A Short History of BBQ
Every good ole southern boy will tell you that BBQ came from the South -- and with a little bit of a sideways glance, that might be the truth.
Other people will tell you that BBQ started as a way to feed cowboys on cattle drives. In a story based on logic, that too might be the truth. When moving beef to the railheads, the easiest meat for a cowboy to get was a cow from the herd.
But then again - here's another possibility: BBQ started in Europe - probably in France.
Now before you people down in Texas and Arkansas get your guns and come huntin' for me, let me explain.
The word barbeque comes from the French word "barbe-a-que", which means, literally, "from snout to tail." This word "barbe-a-que" was in use in the state of Virginia in the early 1700s.
And there we have it: the word "barbe-a-que" itself tells us of the likely place where BBQ started -- France -- and takes us to the south of this country for its origins in the United States.
Nowadays in the south, the word barbeque is used as a noun, as in "Let's have a barbeque." It is also used as a verb in the phrase, " I'll barbeque some steaks."
Whether used as a verb or as a noun, what do people mean when they say, "barbeque?"
BBQ: A definition
When most people talk about barbequing, they are really talking about grilling. In fact, "barbeque" has become almost synonymous with back yard cooking of any nature.
Let's start, though, with the original and specific meaning of barbeque. To really "barbeque," meat is slow-cooked over live coals a goodly distance away from the fire. This is sometimes also called "indirect" cooking, that is, the meat is not directly exposed to the flame.
In the United States, pork became the main meat for BBQ because pigs were plentiful and easy to care for. A farmer would just turn the critters loose and then gather them when it came time to eat. Now, I ask you -- how much easier can it be than that?!
Most people in the south still prefer pork for their barbeque, but some enjoy beef, chicken or anything else they can come up with. In fact, down in Arkansas, we have a saying that if we can catch it, skin it and BBQ it, we can eat it.
In the Carolinas, where most people think barbequing started, it is almost unheard of to use any meat other than pork. This lack of appreciation for the diversity of BBQ culinary arts is . . . well, what can we say of our friends to the east? They need a little "curing". Perhaps a trip to an Arkansas smokehouse will help. Why those folks from the Carolinas also think vinegar is good as the main ingredient in BBQ sauce!
Today's BBQ
Well, in today's United States, most of us may not be able to turn pigs loose in our yards to fatten and then gather them up for eating. As preparing food outdoors has become increasingly popular in the United States, though, BBQing has been made a whole lot easier to fit the lifestyle of the backyard chef.
Today it is possible to buy portable BBQ cooking equipment or to build a BBQ center with simple plans. In one of our upcoming newsletters, we'll give you some plans.
Whatever its origins, the fact that so many people in the U.S. now enjoy cooking out of doors makes BBQ truly an American original.
Now someone pass me the buns please and, oh yeah, how 'bout that big ole platter of dead pig?!