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.
Obviously, I have. I ain't at war......yet. Need to stay on the task for which I am paid here right now. We shall see what the evening holds.
But not all the beer goes into the sauce, right?
:-)
"Last Supper" BBQ sauce at Big Daddy's in Des Moines, IA....my taste buds were numbed with joy for days.
We use one 16 ounce can for two gallons of mop sauce. Takes the "bite" out of the vinegar.
The rest of the beer is for the cooks. `:-)
Check out this website, it has a good listing for southern food!
http://www.hollyeats.com/South.htm
IIRC, the feminist movement got to them, and sued for lot letting women in. I will see if they are still there.
Seem to be out of business.
Been there, done that! I was chopping up a dried pepper (don't remember specifically which one) and got my hand close to my eye. Anyway, it started burning and because I was wearing contacts, I couldn't get the burning to stop even by rensing the contact. I had to throw that one away and get another one.
We use those plastic "gloves" for most food handling. They are the disposable ones you can buy in a thousand at Sams real cheap. Great for handling meat too.
Here's a hint for handling those dripping meat packages at the grocery store. Take one of those plastic produce or meat bags and use it as a glove before you pick up and bag your meat or poultry.
One of my favorite sauces was Texas Best. I say 'was' because I haven't been able to find it in years.
I liked it because it wasn't too sweet, had tang, and was water based. It would thicken and stick to the meat.
I could layer it on. Oil based sauces drip off.
I smoked a Boston Butt last Sunday. If I had had some E Carolina sauce I would have used it.
Last time I tried to create an E Carolina sauce, gag.
I got to find a recipe for it. Sounds simple but mine was awful.
Radiator flush...:)
I usually save the bag to put the wrap, fat and other trimmings into and tie it up before it goes into the trash. Sometimes, I'll put them in the bag, then in a used ziplock.
Those same types of bags are used by athletic trainers to put ice into. Why, I don't know, because they always leak.
I'm from the south, and I refuse to eat dull food during the winter. I'll just eat my Barbecue and think about how the weather is in the south.
Rudy's BBQ in San Antonio is the best I ever had.
That's why Texas BBQ dry-rubs don't include any sugar of any sort. A little heat will carmelize it, but it burns too quickly. Some people try to turn meats into hard candy, and I just don't get it. If I grew up further SE, maybe I'd feel differently!?!?!
"I'll just eat my Barbecue and think about how the weather is in the south."
Mostly sunny and 72 degrees, with white, fluffy clouds whizzing east-southeast in Greensboro, at present. The Bradford Pear trees burst into bloom earlier this week.
I have thought about trying different sauces, but every time I set aside a day to smoke some pork ribs I just can't deviate from a known favorite. I use Open Pit and add a cup of dark brown sugar per quart.
After smoking for hours on a mesquite fire, you will not recognize the sauce as Open Pit. The vinegar tang is cooked away and the mesquite smoky flavor permeates throughout. It is surprisingly not overly sweet and also has quite a spicy nip to it. I am one popular guy in my family whenever I stoke up the grill.
What I need to do next time is either place a pan of apple juice under hood with the meat or spray with juice periodically to keep things more moist. Can't wait for this Northern IL. weather to break sos dat I can fire up a few racks! I am giving some serious though tto investing in a ceramic grill. (like The Egg.)
I like dry rubs on pork shoulders, butts, beef briskets, and some poultry followed by vinegar based sauce on the pork and mustard based sauce on the poultry and a tomato based sauce on the beef - but with ribs, I like the sweeter sauces.
It's all about balance - TX sauces are a lot sweeter than Carolina sauces too - I've never settled with one, I play both sides of the BBQ fence.
I'd say though when I've been in TX the beef is phenominal, but the Carolinians sho' can cook a pig.
I`m gonna run to Smyrna on Sat.to pick up some seed corn at the Co-Op there.What`s the location of Smokin` Ed`s? That`s a hoss of a smoker he`s got.
I used to like Jack`s BBQ on Trinity Lane in Nashville.
The last time we were there the membrane on the back of the ribs hadn`t been removed and the ribs were green.ugh
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