss] of their noses, but makes themlikewise extremely hoggish in their temper, and many of them seem to grunt rather thanspeak in their ordinary conversation(Taylor 21-2)

"Yaws," of course, is an infectious tropical disease closely related to syphilis. Perhapsbecause of natives like Byrd, Virginia is frequently considered beyond the parameters ofthe "barbecue belt."

At the end of the colonial period, the practice of holding neighborhood barbecues waswell-established, but it was in the fifty years before the Civil War that the traditionsassociated with large barbecues became entrenched. Plantation owners regularly heldlarge and festive barbecues, including "pig pickin's" for slaves (Hilliard 59). In this pre-Civil War period, a groundswell of regional patriotism made pork production more andmore important. Relatively little of the pork produced was exported out of the South, and

hog production became a way for Southerners to create a self-sufficient food supply--Southern pork for Southern patriots (Hilliard 99). Hogs became fatter and better cared-for, and farmers began to feed them corn to plump them up before slaughter. Thestringy and tough wild pigs of the colonial period became well-fed hogs. Barbecue wasstill only one facet of pork production, but more hogs meant more barbecues.

In the nineteenth century, barbecue was a feature at church picnics and political ralliesas well as at private parties (Egerton 150). A barbecue was a popular and relativelyinexpensive way to lobby for votes, and the organizers of political rallies would providebarbecue, lemonade, and usually a bit of whiskey (Bass 307). These gatherings werealso an easy way for different classes to mix. Barbecue was not a class- specific food,

and large groups of people from every stratum could mix to eat, drink and listen tostump speeches. Journalist Jonathan Daniel's, writing in the mid-twentieth century,maintained that "Barbecue is the dish which binds together the taste of both the peopleof the big house and the poorest occupants of the back end of the broken-down barn"(Bass 314). Political and church barbecues were among the first examples of thisphenomenon. Church barbecues, where roasted pig supplemented the covered dishesprepared by the ladies of the congregation, were a manifestation of the traditionalchurch picnic in many Southern communities. Church and political barbecues are still avital tradition in many parts of the South (Gray 133-4).

Barbecue Restaurants

At the beginning of the twentieth century, barbecue appeared in a new venue, that ofthe barbecue restaurant. After the South went from a rural-agricultural region to a moreurban and industrial area, grocery stores provided hog meat (is it any wonder that thenation's first supermarket chain was christened Piggly Wiggly?), agricultural fairsreplaced festive hog killings, and the barbecue restaurant took over the time-consuming


3/22

task of slow-cooking pork (Bass 301). Usually, these restaurants grew out of a simplebarbecue pit where the owner sold barbecue to take away. Many of the pit men onlyopened on weekends, working (usually on a farm) during the week and tending the piton weekends. The typical barbecue shack consisted of a bare concrete floorsurrounded by a corrugated tin roof and walls (Johnson 9). Soon, stools and tables

were added, and the ubiquitous pig adorned the outside of the building. Few pit menowned more than one restaurant-- the preparation of the pig required almost constantattention, and few expert pit men were willing to share the secret of their saucepreparations. The advent of the automobile gave the barbecue shack a ready-madeclientele-- travelers would stop at the roadside stands for a cheap and filling meal(Johnson 6). As the twentieth century progressed, barbecue pits grew and prospered,evolving into three distinct types. According to barbecue scholar Jonathan Bass, thethree kinds of barbecue restaurants are black-owned, upscale urban white, and white"joints" (more akin to honky-tonk bars). These racial denotations, however, do not meanthat barbecue restaurants catered to a specific racial clientele. Good barbecue drew(and draws) barbecue fans of every color and class.

Perhaps because much of its trade consisted of take-out orders, the barbecuerestaurant was an interracial meeting place long before the forced integration of the1950's and 1960's (Egerton 152). When these restaurants first appeared, many wereowned by black Southerners, and "whites, in a strange reversal of Jim Crow traditions,made stealthy excursions for take-out orders" (Wilson 676). In the 1950's and 1960's,much of this comity was lost. Many barbecue joints became segregated by race.Barbecue has even made it into the annals of legal history, with the desegregationbattles at Ollie's Barbecue in Alabama and Maurice's Piggy Park in Columbia providingoften-cited case law as well as a stain on the fascinating history of barbecue. In thecase Newman v. Piggy Park Enterprises, the court ruled that Maurice Bessinger's chainof five barbecue restaurants unlawfully discriminated against African-American patrons.

The varied history of barbecue reflects the varied history of the South. Sometimesshameful, but usually interesting, the history of barbecue can be seen an emblem ofSouthern history. For the past seventy-five years, the barbecue joint has flourished.

