American Barbecue History 101: A Brief Overview

Almost everyone loves barbecue, but few people know the origin of barbecue and its history in the United States. 
I didn’t either until I became a barbecue fanatic and became interested in more than just judging and cooking barbecue.  By barbecue I’m referring to meat cooked low & slow over indirect heat; not grilling where meat is cooked directly over high heat. 
 
While barbecue is considered American cooking cuisine, the actual origin of barbecue comes from an island nation. 
The origin of barbecue is credited to the Taino Indians of the Caribbean islands.*  European explorers from a number of countries encountered these natives during their voyages and noticed them smoking meat on wooden sticks over an open pit.  This cooking method they adopted and brought with them when they came to the new world.  
                       
The English word "Barbecue" is originally credited to the Taino Indians as well, via the Spanish explorers.  It’s said to be derived circa 1660 from the Spanish word barbacoa, which means “a raised frame of sticks”.**  
 
When the European explorers came to the new world they settled on the Eastern seaboard.  Therefore, barbecue had its roots in the New England and Southern states of America.  Barbecue initially took hold most notably in the states of Massachusetts and Virginia.*  In Virginia it was improved and migrated further south into the Carolinas, Kentucky,
Tennessee, Alabama, and so on; eventually becoming a mainstay cuisine of the South. 
 
In the beginning barbecue was whatever meat could be caught, everything from pigs to chickens to rabbits to squirrels.  After a time, barbecue was commonly known to be pork in the most of the country; with the exception of beef in Texas and mouton in Kentucky.  This was because pigs were first brought to America by Christopher Columbus and they thrived in the wilds of the north and south.  In addition to being in abundance, pigs were meaty animals, had short gestation periods, had large liters, and were slaughter-ready quickly.*  Thus, making pork the perfect barbecue meat.
 
Barbecues (the events) themselves began as special social or political meals, rather than everyday meals cooked for the family and friends.  The low and slow method of cooking meat over open pits was done for debates and rallies for political campaigns, national holidays, when soldiers left for war, and at special local celebrations.  In pre and immediate- post antebellum America barbecue was almost always prepared by African Americans.  
  
Also in the beginning the barbecued meat wasn’t what it is today.  Often it was undercooked, tasteless, or raw.*  The social gathering of a community was more important than the food itself.  However, Americans were learning, experimenting, and perfecting the cooking method, as we had the resources and technologies the Caribbean natives lacked.  And over the year next century barbecue became a delicacy in America.

Over the years, particular regions developed a barbecue identity based on the particular flavor and food preferences of the territory.  The four major regions that emerged were the ones we recognize today: North Carolina, Kansas City, Memphis and Texas.  Different types of sauces developed in these regions; vinegar-based, tomato-based, and mustard-based.  Additionally, side dishes served with barbecue also developed in particular states based on flavor palettes; in addition to the different styles of beans, cole slaw and cornbread.  The more unique examples of these are
Hash (a thick gravy of slowly cooked pig meat & pig organs) served in South Carolina, Brunswick Stew in Virginia and Georgia, and Burgoo (a thick, highly seasoned soup/stew made of game & vegetables) in Kentucky.* 
 
Barbecue evolved in big strides in the decades following the Civil War.  After the war many barbecue stands sprang up along road sides through the South, mostly run by freed men.*  These men knew how to cook good barbecue, and it was an industrious way to make a living as free men in the depressed, reconstructionist Southern states.

A few of these “barbecue men” who enhanced the art of cooking barbecue in America were Henry Perry in Kansas City (who was ironically born in Memphis) and John Blackwelder in Salisbury, North Carolina.***  These men taught their craft to others people, and some of those other people would eventually open some of the most famous barbecue restaurants in America. 

As the barbecue stands became successful, there was a demand for more stands, and they grew in number. 
Barbecue grew in popularity and by the turn of the 20th century was consumed now as everyday food, instead of just for special occasions.  So, the need to feed more people at these locations led to the rise of barbecue restaurants.
 
Barbecue restaurants emerged in the late 1920’s and 1930s.  The stands that lined the roads that were successful many times were converted into restaurants at that site or by purchasing a building at another location. Other people learned how to barbecue and opened restaurants of their own.  Barbecue transformed from a mobile, take-out food to a sit-down and enjoy out food.    

There are actually a few Southern barbecue restaurants established back in the mid-1920’s that are still in business today.  Sprayberry’s in Newnan, Georgia and McClard’s in Hot Springs, Arkansas are two examples.
 
