Barbecue History 101

A Little Barbecue History

Barbecue History 101 Most people view Kansas City as the beginnings for barbecue sauces in the United States. In my opinion one would be remiss if a closer look at the North American Indian was not considered. They used natural herbs, seasonings, spices, and a variety of wild berries to add flavor to a variety of ways of drying, curing, grilling, roasting, and smoking various wild game and fish.

Many of the same natural ingredients and seasonings are still being used today. Interestingly enough as in the old days regional influences and availability determined the variety and uses of these flavor enhancers. Today a greater selection of spices, herbs, and seasonings from all over the world are available, but the regional influences still dominate the flavor of the recipes.

More recently Southern and Midwestern barbecue sauces have prevailed with many variations within each region. Here's how John Shelton Reed so aptly put it, "Southern barbecue is the closest thing we have in the United States to Europe's wines or cheeses; drive a hundred miles and the barbecue changes."

Barbecuing versus Grilling

The true art of barbecuing requires time and patience to do it right. The cooking is done at 225° in a smoke-enclosed barbecue for twelve to fourteen hours. Most people don't have the time to cook like this but still crave the taste.

Leave it to the westerners to come up with a palatable shortcut known as grilling. A process that requires cooking on a grill at much higher heat levels with a little oil or marinade, and dry seasonings. Prior to the food coming off the grill (usually ten to fifteen minutes) it's basted with a usually thick sauce with a high sugar content. If left on the grill too long it could easily burn. The sauce is then applied several times to intensify the flavor. Additional sauce can be served at the table for dipping.

Grilling has caught on in a big way, from the more modest kitchens and backyard beginnings to top restaurants and chefs throughout the country. If you've had an opportunity to sample a few of the regional sauces it's easy to spot the similarities and differences, even in the meats that are considered to be the most popular.

Regional Barbecue and Grilling Sauces

The Kansas City, Texas, North and South Carolina sauces are thicker and usually contain a spicy-sweet tomato base. Most contain molasses, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, cider vinegar, black pepper, onion, celery, garlic, mustard, tomato paste, cayenne pepper, vegetable oil and salt.

Texas style might include white vinegar, ketchup, chili powder, paprika and ground cumin. Parts of North Carolina might use a little lemon juice and Tabasco sauce. Kansas City style sauce is the most imitated sauce on the market. It's popular because it compliments just about any meat cooked on a grill.

There's a noticeable difference the further east you go in the Carolinas. Very little tomato is used if any at all. An Eastern-style sauce might consist of cider vinegar, distilled white vinegar, brown sugar, Kosher-salt, black pepper, and dried hot red pepper flakes. This sauce is commonly used with pulled pork or lamb to add flavor and moisten the meat.

Parts of South Carolina and Georgia use a lot of mustard in their sauces. A basic sauce might have vegetable oil, onions, garlic, a yellow mustard like French's, ketchup, brown sugar, white vinegar, lemon juice, black pepper, cayenne pepper and salt. In Kentucky they might leave out the mustard and add Tabasco, ground cloves, and ground nutmeg.

Another important addition is the smoky flavor that comes from many hours of barbecuing. You can add that flavor with liquid smoke available in most grocery stores. An alternative is adding water soaked wood chips to the fire. You can select from mesquite, alder, hickory, maple and fruity woods to create a nice smoky wood flavor.

Final Notes and Recipe Suggestions

We've incorporated some mouth-watering recipes from several popular barbecue regions in the U.S. The sauce selections originated in the Carolinas, Louisiana, and Kansas City plus a few contemporary sauces from Maine to Asia for your feasting pleasure. You can learn more about these individual sauces at the Club Sauce Store.

Please be sure to try our fabulous recipes and professional line of More Than Gourmet demi glace and stocks. We carry four different demi glace and over twelve different stocks including fish, seafood/lobster, chicken, beef, veal, lamb, turkey, duck and more. They're simple, easy to use products that will add a natural richness and depth of flavor to all your favorite sauces, soups, stews, rice and pasta dishes, stir-fry, braising liquids and more.

Jules Silver
www.clubsauce.com
"Where sauce is the art and the essence of fine cooking."
888-560-3562 or 303-337-4445

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