Although local specialties and the time-intensive nature of barbecue preparation haveinsured that real barbecue (as opposed to defrosted and microwaved meat) will neverbe a staple at chain restaurants, barbecue has endured. Aside from its succulent taste,delicious sauces and the inimitable, smoky atmosphere of an authentic barbecue joint,barbecue has become a Southern icon, a symbol that is cherished by Southerners.Without the racist subtext of the Stars and Bars, the anachronistic sexism of theSouthern belle, or the bland ennui of a plate of grits, barbecue has become a culturalicon for Southerners, of every race, class and sex.

Barbecue By Region


4/22

Barbecue is a cherished example of the cultural heritage of the South to mostSoutherners, but within the region, debate as to the nature of barbecue rages on. Whilebarbecue-loving Southerners agree that the "Northern" definition of barbecue-- a cook-out in the back-yard-- is ludicrous, barbecue aficionados also like to argue about whatconstitutes true Southern barbecue. State by state, and even town by town, no method

is exactly alike. For the purposes of this paper, the one non-debatable component ofbarbecue is pork, and the South is bounded by the parameters of the "barbecue belt"(Louisiana, Missouri, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina).With apologies to the dedicated barbecue chefs of Owensboro and southwesternTexas, Kentucky's misbegotten notion of mutton, and the beef and mesquite of Texassimply do not qualify as barbecue, and these regions will not be closely examined here.

Why do the regional differences in pig-roasting merit attention? Barbecue is emblematicof a lot of things in the South-- despite intra-regional differences, barbecue is barbecueall over the Southern United States. We may argue about which kind is the bestbarbecue, but very few people assert that the different types are not part of a vital (and

delicious) Southern tradition. Despite (in John Egerton's words) the Americanization ofDixie, the South has maintained a distinct regional flavor that makes it special-- differentfrom any other part of the United States. In tracing the differences between the differenttypes of pork barbecue, we demonstrate one example of how, despite geographicaldisparities, encroaching national homogeneity, and bitter intra-regional disputes, theSouth continues to cherish those parts of itself which make it peculiarly Southern.

This established, our attention turns to the differences between the many types of porkbarbecue. These are many and hotly contested. Differences can be gauged bycomparing cooking styles, serving methods, side dishes preferred by each camp, and(most contentious of all) sauces.

Barbecue in the South

Much of the variation in barbecue methodology and saucing in Southern barbecue canbe explained by its geographical migrations. After originally appearing on the EastCoast, barbecue began travelling West, picking up permutations along the way. Spanishcolonists spread the cooking technology (Johnson 6), but the agriculture of each regionadded its own twist. The simple vinegar sauces of the East Coast were supplanted bythe sweet tomato sauce of Memphis and the fiery red Texas swab. In western Kentucky,mutton was substituted for pork, and the cattle ranchers of Texas used barbecuetechniques for slow-cooking beef (with these innovations, southwestern Texans andwestern Kentuckians put themselves irrevocably outside the "barbecue belt").

There are several main regions of barbecue saucery in the South. Each region has itsown secret sauces, with much intra-regional variation. This "barbecue belt" shares thesame tradition of slow-cooking the meat, but diverges widely in sauces and side dishes.

Barbecue on the East Coast


5/22

In eastern North Carolina, the meat is chopped or sliced pig and the sauce is pepperyvinegar. Traditional side dishes include coleslaw and hush puppies (perhaps a carry-over from the area's many seafood restaurants). These hush puppies are light and oval-shaped. The area of North Carolina west of Raleigh uses the same type of meat, butdouses it in a sauce rich with vinegar and tomatoes. Western North Carolinians eat

barbecue with bread and sometimes Brunswick stew, a stew made with vegetables,chicken and sometimes game.

Further south, in South Carolina and Georgia, the pig is still chopped or sliced, but it isdoused in a yellow mustard-based sauce. In much of South Carolina, barbecue isserved alongside light bread, coleslaw, and "hash" with rice. Hash is made of stewedorgan meats. In this region, the skin of the pig is often removed and fried separately.(This delicacy should not be confused with the pre-packaged pork rinds popularized byGeorge Bush). In Georgia, Brunswick stew often appears.