In the 1950’s and 1960’s backyard barbecuing (and grilling) came into vogue, and barbecue in America evolved even further.  The social aspect of barbecue was reintroduced in the American way of life.  Entertaining with barbecues
at family celebrations, gatherings with friends, block parties, or just for the fun of it on the weekend became fashionable. Additionally, new equipment was being developed.  Two significant pieces of equipment introduced during the 1960’s were the Weber kettle grill and the gas grill - using gas as a cooking fuel option to charcoal and wood. 
Both grills made it easier for people to barbecue at home on a regular basis.

Early barbecue sauces were mostly thin with a lot of vinegar and spices like today’s Eastern North Carolina sauces.  Traditional barbecue sauces gained prominence around the early 1900’s and commercial sauces from a few companies have been around since the 1940s.  However, it was Kansas City’s Dr. Rich Davis who revolutionized the industry.  In 1977 he introduced his KC Masterpiece barbecue sauce, which became  very successful and made sauce a “must” for barbecue in America.  Even in Memphis, Tennessee where hometown purists eat their ribs dry, sauce became readily available and used. 
 
In the 1970’s organized barbecue contests began springing up across the country, adding to the increasing popularity of barbecue in America.  Contests left the county fair arena and were now stand alone events.  They were similar to the popular chili cook-offs in Texas.  In effect the contests professionalized barbecue.  Most of today’s legendary barbecue champions had their starts cooking in these professional barbecue contests of the 1970’s; men like Mike Mills, Paul Kirk and John Willingham.  Today there are over 500 barbecue contests in the United States each year.
 
In 1985 the Kansas City Barbecue Society (KCBS) was formed.  Its mission is “to celebrate, teach, preserve, and promote barbecue as a culinary technique, sport and art form”, and has become the leading authority for the standardization of professional barbecue judging.****  Today it is the foremost recognized barbecue organization in the world with over 14,000 members and sanctions over 300 contests annually.

A final piece of barbecue history, in my opinion, was written in the last 10 years with the rise of the Food Network and other cooking channels.  A number of the cooking shows on these stations have featured barbecue segments.  In particular, the barbecue series Pitmasters airing on the Travel Channel the past two years has introduced mainstream
America to the best professional barbecue pitmasters, cooking techniques, quality barbecued meat, judging formats, and helped increase the popularity of barbecue.

Most of the history of barbecue and its evolution in America is credited to the South, and accurately so.  However, barbecue continues to evolve today with the advent of new equipment, new techniques, new products, and new recipes.  This new evolution isn’t limited to the South any longer.  Great ideas can come from coast to coast.   It’s easy to acknowledge that today great barbecue can be found in many places throughout the United States.  This is a very wonderful thing!! 
 
I work at being a student of barbecue.  I’ve read many barbecue books – both general and regional, read many
articles, and have had numerous conversations about barbecue with my peers and above.  However, the best and most complete book on the history of barbecue that I’ve found is the recent publication of Barbecue: The History of an American Institutionby Robert F. Moss.  If you are interested in adding a “scholarly” element to your barbecue journey, this is the place to start.
 
The old adage ‘knowledge is power” may be true.  However, knowledge can also be “fun”; like learning the history of your favorite passion.  For me, fun is the continued search for knowledge of all things barbecue.

Marc 
Where there's smoke, there's probably barbecue!  


REFERENCES:

 *  Barbecue: The History of an American Institution, Robert F. Moss, The University of Alabama Press, 2010.

 **  Dictionary.com, App, 2011.

 ***  Holy Smoke: The Big Book of North Carolina Barbecue, John Shelton Reed & Dale Volberg Reed
        with William McKinney, The University of North Carolina Press, 2008. 
 
 ****  Kansas City Barbecue Society, Website, Mission Statement, 2011.

As Thanksgiving has arrived and Christmas is approaching, this year I’m taken to thinking about all the things in my life
that I’m thankful for.   This doesn’t usually happen to me on a regular basis, except on Thanksgiving Day.  It most often happens when were all seated at the table saying what we’re all thankful for as part of grace.  Like everyone else I’m
focused on feasting on turkey and a number of other foods that are all very fattening - as there is no shortage of butter here in Louisiana.  It’s the only day annually where another meat trumps barbecued pork for me.  And the all pro football games are always on my mind on Thanksgiving Day as well.  (The Detroit Lions every year….really?)
 
