Freqently Asked Questions (FAQs) on US BBQ

The name “barbecue,” or “BBQ,” has a rich history. The Taíno people used a method known as “barbacoa” to cook meat over an open flame, which is the widely accepted origin of the word. Spanish explorers then adopted this phrase and cooking method, bringing it to Latin America and the southeastern United States when they arrived in the late 15th century.

Some other theories suggest that the term “barbe à queue” (which means “beard to tail”), which refers to roasting an animal entirely over an open flame, has a place in the origin of the term “barbe à barbecue.” Historians, however, often reject this as a linguistic coincidence rather than the actual source.

Barbecue is a popular cooking method worldwide, with each culture adapting it per their style. BBQ refers to grilling over direct heat in some areas of the world, but in the United States, it often refers to slow-smoked meats. For instance:

• In Australia, ‘barbie’ refers to cooking meats such as steaks and sausages over a gas or charcoal grill.
• In South Africa, braai is a classic BBQ method using a wood fire.
• In Korea, BBQ refers to tabletop grilling.

Although there are differences in BBQ ways, few don’t enjoy a cookout involving open flame and low-and-slow dishes. The term is now synonymous with festivity, family, and get-togethers.

For an in-depth look at BBQ history, visit Smithsonian Magazine.

The BBQ Capital of the United States is generally acknowledged to be Kansas City, Missouri. However, other places also hold the designation, with Texas being a very well-known destination for tourists seeking some of the best BBQ in the world. With its unique slow-smoked meats and rich, sweet, and tangy tomato-based sauces, the city is home to more than 100 barbecue joints.
Henry Perry, a former steamboat chef, began smoking meats in an outside pit in the early 1900s and offering them with a hot sauce made from molasses. This is believed to be the origin of Kansa City’s BQQ scene.

Variety of meats: Kansas City BBQ offers brisket, ribs, pulled pork, sausage, and even turkey, whereas other BBQ areas often specialize in beef or pork.

Burnt ends: These tasty, caramelized brisket pieces are a specialty of Kansas City and have now been adopted worldwide.

Thick BBQ sauce: Kansas City’s sauce is thick, sweet, and Smokey, unlike Memphis’s dry rubs or vinegar-based Carolina sauces.

Hickory wood smoking: Hickory is the principal wood used to smoke the city’s barbecue, which gives it a strong, flavorful taste.

Among the most well-known barbecue restaurants in Kansas City are: 

1. Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que serves the renowned Z-Man sandwich.
2. Arthur Bryant’s is a famous barbecue restaurant that has hosted celebrities and presidents.
3. Gates Bar-B-Q is known for its grilled short ribs and tart sauce.
   

The biggest barbecue tournament in the world, the American Royal World Series of Barbecue, is even held in Kansas City. Visit the KC website to learn more about Kansas City BBQ.

BBQ judging is a passion-driven role, but the event, organization, and level of expertise all determine whether a BBQ judge gets paid.

Most BBQ events, including those approved by the Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS), use volunteer judges. These judges are not compensated, but they usually get free admission, food, and the opportunity to sample top-notch barbecue. To guarantee fair scoring, organizations like the Texas BBQ Brethren, the Memphis Barbecue Network (MBN), and KCBS require judges to undergo training and certification.

However, judges may be compensated or reimbursed for their travel expenses at high-profile BBQ contests. Celebrity chefs, BBQ authors, or other industry professionals are paid to attend events such as Memphis in May or the Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue. Experienced judges can also get cash payments from certain corporate-sponsored events.

The steps to become a BBQ judge are:

1. Become certified: Judge Certifications are offered by organizations such as KCBS.
2. Get experience: Volunteer in neighborhood barbecue contests, network, and keep learning!
3. Join a Panel: Participate in a BBQ judging panel by making connections with the competition’s organizers and attending events.

Although judging isn’t usually a high-paying job, it does offer networking possibilities, free barbecue, and the chance to influence ranks for competitive BBQ. judging is a great way to get involved if you have a strong passion for the scene.

 There are many different regional varieties of American barbecue, each with its own unique flavours, cooking methods, and sauces. There are five main types of barbecue: 

1. Kansas City BBQ:

Burnt ends, ribs, and pulled pork are all part of Kansas City BBQ, well-known for its rich, sweet, and smokey tomato-based sauces. Slow-smoking meats over hickory wood and adding sauce at the end of cooking highlight this cooking method.

2. Memphis BBQ:

Memphis BBQ is well-known for its pork ribs. It is traditionally smoked using oak or hickory wood. Coleslaw-topped pulled pork sandwiches are a local specialty.

3. Texas BBQ:

Texas BBQ varies by region:
• Central Texas: This region specializes in smoked brisket, grilled on post-oak wood and seasoned with salt and pepper.
• East Texas: This has a tart tomato-based sauce with chopped beef and pork.
• West Texas: Often called “cowboy BBQ,” this cuisine uses mesquite wood with direct fire.
• South Texas: Barbacoa, a classic Mexican-style barbecue made with slow-cooked cow cheek meat, is available here.

