BBQ... A brief history.

Though no one truly knows where the term barbecue comes from the Caribbean term of barbacoa refers to a way they slow cook meat over a wooden platform. Many traditions followed the African slaves when they were first brought to the Americas and Caribbean. The slaves were not given the choice pieces of the meat but the part of the animal that were deemed inedible. The African Slave took the fat and poor portions of meat and made seasonings and fried fat back for which they made their daily meals. On a grate outside, or in a pit they dug in the ground, they prepared their meals over wood. Culturally, soul food still includes many of the traditional ingredients and techniques used by our ancestors.

By the 19th Century this technique was prevalent in the American South. The choice of meat for this style of cooking was the pig. Pigs were plentiful in the south and became the meat of choice for barbecuing.

Barbecuing became the way to cook at Social Gatherings and Neighborhood gatherings. With this technique you could cook more than one item at a time and feed a large amount of people in minimal time.

The Grill became the social gathering for men who wanted to tell old stories and talk about family events and news. Entire gatherings were centered around the grill. Activities and ball games became traditional at these gatherings and the end result would be the food on the grill you smelled all day cooking while you played.

Today every state has their own way of barbecuing. Some swearing by the sauces they lather on the meat, others who boast the meat needs no sauce if you season or marinate it correctly. The wonderful thing is no one person is correct. Barbecuing becomes the signature of the cook who is preparing the food. Usually as long as you don’t burn it, all of it tastes pretty good.

Today, many countries barbecue in their own spices and flavor but true barbecue is found in the Americas you smell it in yard barbecues, you expect it at the church picnics, and on Memorial Day and 4th of July you search for it. On those days you know one of your relatives is having the “Cue.”