The things I’m most thankful for first and foremostare are my family and friends.  However, I thought I could also be
thankful for barbecue. This has been a bittersweet year for me personally, and my passion for barbecue has helped carry me through. Everyone needs a hobby to take them away from the realities of our world for a little while; away from the tough days, disappointments, frustrations, or the need for individual space.  Or what I like to call “sanctuary”.  Hobbies are often more than just something we do for enjoyment.  They can be therapeutic as well.
 
The first barbecue thing I’m thankful for is all my friends on the competition barbecue circuit, and the new ones I’ve made this year.  You’ve heard me say, and very person that you encounter who is involved in barbecue, how great barbecue people are.  From the cooks, to the judges, to the staff of events, everyone is friendly and genuine.  Spending a few days on the weekend with barbecue people provides me an opportunity to sample and discuss barbecue with people as fanatical about it as I am.  The other major benefit is that it recharges my batteries for the upcoming week; giving me the “sanctuary”that I may times need.
 
The next barbecue thing that I’m thankful for is my cooking partner Troy and the opportunity to compete in my first professional barbecue contest this year.  We cooked in a KCBS contest in Slidell, LA and thankfully didn’t destroy our
friendship. Actually, we achieved all our objectives: turned in entries in all four categories without getting a
disqualification, validated our cooking plan, didn’t finish in last place, and had fun.  (Last place was our biggest fear.)  We’ve wanted to cook log before this year, but the timing hadn’t been right.  This event motivated us to continue competing and to keep feeding our passion.
 
Another barbecue thing that I’m thankful for is the opportunity to become a Memphis Barbecue Network (MBN) certified judge.  This was another undertaking that I’d wanted to do for a long time, but again the timing wasn’t right previously.  At the training class in June I received some excellent training and made some new barbecue friends.  Then I judged two contests before the end of the barbecue season and thoroughly enjoyed them both.  Judging MBN had a profound significance on my barbecue ”universe” as I believe pork shoulderhas replaced pork ribs as my favorite barbecued meat.  This is something that anyone who knows me never though would ever happen, as ribs has been my favorite since the first time I tasted true barbecue almost two decades ago.   However, the shoulder I had at the two
  contests totally blew my mind, and taste buds. It was so tender, flavorful, and succulent beyond description.  You
just had to be there!
 
The final barbecue thing I’m thankful for is all the new barbecue sauces I’ve tried in 2011 and before.  From prior blogs you know that one of my barbecue “confidentialities” is my loved of trying new barbecue sauces.  While I love meat with just a dry rub too, a conservative amount of barbecue sauce applied to meat to lend additional flavor is heaven to me.  (Barbecue meat should never be drowned in sauce so you lose the wonderful smoky meat taste.)  Over the years I’ve tried almost 100 barbecue sauces, from the large, well-known barbecue establishments and companies to smaller local establishments and companies.  I’ve tried Kansas City-style sauces, Memphis-style sauces, North and South Carolina-style sauces, Texas-style sauces, famous chef’s sauces, some that were very unique, and some that were very traditional.  Tasting each new sauce is a new step on my barbecue journey.  The one thing I’ve found in sampling the sauces is that you can always be surprised.  Often a larger company’s sauce isn’t as good as you’d expect, and conversely, a smaller company’s sauce is much better than you’d expect.  Also, just because a sauce comes from a state that is traditionally not known for barbecue, like Ohio or Maine, that doesn’t mean that it can’t be very good or great.  The mystery of a possibly being surprised and tasting a new version of something I love, that’s what makes experimenting with new sauces so much fun!   
 
If you think about it, there are probably a number of barbecue things that you are thankful for too.  And there is nothing wrong with that.  Probably because Sigmund Feud isn’t around to witness today’s barbecue obsession in America.

Happy Holidays!

Marc 
Where there's smoke, there's probably barbecue!

  

In Murphysboro it’s the “law” that the Kansas City Barbecue Society (KCBS)  and the Memphis Barbecue Network (MBN) both rule!

Last weekend I judged my very first Memphis Barbecue Network barbecue contest since being trained on June 9th of this year.  The event was the 24th Annual Murphysboro Cook-off in Murphysboro, IL.  
 