 4. Carolina BBQ: 

There are two main types of Carolina BBQ, which is centered around pork:
• Eastern Carolina BBQ: Whole hog barbecue served with a sauce made with vinegar.
• Western Carolina BBQ (Lexington): This dish uses pork shoulder and a vinegar sauce made with tomatoes. 

5. Alabama BBQ:

 Although it isn’t as well-known as the others, Alabama BBQ stands out for its white BBQ sauce, a mayonnaise-based sauce applied on smoked chicken.

You can learn more about these BBQ styles on Southern Living.

 
BBQ cooks have different titles depending on their experience level, but pitmaster is the most esteemed title.

Pitmaster:
The pitmaster is the person in charge of BBQ operations, overseeing the smoking of meats over wood or charcoal. Pitmasters regulate the cooking time, wood choice, and temperature. They usually work in competitive BBQ circuits, food trucks, or BBQ restaurants.

Grill Master:
A grill master manages high-heat cooking for vegetables, steaks, and burgers and specializes in grilling over direct fire. Grill masters are not necessarily associated with slow-smoked foods like pitmasters.

Barbecue chef:
Some BBQ experts work in restaurants or catering companies as trained chefs who focus on BBQ cuisine. These experts can also have classical culinary training.

BBQ Pit Boss:

A Pit Boss oversees a barbeque restaurant’s kitchen crew, meat preparation, and smoker maintenance. Like a pitmaster, a pit boss is often responsible for more than cooking.

 
The cooking method and heat source are the differences between a grill master and a pitmaster.

Grill Master:

• Focus on direct-heat grilling, which involves temperatures higher than 400°F.
• Use gas or charcoal to cook hot and fast.
• Works in short cooking windows (in minutes).

Pitmaster:

• Focusses on smoking slowly at temperatures between 200°F and 275°F.
• Uses wood or charcoal to smoke dishes including pulled pork, brisket, and ribs.
• Cooks for hours or even days to produce soft and tender meat.

Check out Amazing Ribs for more information on Grill Masters and Pitmasters.

 
The birthplace of BBQ is widely believed to be the Caribbean, where the indigenous Taíno people first developed the barbacoa cooking method. To preserve and flavor their meat, the Taíno would use indirect heat from a fire pit to slow-cook it on wooden racks. 

Barbacoa spread to Mexico, South America, and the southern United States, where it evolved into the low-and-slow smoking methods that we now associate with barbecue. Spanish explorers, including Christopher Columbus, saw this cooking method when they arrived on the mainland in the late 1400s and brought it with them. 

How BBQ spread in America: 

• Southern Colonies: Because pigs were available to farm, European settlers adopted the barbacoa method for cooking pork.
• Texas: German and Czech immigrants brought smoking methods to Texas in the 1800s, which influenced brisket barbecue.
• North Carolina: African American pitmasters developed vinegar-based sauces for slow-cooked whole hog barbecue in the 1700s and 1800s.

By the 19th century, Southern food was heavily influenced by barbecue, and it was stable at parties, political meetings, and festivities. Although each state has its own distinctive BBQ traditions today, they all share roots from the Caribbean barbacoa heritage.

Visit the Southern Foodways Alliance to learn more about the history of barbecue.

 
Melissa Cookston, the first female pitmaster to be inducted into the Barbecue Hall of Fame and a seven-time global BBQ champion, is known as the Queen of BBQ. She is well-known for her expertise in Memphis-style barbecue, especially her ability in whole hog cooking and pork ribs.

Melissa Cookston’s Accomplishments:

• Memphis in May World Championship: The only woman to win the Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest more than once.
  
• Best-selling Author: She authored Smokin’ in the Boys’ Room, a manual on BBQ methods and recipes.

• Restaurant Owner: She owns and operates the Memphis BBQ Company, which has locations throughout the Southeastern United States.
  
• Netflix Star: She served as a judge on The American Barbecue Showdown on Netflix.
  

Many people admire Melissa Cookston for shattering stereotypes in the historically male-dominated BBQ industry. She mentors aspiring pitmasters, advocates for women in competitive BBQ, and promotes BBQ education.

Check out Melissa Cookston’s official website for her most recent barbecue advice.

The word “grill” is mostly used in the UK to refer to an oven’s broiler, which heats food from above. This differs from the word “grill” being used in America to describe outdoor cooking devices.

When British people talk about cooking outside, they are more likely to say “barbecue” (BBQ) rather than “grill.” Unlike American slow-smoked BBQ, British BBQ usually consists of grilling burgers, sausages, and kebabs. Due to this variation in terminology, British recipes that say “grilling the chicken” usually mean broiling it in the oven instead of grilling it over an open flame.

Visit the British BBQ Society for recipes and advice on British BBQ.