May 16th is National BBQ day – but really, the entire month of May is devoted to celebrating the cherished American tradition that is the art of the Barbecue, so go ahead and get grillin’!
The mysterious “Barbecue Council” (mysterious, because no one seems to know where the council came from or that it exists) founded National Barbecue Day in 1963 to encourage people to encourage Americans to cook and grill outdoors. From the looks of the booming BBQ industry, it looks like the campaign was a success!
From Barbacoa to Barbecue
While the practice of slow-cooking meats in a pit of hot coals dates to prehistoric times, the version of barbecue we currently enjoy originated in the Caribbean, specifically the island of Hispaniola (as documented by the explorer Columbus), site of the modern-day Haiti and Dominican Republic, where its practitioners called it barbacoa. What those early pitmasters knew was that the long, slow application of heat will— over a period of many hours and even days—transform tough, chewy cuts of beef, pork, even goat and sheep, into tender, smoky, succulent delicacies.
In 1540, explorer Hernando De Soto document the Chickasaw tribe cooking a feast of pork over the barbacoa. At the time, the Chickasaw were spread throughout the southeastern portion of the U.S. It is uncertain whether the Chickasaw taught the this method of cooking to settlers or if settlers began mimicking the process. However, at some point settlers began using the method of cooking meat over open flame. Thus, eventually establishing barbeque as the traditional practice of grilling we know today.
What is Barbecue, anyway?
Whether you prefer charcoal, wood, or gas, barbecuing is fundamentally a slow cooking method over indirect heat until it turns fall-off-the-bone tender. While the type of protein and seasonings vary, each part of the country specializes in their own flavors and sauces. From sweet to spicy, techniques range from region to region and state to state. Even the way a place smokes their barbecue can be considered unique! Pork is the original barbecue meat, but beef, chicken, lamb, and other proteins find their way into barbecue.
The 4 Types of American Barbecue, by Region
The tradition of American barbecue now comprises four main types, each one associated with a particular region of the country and each one featuring its own unique combination of seasonings, sauces, types of meat, and signature dishes. Whether you are partial to the Carolina pork shoulder in a tangy mustard vinegar sauce, or the Memphis BBQ pork ribs served in a classic dry rub (dry) or tomato vinegar sauce (wet), the classic Texas dry rub brisket and beef sausage, or fancy yourself some burnt ends served in a quintessential Kansas City ketchup and molasses sauce, there is something for everyone. And, some of the best side dishes associated with this time-honored cuisine are coleslaw, potato salad, grilled corn on-the-cob, macaroni & cheese, and baked beans.
So celebrate by going out to your favorite BBQ joint, or cooking up some of your own on the 16th, or anytime this month, or heck, anytime of the year is the right time for Barbecue!
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Photo Credit: Tatiana Volgutova / Shutterstock.com