The barbecue contest is unique in that each year it’s a dual competition, with two separate competitions at the same time.  There is an MBM contest using their rules and procedures and a KCBS contest using their rules and procedures.  There are only a handful or more of sanctioned dual barbecue competitions throughout the nation.  Cooks can prepare barbecue entries for either contest, or both.  Rarely cooking teams will compete in both contests, but this year in Murphysboro a few teams did.  The judges are selected to judge either MBN or KCBS, based on what they have been trained to judge.  Often judges who are dually trained wind up judging categories in both contests.

This was my third year judging the contest, but the past two years as a KCBS judge.
 
The contest is run by “The Legend” Mike Mills, his daughter Amy, and the staff of his famous restaurant the 17th Street Bar & Grill.  It always draws some of the very best cooking teams on the barbecue circuit.  The contest’s perennial sloan is “Praise the Lard - an old-fashioned tent revival celebrating the Almighty Pig”.  If you’ve never judged this contest before, you really need to put it at the top of your “to judge someday” list to attend.  Murphysboro is a quaint little town in Southern Illinois just down the road from Carbondale.  Cooks and judges get treated like Hollywood stars.  The Friday evening dinner, preceding the Saturday barbecue contests, is catered by the 17th Street Bar & Grill and is to die for.  here is a truckload of some of the best pork ribs, pulled pork, and side dishes you’ll ever want to eat.  Everyone “pigs out” at the dinner because the food is so amazing; knowing full well that the next day we’ll be eating even more barbecue during judging.  But you just don’t care.  At least I never do!  In addition to all that, Mike Mills is one of the nicest and unassuming people you’d ever want to meet.
 
When you complete your MBN training you are considered "trained", but not “certified”.  In order to become certified you must judge each of the 3 MBN judging categories - Whole Hog, Shoulder and Ribs - and  judge at least once each in the Blindand On-site format.  You don't receive your actual judge badge until you become certified.  It usually takes two contests to meet these criteria.

At MBN competitions onlyPork is permitted; no chicken or brisket like at KCBS competitions.  At Murphysboro I judged Whole Hog in the Blind format and Shoulder in the On-site format.  Being able to judge whole hog at my first MBN contest was kind of a big deal, as everyone wants to judge it and it is so different than the meats judged a KCBS competition.  I appreciated the assignment.

I was quite nervous about judging MBN since I'd never done on-site or whole hog before; though I'd judged almost 40+
barbecue contests and was familiar with whole hog.  Being face to face with a cooking team while evaluating them, as opposed to being in a room only with their meat box in front of you, was a daunting thought prior to actually doing it.   It
had been a long time since I felt like a “rookie”. Fortunately I had a few of my KCBS barbecue buddies there who were that were dual certified, as well as a few new MBN barbecue buddies, to give me advice and answer my questions prior to my first judging.

It was raining when the judges meeting began, so we were told we’d be judging “above the belt" for Appearance for on-site.  This translates to when we were evaluating the Appearance of the team sites, we weren’t permitted to evaluate
the cleanliness of the floor or ground, shoes, pants, or anything below approximately 3 feet due to the muddy conditions.  I'd never heard of the term or concept “above the belt” before as it related to barbecue.  So, I’d learned something new very early on in the day.

I was also fortunate to blind judge the whole hog category first, which got me acclimated to an MBN contest.  It allowed me to judge and score for the first time in a familiar format (like at a KCBS contest) and thus helped me to relax. OK, and to get confident as well. 

In blind judging the whole hog our table had 5 entries that were divided in the boxes by the 3 portions of the hog that are judged: the shoulder, loin and ham.  Four of the five entries had 1 or 2 barbecue sauces to compliment the meat; a mild and a hot.  We were expected to taste the meat and sauce alone, and then together. There were a total of 4 judges at my table.  
  
I felt the blinding judging went very well, as again I was familiar with the format.  I took my time evaluating each meat entry and the related sauce, and in recording my scores.  I thought my scores and rankings were “accurate”.  It was fairly easy for me to evaluate the entries and very fun too.  All 5 of cooking teams did an excellent job and we didn’t receive any subpar barbecue.   After all the scorecards were submitted we discussed the meats we’d just evaluated. Half of us liked entry #2 and half of us liked entry #4.  So as a result of that, I felt confident that I did a good job.  Doing a good job is my most heart-felt goal (obsession actually) at every barbecue contest I’ve ever judged, and ever will judge. 

