Smokin' Ed's at Smyrna,TN
Posted on 03/02/2006 7:47:01 AM PST by stainlessbanner
Barbecue sauces have a uniquely Southern and Western U.S. history. Most experts agree that the practice of adding sauce and spices to meat and fish began early in our history, with Native Americans teaching the art to early European settlers. The natives probably developed the process as part of an attempt to keep meats and fish from spoiling quickly. Salt played a major role in those early barbecue sauces, and salt is a well-known preservative in the meat curing process.
Because the nations first European arrivals lived on the East Coast of America, that part of the country is credited with spawning the original barbecue sauce styles. First and foremost, there are the various Carolina barbecue sauces. The most widely known are East Carolina, Piedmont, and South Carolina varieties. East Carolina barbecue sauce consists of vinegar, salt, black pepper, and crushed or ground cayenne peppers. Its a very simple sauce that penetrates the meat nicely for a deep flavor. Piedmont barbecue sauce only varies from East Carolina in that it often includes molasses or Worcestershire sauce and thus clings to the meat more. South Carolina sauce is entirely different, using a mustard base instead, producing a much tangier and sharp flavor.
Then there is Memphis or Southern style barbecue sauce. This popular variety is typically more complicated (flavor-wise) and is built around mustard, tomato, and vinegar. Fans often point to the boldness of these flavor combinations as the hallmark of Memphis barbecue sauce. A saying often heard among hungry connoisseurs is no two bites alike.
Continuing our trek westward, we come to the acknowledged center of the barbecue universe Kansas City! Kansas City barbecue sauce is distinguished by its noticeably thicker consistency and emphasis on sweetness. Thats because this style of sauce is built upon thick tomato sauce, chunks of vegetables, and lots of sugar. Many popular commercial brands are based on this Kansas City recipe. It’s most popular among amateur backyard grillers because of the availability in grocery stores (Kraft, Heinz, K.C.s Masterpiece, etc.). And also because the thick sauce can be applied only once and enough will remain in place to please the happy recipients of the grilled meat.
Finally, there are the Texas barbecue sauce styles. Now, Texas is one big state, and there are several regional varieties within it. The most common include thick and spicy sauces that are essentially spicier variations on the Kansas City sauces. These are found mostly in the north and east sections of the state (Dallas). In western Texas, thinner sauces that feature hot peppers can be found. These sauces are often added only at the very end of the barbecuing or grilling process. And then, in southern Texas, the barbecue sauce of choice features an emphasis on Mexican spices and, of course, jalapeno peppers! Make sure to have a cold beverage handy to put out the fire!
Owen Miller is the town expert on barbecuing and on barbecue sauces to make you drool. To get the information you need to be the top barbecue sauce guru in your town, check out Owen's bbq sauce resource center at http://www.bbqsaucezone.com.
About 1 part Dickel for 2 1/2 parts Sundrop. Sometimes I use Jack though
" For those in the know Cheerwine is like Dr. Pepper but is superior in its sublime mixture of ambrosia and heavenly manna."
Ha ha ha ! Thanks for the laugh this morning.
I am a man of distinquished taste - something of a Renaissance kind of guy - I like both kinds of music - country and western.
"About 1 part Dickel for 2 1/2 parts Sundrop. Sometimes I use Jack though."
Like the way you think.
Fairly original, that.
Actually, its the sugar content, not the fat (although I'm not sure about the chemical process involved). You can put out the burn by putting a small amount of sugar on your tounge.
I've had VAST experience trying to douse flames with soda, tea, water, etc. The sweeter the liquid, the marginally better it works, but you don't get relief from, say, a cup of coke where you wouldn't from the same amount of water. And there's different kinds of hot. To me, chicken wings hot is different from mexican hot. I guess maybe I'm distinguishing peppers.
"It's all good!"
If I'm breaking out the smoker myself, it's a tossup between ribs with a Memphis dry-rub or a nice pork shoulder with an eastern NC pepper-vinegar sauce. Quality cornmeal is important for the hush puppies ... the locally milled white cornmeal beats that sweet, yellow "yankee cake" stuff hands down, lol. If the weather's cool enough, add in a big pot of brunswick stew, too. You have to invite a crowd to eat it all, but that's the whole point, isn't it?
Smokin' Ed's at Smyrna,TN
Absolutely Wild (or Mild) - made in Abilene, Tx
the comment do not go unnoticed by this woman.
I suspect cooking methods similar to BBQ go way back in many parts of the world.
Actually, Europeans discovered America because they were looking for a source of cheap, plentiful spices.
Interesting. Thanks, I'll try some sugar next time. Be careful of cutting up peppers. Don't touch them barehanded and then touch any part of your eyes or face without washing your hands well before.
I know, a cousin gave me some homegrown Habeneros and I didn't know how hot they were (I liked them because they were "pretty"), I was just cutting them up and just the rising air from them gave me a good eye and nose burn. WOW! HOT! Habaneros are the hottest. Be careful.
You're welcome.
Breakfast on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and close Wednesday, Thursday, Friday at 7 pm. They pit cook their pork on real oak and hickory coals the night before for each day and only cook enough to last those days.
They've been in business doing it the same way for over 65 yrs. in the same location. You can buy it to go and there ain't no drive-thru neither!!
Have you forgotten my warning to stay out of the BBQ sauce wars...
Central Texas is BBQ Ground Zero as far as I am concerned. You can't drive in any direction without hitting a good BBQ place around here. It just doesn't get any better than this:
Salt Lick-- Driftwood, TX (This is by far the best. It's been on Food Network many times.)
Rudy's-- Either place
Black's--Lockhart (Oldest BBQ place in TX owned by one family)
Kreuz's--Lockhart (pronounced more like Chritz's)
Luling City Market--Luling of course
Louis Mueller's--Taylor
And about 1000 other joints that have damn good BBQ too!
BTW, I've never tried the Stubb's sauce in a jar, but if it is like the stuff they serve at the Stubb's joint in Austin, it ain't worth writing home about.
Kreuz's has some of the best. I have eaten at the Luling City Market and that is great too. Giddings Meat Market has the best BBQ chicken anywhere.
The Stubb's BBQ sauce in the bottle is not much to write home about. The wife bought some last year, and we still have half a bottle left.
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