Barbecue in th e Central South

As the barbecue aficionado travels further west, pork remains the meat of choice, but itis served "pulled" rather than chopped. Pulled pork is slow-cooked, shredded by handinto succulent threads of meat, then doused with sauce. The pulled pig region, centeredaround Memphis, Tennessee, usually serves a sweet tomato sauce flavored withpepper and molasses. Because Memphis is a port city, the creators of barbecue saucesin this area had a larger repertoire of ingredients from which to choose. Molasses wasshipped up-river, and became a popular seasoning. The popularity of the "pulled"serving method has resulted in the appearance of "pulled chicken" on several chainbarbecue restaurant menus. Pulled chicken is reminiscent of the Northern concept ofbarbecue as backyard activity, and the purist should avoid it. Barbecue joints serving

Memphis style barbecue usually serve it alongside coleslaw, cornbread, and sometimesFrench fries. Memphis barbecue is a term that encompasses both pulled pork and slow-cooked pork ribs. This ribs are either basted with sauce or rubbed with a mixture oftangy spices before pit cooking.

In Alabama, most sauces are also red, but a bit spicier than those served in Tennessee.Pulled and chopped pork is offered, as well as slabs of ribs. In Arkansas, the saucesvary. Because the state borders Tennessee, Texas, and several other states, one canfind a wide variety of barbecue styles and sauces in Arkansas. Side dishes can includebaked beans, coleslaw, and potato chips. On the western side, Arkansas bordersTexas, and beef barbecue is more prevalent.

After examining the many types of barbecue, it is easy to wonder, "why on earth is slow-cooked pig a Southern icon ?"Although it is different all over the South, and though it isa homely and unassuming pork product, barbecue has assumed heroic proportions inthe cultural iconography of the South. One reason for this is the regional foodwaysendemic to the Southern United States. The pig has always been a crucial facet of theSouthern diet, and a study of Southern foodways helps to explicate the importance ofbarbecue.


6/22

A Barbecue Bibliography

Craig Claiborne. Southern Cooking. New York: Times Books, 1987.

Mary Douglas, ed. Food in the Social Order. New York: Russell Sage Foundation, 1984.

John Egerton. Southern Food: At Home, On the Road, In History. New York: Alfred A Knopf, 1987.

Sam Bowers Hilliard. Hog Meat and Hoecake: Food Supply in the Old South . Carbondale: SouthernIllinois University Press, 1972.

Jeremy MacClancy. Consuming Culture: Why You Eat What You Eat. New York: Henry Holt andCompany, 1992.

James Donald Mackenzie. Colorful Heritage: An Informal History of Barbecue Presbyterian Church andBluff Presbyterian Church. Olivia, NC: Rev. James Mackenzie, 1969.

Ernest Matthew Mickler. White Trash Cooking. Berkeley: 10 Speed Press, 1986.

Charles L. Perdue, Jr., ed. Pigsfoot Jelly and Persimmon Beer. Santa Fe: Ancient City Press, 1992.

Joe Gray Taylor. Eating, Drinking and Visiting in the Old South. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State UniversityPress, 1982.

Mary Anne Schofield, ed. Cooking by the Book: Food in Literature and Culture. Bowling Green: BowlingGreen State University Popular Press, 1989.

Jane and Michael Stern. Good Food. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1983.

Charles Reagan Wilson and William Ferris, eds. Encyclopedia of Southern Culture. Chapel Hill: UNCPress, 1989.

The Difference Between Grilling and Barbecue

This is a question that is asked by many, but not widely known or understood. A lot of

the confusion lies in the fact that people often use the same piece of equipment forgrilling as they do for barbecue. The two are however antithetical to one another.

Gril l ing

Grilling is a high heat cooking method. Food is cooked directly over the coals and isnormally ready in a matter of minutes. Grilling temperatures are usually in excess of 500


7/22

degrees Fahrenheit, and food is cooked close to the heat source. The high heat charsthe surface of the food, seals in the juices and creates a smoky caramelized crust.

Grilling is the oldest, most widespread and most forgiving method of cooking. Rich andpoor alike practice it on six continents in restaurants, street stalls, and backyards.

Barbecue

Barbecuing by contrast lies at the opposite end of the spectrum from grilling. It is a long,slow, indirect, low-heat method that uses smoldering logs or charcoal and wood chunksto smoke-cook the food. Barbecue temperatures are usually between 200 and 300degrees Fahrenheit. This low heat generates smoke, and this smoke gives barbecue itscharacteristic flavor. The heat source is often separate from the cooking chamber,which contains the actual food.

This method of cooking is ideally suited to large pieces of meat such as whole pigs. It isalso perfect for cuts with lots of tough connective tissue, like brisket and spareribs. Infact barbecue was traditionally associated with the poorer echelons of society, whowere unable to afford the more expensive cuts of meat.