 Next, I went outside to judge three cooking teams for shoulder on-site.  Luckily the rain had stopped by then.  At this contest there are volunteers called “Ambassadors” to show you to your teams’ sites and help you stay on time.  You have one hour to visit the 3 teams and initially score them, spending 10-15 minutes with each team.  You make your notes and initial scores after leaving the team’s site and before visiting your next team's site.  You record your final category scores and your ‘Overall Impression’ scores ranking the teams 1 through 3 when you get back to the judges meeting area. 
 
Having two Ambassadors to assist me took a big load off my mind and helped me focus on my evaluation responsibilities.  Of course at my next contest I won’t need assistance, as I’ll be a “veteran” and not nervous!  
  
At the team sites I listened intently to the presentations that focus on where the meat was procured, how the meat was prepared, the cooking method and preferences, the temperature cooked at, the seasoning used, the sauce(s)
presented, and any barbecue secrets and stories they wanted to let me know about.  Then came the best part of  any judging event, tasting the succulent barbecued meat.  And what an amazing experience that was!  Each of the pork shoulders I tasted were excellent, the wonderful smoke and pork flavor exploded in my mouth.  And each of the sauces were professional-grade.  It was some of the best barbecued pork I’ve ever had the pleasure of eating –
honestly.  I’d never lie about anything barbecue related.  
 
In the end, my time at the team sites was extremely enjoyable and went by so quickly.  At each of the 3 teams my
Ambassadors had to let me know that the 15 minutes was up and I had to move on.  What a blast!  And most important of all, I dined on(oops!) sampled some outstandingtasting and very tender pork.

It was extremely hard to score the three teams on their pork shoulder, and differentiating the teams with a 1st, 2nd,
and 3rd ranking.  I spend a lot of time analyzing my scores, reflecting on what I saw, and reviewing the notes I’d taken; thank God for my notes. 

After I finished scoring and handed in my scorecard, I was told that I’d drawn three very good championship barbecue teams to judge.  Which explained why I had so much trouble scoring the teams - and helped sooth my pride.  What I was told was apparently true, not only because of my difficulty scoring the teams, but also in the fact that two of those three teams were in the contest Finals (a total of only 3 teams make the finals).  Moreover, one of those two teams, Tower Rock, won Grand Champion. 

It seems that you eat more meat in an MBN contest than a KCBS contest.  In MBN you are comparing entries as opposed to evaluating them individually, and have sauces to evaluate as best complimenting the meat.  Therefore, you probably eat more tasting the meat by itself, tasting the sauce, tasting the meat with the sauce provided, and re-tasting the meat again against the other entries to ensure you give the“right” score and rank order.  

I hope to judge my second MBN event in Mississippithis coming weekend, and earn my MBN certification by judging the Ribs category. Like with my KCBS judging, I’m now addicted to judging MBN.  Which means attending a few more contests each year and asking for a few more passes from my girlfriend for a few more “weekend barbecue excursions”.

Murphysboro represents excellence in barbecue, hospitality, and the American way of life.  While the rest of the world is governed overall by Murphy’s Law, in Illinois barbecue is governed by Murphys(boro) Law and two great barbecue
organizations!
 
Marc
Where there's smoke, there's probably barbecue!

Having worked for a well-known coffee company for over 10 years, people often ask me “Do you put coffee in your barbecue”?   The answer to that question I tell them is “No, I don’t”.

The other morning, as I was drinking coffee and thinking about what ingredients I’d use to barbecue some pork ribs that afternoon, I began questioning my decision not to use coffee.  Barbecue is my ultimate passion and I love coffee, so it should have been an obvious culinary marriage for me.  The reason I don’t is based on my experiences when first starting to cook true barbecue.  Which most likely had to do with my inexperience, rather than the combination not being compatible to my palate.

I tried coffee in my dry rub first.  When I cooked the meat the coffee burned and left a charred, bitter taste.  Then I decided to grind the coffee finer and incorporate it into the dry rub so it would blend better.  Unfortunately it still burned, but wasn’t quite as bitter.  I experimented with the amount of coffee I used in proportion to the herbs & spices, but just didn’t like the result.  No matter what I tried, I didn’t like it.  So stopped experimenting with coffee in my dry rub and moved on.

Next I tried coffee in my sauce.  After repeated trials, I didn't accomplish a flavor profile I liked.  The coffee flavor was either too bold or non-existent, or didn't mix well with the herbs & spices I used.  So, I still haven’t created a sauce that I’m happy with using coffee, or would present to anyone I cared about.  I’m a perfectionist and a harsh critic of myself.  So naturally I moved on again and haven't experimented with coffee in my sauce in a while.

