How Location Affects One's Definition Of Old Fashioned BBQ

By Grace Rivera


Barbecue in the USA dates back to a time when hogs were allowed to run wild and provided a much tougher cut than found in pork today. Originally the whole hog or other animal was cooked slowly over an open pit. Today, pits have moved indoors and provide the heat needed to cook pork, beef, chicken and sausages. In addition, one's definition of old fashioned BBQ may depend on where he spent the childhood years.

Memphis style barbeque is common in many different parts of the USA. In Memphis, the primary find is slow cooked pork ribs and shoulders. The sauce is a mild one that includes a large amount of molasses. It is used sparingly on the meat and very mild. Add a sweet coleslaw and you have a great meal that may take you back to your childhood.

Most of the time, the barbecue joints in Alabama follow the Memphis tradition and use a molasses based sauce. Connoisseurs may notice that the sauce is slathered a little thicker on the ribs. However, when visiting the northern region of Alabama, it is possible to find a special white sauce barbecue sauce. This is made with vinegar and mayonnaise and certainly worth a try.

Kentucky is most famous for the hickory used to create the smoke and heat to cook the meat. It offers a stronger smoke flavor than some other woods and much stronger than you would get at home using briquettes. The meat has a bacon like undertone. When visiting this state, you will not want to miss burgoo, a hearty meat stew served as a side.

In Texas, it is most likely the meat found in a barbecue joint is beef. It will be smoked using Mesquite wood. Sliced beef brisket is normally served without sauce. The table may have a plastic squirt bottle filled with sauce for dipping if you must have it, but try this barbecue plain first.

Kansas City barbecue mixes the eastern and western styles. It uses the flavorful meats from Texas and the sauce from Memphis. Look for ribs, briskets and steaks drenched in a spicy-tomato based sauce.

North Carolina has a long standing argument over whether or not to include tomato in the vinegar based sauce. In the east there is none but in the west, surrounding Piedmont, it is common. The east also cooks a whole hog while the west prefers pulled or chopped pork shoulder once the pork is done cooking.

While there are several traditions in South Carolina, the best known variation is the mustard based sauce. Here too, the whole pig is placed on the grill and diners pull off bits of pork to dip into the sauce. This is another tomato free sauce.

Regardless of your own definition of old fashioned BBQ, when visiting different regions, see what they have to offer. If you love good meats with or without sauce, you are not likely to be disappointed. You might even pick up a jar of the local eateries sauce to take home and enjoy.




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