More recently a hybrid method of cooking, Indirect Grilling, has become very popular.This method bridges the gap between barbecue and grilling. As with barbecuing thefood is not cooked directly over coals. But the actual cooking takes place in the samechamber as the heat source, and temperatures usually range between 350 and 400degrees Fahrenheit. Wood chips or chunks are often placed on the heat source to

generate smoke for flavor. Indirect grilling effectively transforms your barbecue grill intoand outdoor oven, which is perfect for cooking larger cuts of meat such as prime rib andturkey.

We actually use all three of the above cooking methods. Each has its own merits.Indirect grilling gives you the best of both grilling and barbecuing. The charcoal flavorfrom grilling and the tenderness and smoky flavor from barbecue. Whereas the flavor oftrue barbecue is hard to beat, the trade-off is that it takes a lot longer than grilling orindirect grilling.

Rubs


8/22

Rubs are for the most part, dry ingredients (herbs, spices and seasonings) that arerubbed or sprinkled on meat before cooking to enhance the flavor when cooked. A dryrub is a form of marinade, however a rub has an advantage over a marinade, in that itforms a tasty crust on food when it is cooked. Rubs are used to provide a higher degreeof concentrated flavor to larger cuts of meat like beef brisket and pork shoulder. These

cuts of meat will taste very bland without a good sprinkle of rub. Rubs are sometimesused as the basis for a table or finishing sauce for your cooked food, but most often arubs magic is done before the cooking process is over.

Ingredients in dry rubs vary, depending on the kind of food you are using, but someitems are more common than others. Salt and sugar seem to appear more often thananything else, and surprisingly are also the most controversial. Some cooks say thatsalt draws the moisture out of meat, and everyone agrees that sugar burns on thesurface of food. If making your own rubs keep these two ingredients in check. Use themin moderation in a way that supports the rub rather than overpowers it. Garlic powder,onion powder, chili and lemon pepper seasonings are also very popular. Secondary

seasonings such as dry mustard, cumin, sage, thyme, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg andginger are used to round a rub off nicely.

If you are making your own rubs, use finer ground spices for rubs on thinner cuts ofmeat, as these break down and flavor the food faster. Use coarser ground spices forlarger, thicker cuts of meat, as these will not break down as fast and will give you moreflavor when cooking over a longer period of time.

When applying a rub to meat we do not actually rub the spices into the meat, as thename would suggest. We believe that rubbing causes the pores of the meat to clog up.In addition if you have ever rubbed a rub into a cut of meat, where does most of the rub

end up? On your hands!

When applying a rub, add it thoroughly and evenly. Generally you dont need to skimpon the amount, though some dishes benefit from a light touch. Allow the flavors of therub to penetrate the food by covering it and leaving it in the refrigerator for a while. Fishfillets and shrimp usually need to sit for 30 to 45 minutes, big cuts of meat can be leftovernight, and other kinds of food are somewhere in between.

3Men Rub Tips

Dont rub, sprinkle Apply thoroughly and evenly. Dont reuse leftover rub after it has been applied to meat, it will be contaminated

from the bacteria in the meat. Keep salt and sugar in check, when developing your own rubs. Use a fine ground rub on thinner cuts of meat and a coarser grind on the larger,

thicker cuts.


9/22

After applying a rub, allow the food to absorb the flavor of the rub, by covering itand leaving it in the refrigerator for a while.

Marinades

The word "marinade" is derived from the Latin or Italian "marinara", meaning of the sea.Much like seawater, the original marinades of many centuries ago were briny solutionsmeant to preserve, tenderize, and flavor goods.

Many think that marinades tenderize meat, but that is not quite accurate. Actually the

liquid softens tissue, a subtle but important distinctions. Some marinades tame anundesirable taste, as a buttermilk soak does for wild game, but most often they areintended to complement and enrich the foods natural flavor.

There are three basic components of a marinade: acid, oil and seasonings. The acidbreaks down the surface tissue of the food, and the seasonings add flavor. Acids can beadded in various forms such as vinegar, citrus juice, tomatoes and wine. The acid in amarinade can often be used as a flavoring agent. The spices are usually very strong, orassertive since they grow weaker the longer they are involved with the marinatingprocess. Because the use of salty seasonings can draw moisture out of the food duringthe marinating process, oil is usually part of the marinade. The oil commonly used is

vegetable oil, but other oils can be used. Avoid using bacon drippings and butter inmarinades that are to be used in the refrigerator, they will coagulate and be of little use.In general, the leaner the food, the more likely will be the need for oil in the marinade.Much like the acids, the oil in a marinade can often be used as a flavoring agent.