I also struggled with which brand and roast of coffee I should use.  Do I use a big name coffee or a regular everyday coffee, a dark roast or a lighter roast, a regular ground coffee or an instant coffee?  I played with different coffees, but never settled on any one for my dry rub and sauce.

However, there was one area of barbecue that I’d successfully used coffee in the earlier years of my barbecue journey.  I don’t want you to think I was a total "mixology" failure in the beginning.  It was in my pork and beef mop sauce.  I just clicked when I played with the flavors.  I prefer to use Starbucks Italian Roast VIA (instant), as it blends well with my other ingredients and adds a great level of flavor to the mop.  However, I have a more trusted mop recipe that I use regularly, or alter slightly.  So I haven’t used coffee in my mop sauce in about six months.

It is now apparent after writing this column that I need to be more diligent in incorporating the same coffee and flavors in my barbecue sauce that I use in my mop sauce to achieve a successful coffee-based sauce.  Often it takes something seemingly unconnected to make the obvious, well obvious.  Now I'm motivated to get back in the "laboratory".

I’ve firmly believe that to produce the best barbecue, or any dish, you need to use the best ingredients. This is also true of the coffee used in barbecue.  Whether you’ve chosen a big name brand or a regular everyday brand, I strongly recommend you use a 100% Arabica coffee.  Don’t be fooled and buy an Arabica blend coffee, as it is a mix of Arabica and Robusta coffee beans.  Robusta coffee beans are grown at low attitudes (below 5000 feet), have less flavor, have a tendency to be bitter, and are a low quality bean.  Arabica coffee beans on the other hand, are grown at the higher altitudes (5000 feet and above), grows slower than Robusta beans, and produce a higher quality, better tasting, less bitter coffee.  This translates into a much better taste in your barbecue.   

One of the many great things about barbecue, and cooking in general, is that you can use virtually anything in your dry rub and sauces.  Coffee is just one “out of the box” ingredients that can be added to produce a new or familiar flavor profile.  Items such as tea, fruit, jelly/jam, chocolate, peanut butter, yogurt, beer, wine, dried Worcestershire, and a wide plentitude of the world’s spices are all fair game as possible ingredients.  The strangest thing I’ve ever heard
used in barbecue is marshmallow.  It was used in a barbecue sauce.  While marshmallow is a very likeable food, I can’t imagine any barbecue sauce tasting good with marshmallow in it.  But you never know until you try it.  

So if there is an ingredient that you didn’t like in your barbecue in the past, try it again.  As your barbecue experience grows, your tastes also grow and very often change.  The tolerance for the heavy use of vinegar is a typical barbecue ingredient where this is particularly true; unless you grew up in or around Eastern Carolina.  A lot of people don’t like it
initially, but then grow to like it better as their knowledge and appreciation for barbecue grows. 

So after much reflection and debate, I guess I’m ready to introduce my beloved brand of coffee back into my barbecue again.  As the old axiom goes, “When at first you don’t succeed, try, try again”.  Or in my case, take a little break and then try, try again!

 Marc 
Where there's smoke, there's probably barbecue!

After the hustle, bustle and stress of a normal work week, or long run of normal work weeks, where do you go to relax on the weekend if you’re a barbecue fanatic? The answer…..a road trip or flight to where there is great barbecue!

While I don’t want to the big guy upstairs angry at me, but travelling to a barbecue destination and hanging out is as close as I get to actually crossing through the pearly gates into heaven, which I hope to do someday way in the future.

A great thing about barbecue weekends is that you can immerse yourself in eating and discussing barbecue with people that share your passion. Often times you can’t talk barbecue with your co-workers, family members, or non-BBQ friends; or you do so with them excessively that they don’t want to talk to you about the subject anyone. So, a weekend get-away gives you your fix and an escape.

Another great thing about barbecue weekends is that you can be sometimes very pleasantly surprised by a barbecue establishment you visit. This happened to me this weekend when I travelled to judge the Blue Ridge Barbecue & Music Festival in Tryon, NC. I don’t like to mention particular barbecue restaurants in a forum like this, as I know there are hundreds and hundreds of hidden gems in America. However, I was so surprised by the two restaurants that were recommended to me that I had to share them. By the way, word of mouth of the locals in an area is usually the best way to ensure you eat at a good place.

