Where did the term barbeque come from? Well there has been some debate and no real documented proof as to who is right or wrong. But all politically correct notions aside at least for the most part the term "Barbeque" seems to have come from the Spanish who learned of this way of cooking from the Caribbean islands, using the word "Barbacoa" to refer to how they observed the natives "slow Cooking" methods. Barbacoa was the slow cooking of certain meats over wood.
This cooking technique spread quickly to the America south. Most of the food that was readily available and fairly cheap was pig and corn. Hence the roasting of pigs was a staple at most barbeques. Cornbread was also a staple as the humid weather made it extremely difficult to grow wheat as successfully as corn. When the migration of African Americans made it to the north, Barbeque took hold as recipes were swapped and integrated. There were an abundance of barbeque shacks, joints by the late 1950′s. I suppose that is why along with fried chicken, barbeque was considered soul food. Traditional Recipes were handed down from generation to generation.
Barbeque became the easy go to place for eat in or take out. It was used for church gatherings or picnics. There are several different varieties of barbeque styles depending upon region. Memphis Tennessee, Kansas City,North Carolina, and Texas have different styles and ways of preparing barbeque. Memphis Tennessee specializes in pulled pork and is eaten either alone or on bread. They use a tomato based sauce. Kansas City is known for their variety of wild dry rubs which they slather on ribs. North Carolinians have two separate styles according to local. First the Eastern style consists of whole hog and a vinegar style dressing and no tomatoes. The Lexington style is similar to The Eastern with two exceptions, there is some tomato base involved and the shoulder is preferred Texas is famous for their beef and the bigger the better. The quality of their cuts is truly undeniable. Each region is extremely competitive and when asked, each insists that theirs is the true way to barbeque, of course.
As we know anyone can throw anything on the barbeque. It is for the most part, one of the cheapest ways to cook. You can make anything taste good on the grill. The meat selection can be of poor quality but when you smother it with some kick** sauce no one cares. To many poor African Americans this was an easy way to cook and did not require spending a lot of money on high end meats. Cornbread Okra, sweet potatoes and yams were common easily available side items. It was also a way for communities to gather together. When one neighbor started to grill, other neighbors would gather as a lot of meat was usually prepared in expectation of this. For as much as it was an inexpensive way to cook it was also an invitation to celebrate a culture with or without sauce.