Because marinades contain acid you must use nonreactive containers to marinade in.Reactive materials such as aluminum may be discolored and impart an unpleasantflavor into the food that is being marinated. Use glass, ceramic dishes, or plastic bags.We like to use plastic bags like the ones sold by Zip-Loc as they are flexible and easy tofind a place for in the refrigerator, are easy to turn over when you need to, and clean upis a breeze.

If you plan to use your marinade either as a table sauce or as a baste while actuallycooking the food, it must be boiled for at least 5 minutes. This will destroy any harmfulbacteria that may have been placed into the marinade by the raw food.

Marinating times will vary depending on the food. Three things that you must rememberare:


10/22

If you marinade your food for too long, the tissue will break down completely andthe food will be mushy.

Marinades do not penetrate more than inch into your food, and longermarinating times on larger cuts of meat will not give deeper penetration, but willmake the outside inch of the food taste more of the marinade.

If you marinade at room temperature the marinade will penetrate the food faster.Note that food that is to be marinated for more than one hour should berefrigerated.

Approximate Marinating TimesFood Time (hrs ) Food Time (hrs)Beef Steaks 4 6 Chicken Breasts 2 4Beef Kabobs 4 6 Chicken Pieces 3 4Beef Roast 5 7 Chicken Wings 6 8Beef Brisket 5 7 Whole Chicken (split) 4Beef Short Ribs 6 - 8 Turkey 4 overnightPork Tenderloins 3 4 Turkey Quarters 4 8Pork Chops

3 4

Duck

6 8

Spare Ribs 6 8 Game Birds 4 6Lamb Kabobs 4 6 Fish 1 2Venison 6 8 Shell Fish - 1

3Men Marinating Tips

Use nonreactive containers to marinade your food in such as Zip-Loc bags If the marinade does not completely cover the food, you will need to turn it every

30 minutes Always boil marinade that you plan to use as a baste or table sauce, for 5

minutes. Better still make extra marinade Too much marinating will break down all the tissues in your food, making it

mushy


11/22

When making a marinade make sure that the oil is completely emulsified beforeyou place the food into the marinade.

Mops, Sops and Bastes

The words mop, sop, and baste are all interchangeable, and mean the same thing (Weuse the term "Mop" for the purpose of this discussion). They are thin liquids that usuallycontain acid, spices and sometimes oil. They are applied to food while it is cooking tohelp it retain moisture and to add another layer of flavor.

A mop can be something as simple as beer, fruit juice or meat stock, or can be verycomplex. In some cases if you have used a marinade, that becomes the mop after youhave boiled it well. Acids such as lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and vinegar arecommon. Butter or oil are usually present when you are cooking food that tends to dryout quickly. Seasonings are often the same as you have used in your rub or marinade.

Most mops are cooked first to blend their flavors. They should be kept warm if you planto use them right away, or reheated if they have been refrigerated. Mops are appliedwarm, and should be kept warm in between mopping. In fact we prefer to keep a mopsimmering on the side throughout the cooking process, for three reasons: Firstly, youare not applying a cold liquid to your food. Secondly, through mopping your food in the

early stages of cooking you can contaminate the mop with bacteria from the food. Thesimmering process will kill these bacteria. Thirdly, the simmering process reduces themop and concentrates the flavor.

If you have used a rub on your food, and we recommend that you do, you should onlystart applying the mop after the food has cooked for half of the projected cooking time.This will allow the rub to form a crust on the meat before you apply the mop. Your mopis likely to take on a different flavor each time you mop, as the mop applicator itself iscoming into contact with the flavors of the food and any rub or seasonings that havebeen applied. Mop small items every 30 minutes, and big items every 45 minutes.

3Men Mop Tips

Keep your mop simmering to the side or inside throughout the cooking process Only start mopping half way through the cooking process Remember that every time you lift the lid of your BBQ or smoker to mop you

lower the temperature inside and increase the cooking time


12/22

Use a good rub on your food in conjunction with a mop Use butter or oil in mops that will be used on foods that dry out quickly Boiled marinade can be used as an effective mop

Barbecue Sauces

Sauces are a subject of contention. Some say that sauces define the nature ofbarbecue, and that if you dont serve a barbecue sauce on your food it is not realbarbecue. Others contend that if your food needs a sauce, it doesnt deserve to becalled barbecue. One thing for sure is that all the people who agree that sauce is good,

have not been able to agree whose sauce is best. Which is why there are so manydifferent types of barbecue sauce out there.

