As mentioned in my Introduction page, barbecue exists all over the world and there are many different ways it is prepared.
BBQ styles in America are different by region or state and we could actually draw a BBQ styles map of the country, at least a high level. There are also differences within the states that are known for their barbecue, and there even are different opinions on what is the best barbecue within some towns in Texas. Again, at a high level we can identify four main regional styles as the Carolinas, Memphis, Kansas City and of course Texas.
Carolina Style Barbecue
The main ingredient in the Carolinas is pork and it often involves barbecuing the whole animal, although some areas use mainly the shoulder or butt. With the whole pig variety, the meat is pulled off the pig by the host or the guests and the result is what’s called a pig pickin’. There are many traditions around this and I was introduced to one of them when I spent some time in Raleigh, NC about a decade ago. In that area, many churches organize charitable events where they barbecue a whole pig and the guests contribute money to support a charity. The one I attended had a great atmosphere, absolutely awesome food and was called MOAB, for Mother Of All Barbecues, by the locals.
Carolina style barbecue sauce is predominantly vinegar based. In some places only some spices are added to the vinegar, while in other places some tomatoes are added to the sauce. If you’ve ever heard of a white barbecue sauce, this probably came from this region and the white color is caused by some mustard in the sauce.
Memphis Style Barbecue
In this style of barbecue, the meat is mainly pork ribs and shoulder slow cooked in a pit.
We can make a distinction between dry and wet Memphis style barbecue. For the dry kind, the meat is prepped with a dry rub before it is smoked. When a sauce is brushed on the ribs before, during and after smoking it, this is called wet ribs.
Memphis style barbecue sauce is generally made with tomatoes, vinegar and any secret blend of spices.
Kansas City Style Barbecue
This style of barbecue uses all kinds of meat, including beef, and the bbq sauce is considered to be the signature ingredient. The meat is smoked with a dry rub and the sauce is served on the side, typically along with an order of fries. In Kansas City you will find pork ribs, pork shoulder, beef, chicken, turkey and other meats on the barbecue menu. Besides smoking, the meat can also prepared on the grill.
Kansas City style barbeque sauce tends to be tomato based and can have different flavor profiles from sweet to spicy to tangy. The sweetness is usually the result of adding molasses to the sauce.
Texas Style Barbecue
As in the Carolinas there are several different styles of barbecue in Texas, however beef is the most used meat in the Lone Star State.
Beef brisket could be considered the signature dish of Texas barbecue. Brisket is a cut from the breast or lower chest of the animal and a whole brisket is made up of the flat and the point. It is a large cut of meat and when it’s cooked low and slow it can take up to 12 hours to achieve the famous “melt in your mouth” tenderness. It is generally served in slices with barbecue sauce on the side, however it’s also a great addition to other dishes like chili.
There are regional differences in the kind of wood used for smoking, such as mainly hickory in East Texas, pecan or oak wood in Central Texas and mesquite in West Texas. Another difference is that in West Texas the meat is cooked over direct heat.
Overall the focus is on the quality of the meat and less on the sauces. In Central Texas the sauces tend to be thinner and less sweet than in, for example, Kansas City. In East Texas you will find the sauces to be spicier than elsewhere.
Other places
While the four styles of barbecue describe here are generally considered the main ones in America, there are great barbecue traditions in other parts of the country as well.
In Alabama, barbecue sauce is made with mayonnaise, vinegar and lemon juice which tends to be served over sliced or chopped pork on a hamburger bun with coleslaw and dill pickles.
In Kentucky, pitmasters slow cook mutton (mature sheep) which is served with Worcestershire-based sauce. Another staple from this area is Lexington style barbecue sauce.
In St. Louis, spare ribs are the main ingredient. St. Louis style ribs are a cut from the stomach side of the rib cage above the breast bone below the back ribs section. These ribs are grilled over direct heat vs. smoked in barbecue pit.
Before going into further detail on these and other regional styles, I feel that I need to experience them first hand (and mouth) in order to be accurate and really evaluate them. I will keep adding more info here and in other posts as we go. I love to eat barbecue, so I can’t wait to get this done.
In its most original form BBQ is prepared by cooking meat over a fire in a hole in the ground or putting the meat in the hole and cover it up while the meat cooks. This was done by indigenous people across the world, including the Americas. Because of this there are many other areas with barbecue traditions besides the ones mentioned here. As I continue to learn I will keep adding information on this, as well as more detail on the four main styles. Looking forward to seeing you back here, please leave me a comment if you have any questions or feel I have messed up anywhere. I will be happy to respond look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you for visiting and talk to you soon,
Herman