The first restaurant I ate at after landing in Greenville/Spartanburg airport was Mutt’s BBQ in Greer, SC. It is located about 10 minutes from the airport. It was recommend to me by two people at the airport when I asked my usual question of “What is a good barbecue place to go to within 20 miles of here?”. Mutt’s had the best restaurant ribs (spares) that I’ve had in quite a while. They had an excellent medium smoke & pork flavor, were perfectly cooked, very tender, and had a beautiful pink smoke color. It was one of the highlights of my weekend adventure eating them.

The second place I was surprised at was Hubba Hubba Wood-fired Smokehouse in Flat Rock, NC. It was recommended to me by several people at the Blue Ridge KCBS barbecue contest. It’s in a quaint courtyard setting. They have an outstanding pulled pork sandwich and a number of outstanding home-made barbecue sauces. I tired the vinegar, mustard, and BBQ (red) sauces and was very please with each one. Additionally, their beans and slaw are to figuratively “die for”. The owner is a student of “The Legend” Mike Mills and learned how to do barbecue right.

The other reason I was surprised by these places is that they gave me the “wow factor” that I haven’t encountered lately; particularly when it comes to ribs. This emotional response is important and what should be expected with anything in life to be considered excellent, outstanding or great. The barbecue I’ve been eating the past few months has either been just OK or disappointing; at smaller local establishments, as well as a few big name establishments.

When I travel on barbecue weekends I usually plan them in conjunction with a KCBS or MBN barbecue contests, as I love judging as much as going to new places and sampling different barbecue restaurants. Obviously if I feel an immediate need to get away, judging a contest and flying isn’t possible. So in that case, I research a location and drive there. When planning though, I try to book my flights and hotel reservations as far out as I can to save money, ideally for future trips and to justify my current trip.

Also when I travel I mostly stay at a budget motel that has the basics: queen or king sized bed, cable TV (ie: ESPN) and is clean. This too saves few dollars. In addition to trying new barbecue haunts, I try to do one cultural thing associated with the community I’m staying in. It may include going to a museum, a park, or an event. This makes the trip more complete as a ”mini vacation”. Although there have been several trips where I spent most of my time laying in bed flipping channels in between judging and eating!

Most people travel on a barbecue weekend with their significant other or a good friend who can appreciate quality barbecue. However, I’m part of a small of a group of people I refer to as a “barbecue bachelors (or bachelorettes)”. During these trips I usually go alone because my lady love doesn’t particularly care about barbecue and doesn’t want to travel on the weekend since she travels all the time during the week. She always supports me in my endeavors, but says “barbecue is your thing”. So, I’m pretty much free to travel where ever and however far I want to try new barbecue joints - within my budget. Although it would be really nice having her travel with me, not only for the companionship, but also to make the overall nuisances of the places I visit and the people meet even more enjoyable.

As a result of my trip, I came back very relaxed and had another outstanding barbecue experience.

I saw some old judging friends and made some new ones at the barbecue contest - as always, and had my faith renewed in quality restaurant barbecue.

So when life starts to get you down, plan a barbecue weekend and find your own special nirvana for a few days!

Marc 
Where there's smoke, there's probably barbecue!

You already know I'm obsessed with barbecue. Now, let me clarify my obsession a little further. I’m obsessed with QUALITY barbecue.

This primarily applies to eating at a barbecue restaurant, versus professional barbecue contest judging. There is a difference between competition barbecue and restaurant barbecue. In competition, the pit masters/cooks are trying to produce the very best and highest quality product for a single entry at one time. In restaurant barbecue, the pit masters/cooks are trying to produce a high degree of quality that has to be maintained for many orders and indefinitely; while there are other items on menu that also need to be produced and customer needs to be attended to. So, the quality of restaurant barbecue is sometimes lower due to the lack of undivided focus. However, I can afford to be just as critical of restaurant barbecue as when I’m judging because I’m paying for it.

And, I know this too is going to open a whole can of worms, as what is considered as quality, or good, or great barbecue is subjective. However, there have to be some standards or points of differentiation that come into play, or else all barbecue could be considered the same. And that would be a sacrilege to America and all that is holy in barbecue.

First, I’ll begin my explanation of quality barbecue with the word Barbecue itself. I consider it to mean ‘meat that is cooked low and slow with smoke’. Yes, this is the most basic definition, but it’s accurate and the most logical starting point.