The earliest recorded recipe for barbecue sauce comes from the late 1700's aroundrevolutionary war times. It was a simple sauce - vinegar. Actually, it is not so much asauce but rather a "dip" in which roasted pork was dipped. Later, the sauce developedby adding water, a pinch of sugar, and red peppers to the basic core ingredient ofvinegar. This is a "tidewater" barbecue sauce and still can be found along the easternCarolina shores. As you move inland tomatoes and other spices were added to thevinegar sauce. As barbecue sauce moved west, it changed. Crossing the Great SmokyMountains into Tennessee and Kentucky the sauce became sweeter, and with less

vinegar. As the journey west continued, tomatoes, whether as whole, sauce, or ketchup,became the main ingredient, replacing vinegar. When BBQ sauce came to Texas,tomatoes were still the primary ingredient, but now hot peppers - habaneros, jalapenos,chili powder, etc. became an important ingredient. Barbecue also changed from beingonly pork, to beef as well, and sauce became an integral component of barbecue.Finally, as BBQ sauce kept on it's journey west, new ingredients were added, includingpureed mangoes, apple sauce, soy sauce, and exotic spices.

As barbecue continues in popularity across the United States and the world, BBQ sauceis becoming an important component of barbecue. In almost every barbecuecompetition you can find a category for barbecue sauce.

Barbecue sauce can be used as a condiment, a dipping sauce, and a glaze, or all of theabove. It should be used to complement, but not overpower the flavor of your barbecue.In some cases, it is used to give overcooked and dried-out barbecue some moisture.

Primary bases used for American barbecue sauces are tomatoes, mustard, andvinegar.


13/22

When you are ready to create your own sauce, look for a balance of sweet, sour andspicy flavors, in that order.

Sweet Sour SpicyHoney

Maple SyrupJellies

Cane SyrupHoisin Sauce

MolassesSoda Pop

Lemon JuiceLime Juice

Tamarind ConcentrateVinegarCider

RaspberryWine

SherryWorcestershire sauce

OnionsGarlic

Chili Powder / ChiliesMustardCuminGingerPepper

Curry powder

Sauces by RegionRegion CharacteristicsKansas City Thick Tomato based, sweet, and spicy with some heatTexas Thin - Tomato based, molasses and Worcestershire sauceCentral S. Carolina Thin - Mustard and vinegarWestern N. Carolina Thin - Tomato based, ketchup, vinegar and sugar (sweet and

sour)Eastern N. Carolina Thin - Vinegar based, sugar, crushed red pepper, salt and peppeSouth S. Carolina /Georgia Thin - Mustard based, tomato and vinegarKentucky Black sauce made from Worcestershire sauce and vinegarFlorida Tomato based, lemon, lime, vinegar and butterHawaiian Sweet and sour, with fruits and fruit juicesOriental Soy sauce, peanuts with some heat


14/22

3Men Barbecue Sauce Tips

Sweet sauces being used as a glaze should only be applied in the final stages ofcooking, or they will burn on the outside of the food

A barbecue sauce should complement the food, not overpower it

When making a sauce, try to use fresh ingredients whenever possible Write down what you do, while you make a new sauce so that you can repeat it

or not repeat it! Dont be afraid to experiment with different ingredients, when making barbecue

sauces If you have tomatoes in your sauce, be careful not to burn them while cooking

your sauce they will leave a bitter taste Just like slow cooking meat, cooking your sauce with a low heat over time is

better than quickly with high heat Recognize that as your sauce ages the spices will change in taste. The day after

you make your sauce it may taste great, but then two weeks later it may taste

bland Always refrigerate your sauce when storing it We believe that the ideal barbecue sauce should taste sweet, then sour, and

finally hot

When Is It Cooked?

One of the toughest things in barbecue is trying to determine if your food is cooked. Thisgenerally comes with practice, and adhering to the following:

Know the meat you are cooking (poultry, beef, pork), the cut (brisket, ribs, breast,etc.), thickness, and size.

The temperature of your barbecue should be kept constant for the best results.Remember that every time you open the lid of your grill or smoker, the internaltemperature will drop. Dont open the lid just to look, open it when you have areason, such as adding coals, checking temperature, rotating food or moppingIfthere is a wind blowing, if it is cold, damp or wet you will need to pay moreattention to keeping your barbecue temperature consistent.

If your food is getting burnt on the outside but cool on the inside you're grilling,not barbecuing. Try wrapping your food with clear plastic film (Saran Wrap), thenwrapping in foil. This will keep the outside from becoming further charred, butallow the inside to cook. This also traps moisture and natural meat juices makingfor very juicy barbecue


15/22

When slow cooking your foods, a "smoke ring" will develop as your meat is beingcooked. This smoke ring is commonly red in color and may be anywhere from 1/8inch to perhaps inch or more. Dont mistake this fo r what appears to beuncooked food.

