Posted on 07/16/2025 5:18:52 PM PDT by nickcarraway
From whole hogs to smoked fish and brisket, this all-American smoke-infused cooking style is as diverse as the US itself – and just as rich in history.
In the US, "barbecue" is both noun and verb – a familiar siren, calling from a squat cinder block building with its smoky aroma of meat and char. Depending where it's prepared, it could be a multi-napkin pulled pork sandwich, a tray of hand-sliced brisket or smoked chicken wings tangy with mayonnaise, accompanied by a litany of rib-sticking sides.
The country's wildly diverse barbecue canon evolved from a single style born during the 17th-Century colonial period in slaveholding states. "Barbecue required the hands and minds of enslaved Americans," said Dr Howard Conyers, a South Carolina-based aerospace engineer, pitmaster and barbecue historian. "They took Indigenous, European and African techniques and, through trial and error, put them all together."
While fire and meat are a global phenomenon, it was the enslaved workers in the US South who turned barbecue into something distinct. They dug trenches, filled them with hot coals and slow-cooked whole animals for plantation feasts, basting – or "mopping" – the meat with vinegar sauce.
As is so often the case, their innovation was born of necessity. "You could feed 50 people to 10,000 people in a day at a time when you didn't have refrigeration," said Conyers.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...
Enjoyed your comments.
Close to me is Dozier’s in Fulshear and a joint called “The Meating Place” in Magnolia. My daughter lives near Fulshear, so my truck just goes to Dozier’s on it’s own.
That sure makes a good reason to visit Texas.
If you do, stay away from the chain BBQ places.
Ask the locals where the best BBQ is.
Also, if you are so inclined there a lot of youtubes on how to smoke meat. I found a recipe for smoked brisket deviled eggs on line. Great stuff.
Especially out of an old,leaning shack.
I could never get mine to hold together when I fried them.
Plenty of flies for ambiance
Depending on how many you’re making, put in an egg. Works wonders. Mix it in with the buttermilk, then add to the dry cornbread mix. Don’t forget minced onions in the dry mix,
If you’re making just a cup of cornbread mix or less, beat an egg, but put 1/2 to all of it into the buttermilk that’s measured out. The egg holds it together.
Let me know another time if that doesn’t work for you. We can figure it out together what isn’t working.
Feel free to PM me.
*** Yes it’s a rural Florida thing, the local cowboys call themselves crackers after the cracking of the bullwhips used to drive the cows around.***
That is, when we had cows to drive around! Ok, they’re still there, but not quite like the older days. Too much “progress” in their fields.
I haven’t heard that explanation about crackers since 2003, when my father (a good ole boy if there ever was one) had a friend come visit him on his deathbed in the hospital. They talked about that and had some good memories to share. We all laughed, and smiled…and prayed.
Mostly people think of Florida as the more popular southern part of the state, with Miami and Ft. Lauderdale taking center stage. I assure you, Florida is much more than those places. The closer you get to Georgia and Alabama, the more Southern we get.
Confused? I get it. My profile tells you I’m from Indiana. Well, Indiana is where I live now. I’m a northern Florida gal, and consider myself fully Southern. You can take the girl out of the South, but you can’t take the South out of the girl. Thanks be to God.
*** I don’t know, but if you get a Southerner trying to push his BBQ on another there will be an invite to produce said BBQ for tasting!***
I cannot disagree with anything you’ve said here.
Thanks. They were coming apart in my deep fryer. I thought it could be the wire basket.
Sure sounds like egg if you haven’t added any. I beat one egg and add most of it to a cup of mix. Depending on how much more I’m cooking, I’ll add the rest of that egg, or another one. It all depends on how much I’m making.
I don’t mess it up much anymore. You’ll get in the groove. It’s a skill to make decent hush puppies and those who love them will thank you for enriching their lives. I mean that wholeheartedly!
Good luck! Like I said before, reach out if you have continued problems. I might be able to help.
I like your name.
German for bat.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.