We believe very strongly in using instant read thermometers to tell when your

food is cooked. It is safe, easy and foolproof. Companies such as Polder andWilliams Sonoma, sell a digital thermometer unit that has a probe connected to itby means of a heatproof flexible cable. You can position the probe in the foodthat is being cooked. Connect it to the digital thermometer unit (which sits outsidethe barbecue). Close the lid and monitor the internal temperature of the foodwithout opening the lid. Remember to insert the probe of your thermometer intothe thickest part of the meat, staying away from bone since bone gets hotter thanthe actual meat.

The following table provides you with some general guidelines for determining whetheror not your food is cooked.

Food Doneness Internal Temp.(Fahrenheit)

BBQ Pork(Shoulders, Picnics, BostonButts)

SliceableSliceable and PullablePullable

180185195

BBQ Beef Brisket Done 210Beef Steaks Rare

Medium-Rare

Medium

Medium-Well

120

130

135

150Beef Roasts Rare

Medium-RareMediumMedium -Well

115125130145


16/22

Chicken - Whole or Pieces

- BreastDoneDone

170160

Cornish Hen Done 170Duck Done 175Ground Meat

(Beef, Pork, Lamb)Medium

Well-Done160

170Ham - Fully Cooked

Not Fully CookedWell-DoneWell-Done

140160

Lamb - Chops and Rack RareMedium-Rare

Medium

Medium-Well

120125130140

Lamb Roasts RareMedium-RareMediumMedium -Well

115125130145

Pheasant Well-Done 165Pork Chops Medium-Rare

Medium

Medium-Well

130140150

Pork Tenderloin Medium-RareMediumMedium-Well

135140150


17/22

Sausage Well-Done 170Turkey - Whole

Breast

Dark Meat

Done (check thigh)

Done

Done

175

165

175Veal Chops Medium-Rare

Medium

Medium-Well

130

135

150Veal Roasts Medium-Rare

MediumMedium -Well

125130145

Venison Medium 160

Using a Grill to Barbecue / Smoke FoodYou can use your barbecue grill to slow cook, barbecue, or smoke your favorite foods.

All too often barbecue grills are only used for grilling food. This requires that you usethe "indirect heat/smoke method" in your barbecue grill. The indirect method requiresthat you keep the heat and smoke source, i.e. charcoal and wood chips, off to the sidesof the barbecue grill so the heat does not directly cook your food. Instead you use lowheat to slowly cook your food.


18/22

To start, mound the charcoal off toone side, and place a pan of water onthe opposite side. Light the charcoaland let it burn until the outside of thecharcoal turns white. Add your

desired woodchunks that have beensoaked in warm water for at least 30minutes. With the lid on, the heat andsmoke will rise up one side of yourbarbecue, cool slightly, and comedown the other side where your foodis - a simple sort of convection oven.

It is important that you put a pan ofwater in the bottom of your barbecuegrill and put the coals and wood chips

off to one side, or around the waterpan. A water pan will help keep thetemperature constant and keep yourfoods from completely drying out. Thewater pan does not need to be big ordeep, a foil pie pan that holds an inchor so of water will do just fine. Positionthe food over the water pan, not thecharcoal. During the cooking processyou may need to add water to yourpan, so check it when you check your

food.

Keep the barbecue grill temperature down between 125F and 220F, otherwise you'llcook your food, rather than smoke, or slow cook it. Keep the bottom vents about 1/2open and the top 1/4 open. Monitor your temperature constantly and if you start to runout of heat, add more charcoal which you have already preburned outside of the grill.i.e. Don't put new charcoal directly on the fire you are cooking with, as your food willtake on that nasty charcoal smoke flavor. As the walls of these grills are thin and theinternal cooking space is small, every time you open the lid you lose your temperaturevery rapidly - so try to resist lifting the lid to just look.

Brining


19/22

Brining ExplainedBrining or salting is a way of increasing the moisture holding capacity of meat resultingin a moister product when it is cooked. Through water retention, brining allows a longertime for collagen to be broken down without drying the meat out. This water retention

also lubricates the individual fibers of the meat.

A brine is basically a salt solution into which you place your desired meat. When briningmeat, there is a greater concentration of salt and sugar outside of your meat (in thebrine) than there is inside the meat (the cells that make up the flesh). The law ofdiffusion states that the salt and sugar wiill naturally flow from te area of greaterconcentration (the brine) to lesser concentration (the cells). There is also a greaterconcentration of water, outside of the meat than inside. Here, too, the water willnaturally flow from the area of greater concentration to lesser concentration. Thisprocess is called Osmosis. Once inside the cells, the salt, and to a lesser extent, thesugar will cause the cell proteins to unravel, or denature. As the individual proteins

unravel, they become more likely to interact with one another. This interaction results inthe formation of a sticky matrix that captures and holds moisture. It is this matrix, thatwhen exposed to heat, will gel together (coagulate) and capture and hold the moisturefrom leaking out as the meat cooks.

When cooking meat to a temperature of below 120 F, the protein bundles within themeat, will shrink in size and moisture loss will be minimal. Once you go above thistemperature the moisture loss will start to increase significantly. This first 'sweat' is fromthe water stored between the individual cells being released. Once you go above atemperature of 140 F there will be a second 'sweat' and further loss of moisture as aresult of the individual cells actually breaking down.

As a result of the brining process the raw meat will typically gain about 20% in weight,as a result of the water, salt (sodium) and sugar which have entered the cells. Theincreased concentration of sodium in the cells actually increases the ability of theproteins to stay bonded together during the cooking process. This effectively means thatthe normal temperature at which meat cells break down (140 F), resulting in moistureloss, is increased, and the brine constitutes the first moisture loss, not the actual juicesof the meat.Brining is regarded by many BBQ'ers as mandatory for all forms of poultry. It is alsowidely used when smoking various forms of meat and seafood such as smoked salmon,pork chops, ham, bacon, corned beef and pastrami. It is not recommended for use withtraditional barbecue cuts such as brisket, ribs and pork shoulders, as it will make themall taste like ham !


20/22

Recipe for a Basic BBQ Brine

1 Quart water 1/2 Cup Diamond Crystal Kosher salt OR 1/4 Cup + 2 tablespoons Morton

Koscher salt OR 1/4 Cup table salt 1/2 Cup Sugar

Make 1 quart of brine per pound of food, but do not exceed 2 gallons of brine.Brine food for 1 hour per pound, but not less than 30 minutes or more than 8 hours. Recipe for a Basic Hi-Heat Grilling Brine

1 Quart water 1/4 Cup Diamond Crystal Kosher salt OR 3 tablespoons Morton Koscher salt OR

2 Tablespoons table salt 2 Tablespoons Sugar

Make 1 quart of brine per pound of food, but do not exceed 2 gallons of brine.Brine food for 1 hour per pound, but not less than 30 minutes or more than 8 hours. Recipe for a Basic Poultry Brine with Added Seasoning Through the process of brining one is able to produce cooked meat which is not onlymore moist, but also more flavorful. If you add seasonings to your brine, they too will

pass into the cells of the meat as part of the brining process. 1 Gallon water 1 1/2 cups kosher salt 1/2 cup molasses 1 1/2 T crushed or minced garlic 1/2 T onion powder 1/4 cup pepper


21/22

1/2 cup lemon juice 1/2 oz maple flavoring

Mix the ingredients above together making sure that all the salt is well dissolved into thewater.

Cover your poultry completely with brine and refrigerate overnight. In the morning,remove from brine and rinse with fresh water inside and out. Smoke at 275 F to aninternal temp of 170 basting with butter every few hours to give you the golden brownskin.

Brining Times for Different FoodsHere are some basic brining times you can plan on for different foods, but rememberthat this can change depending on the strength or weakness of the brine. You will haveto experiment a little to find out what works best with your particular brine.

Food Brine TimeShrimp 30 minutesWhole Chicken (4 pounds) 8 to 12 hoursChicken Parts 1 1/2 hoursChicken Breasts 1 hourCornish Game Hens 2 hoursWhole Turkey 24 hoursPork Chops 12 to 24 hoursWhole Pork Loins 2 to 4 days

3Men Brining Tips

Some people are sensitive to salt and find that birds subjected to this brine aretoo salty for their tastes. To reduce the saltiness, add sugar, decrease salt,decrease brining time or soak the bird in fresh water for an hour prior to cooking.You can brine just with salt but since salt takes flavors in with it, why not takeadvantage of this and add a few things to the mix. Sugar moderates the saltytaste and helps keep the birds juicy.

Do not over cook! Brined foods cook faster so be careful and use a realthermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat.


22/22

Brining requires a deep container so the meat can be completely submerged inthe cold brine.

The brine must also be kept cold at all times to prevent bacteria from building up.Since most of us don't have the room in the refrigerator for this procedure, putthe whole lot in an ice chest. Use blue ice to keep the water cold. If you use

ordinary ice it will melt and the resulting liquid will reduce the strength of thebrine. If you plan to use the drippings of cooked meat to make gravy, check your gravy

before adding more salt. You will probably find that the gravy does not need it.

the history of barbecue

Documents