Second, I’ll explain the word Quality in my eyes. Its barbecued meat that when I look at it, makes me want to immediately devour it in large quantities until I’m full AND take some home to eat again later. Then, once I taste it, I know I definitely want to eat it in large quantities and get a “piggy bag”. So, its both the initial look and the all-important taste and texture.

Third, there are certain things that can never be part of the overall barbecue cooking process in order for it to be quality. They devalue the good name and lineage of barbecue. They are nothing more than shortcuts. In a word, it’s CHEATING!

Regional: I have my favorite regions of barbecue from a flavor profile standpoint, but can respect the skills of the pit masters/cooks and palates of the locals from each of the four major barbecue regions.

Sauces: I also have my favorite types of sauces, but am very often pleasantly surprised when I branch out and try some thing new.

Reputation: I don't gauge quality barbecue by what is presented the cooking channels shows. The media exposure may get me in the door, but the food is the star of my experience. There are a few famous barbecue restaurants that have been touted on the "best of" shows that I have been highly disappointed with.

Meat that is properly cooked and tender - Ribs - a slight tug to get the meat off the bone, but not falling off the bone, when bitten into. Pulled Pork & Brisket - easy to bite into or cut, but not tough or mushy. Chicken - consistent white or dark meat color throughout, clear juices (no red or pink), and crisp skin.

Good smoke taste - mild to medium smokiness complimenting the meat & spice flavors, smoke ring on ribs. I love smoke on meat!

Nice spice taste - a nice overall flavor from a variety of spices without being too hot or too bland, complimenting the meat and smoke flavors. The rub needs to standout.

Good sauce – when sauce is provided, either already on the meat or on the side, it should have a pleasing aroma and be in a small amount. Too much sauce and you can’t taste the flavor of the meat (or can be covering up improperly cooked meat), and too little sauce and the meat can dry out or not have it optimal flavor potential.

Good Sides - quality barbecue meat needs quality tasting side dishes to compliment the overall meal. This is too wide of area to explore. However, I like cole slaw, barbecued beans & collard or mustard greens with my meal.

"What is quality barbecue?" is the most controversial question in the world of barbecue. It’s on par with who assassinated John F. Kennedy? Why did Charlie Sheen go stupidly ballistic trashing his career? There are possibly a hundred or more criteria that can be applied to the question if all of America was polled.

However, it is important for every barbecue lover to have some high standards for the barbecue they choose. It is also important to provide positive and constructive feedback to the establishments they have chosen. The feedback can only help the barbecue community stay focused on providing true, great tasting barbecue fare to their customers. That’s us!

Always look for ‘”quality” barbecue, whatever your definition, and except nothing less!


-- Marc 
"Where there's smoke, there's probably barbecue!"

I was honored when Herb Kane asked me to be a blog columnist on this website.  As I thought more and more about what I'd write in my first and future blogs, I realized that barbecue had become more than just a hobby to me.  It had become a passion, just short of the need for therapy.  Although there are a few people in my life that would say I definitely need barbecue therapy. 

Initially I learned the finer points of barbecue when I lived in Texas, and Iearned even more about barbecue, pork barbecue in particular, when I lived in Tennessee.  However, it wasn't until I moved to the Midwest 6 years ago and missed traditional Southern barbecue that I got involved in judging and seriously cooking it myself.  This is when my barbecue passion really began, and has continued to grow stronger year after year.  

I also had an epiphany when think about my blogs, realizing that barbecue is a personal experience as much as it is a public experience.  While barbecue people are always willing to discuss grills, cooking techniques, sauces, rubs, and their favorite places to get great barbecue with anyone, and barbecues are open, family events, there are certain nuances about barbecue and things we like to do that appeal to us as individuals.  These are things that we may or may not ever reveal, or things that other people may not understand about us.  Examples may be always using the same set of tongs when cooking barbecue, taking a shot of Jack Daniels before lighting the grill, or taking photos of every barbecue product that comes off the grill and adding them to a 'cooking library'.  This is what makes barbecue personal.

Today I'm going to "come out of the pantry" and reveal my personal barbecue nuances. 

1.  Trying new dry rubs and sauces.  This is one of the things I love most about barbecue, much to the detriment of my cholesterol and blood sugar.  Like pork, sauces rule!  Sampling different brands, styles, and regional sauces is a big thrill to me (along with the other things in life like SportsCenter, bourbon, and sex).  And using them with various meats and seafood makes the experience more enjoyable.  My pantry is always filled with a double-digit number of "to be tried" bottles of sauce. 

2.  Trying new barbecue restaurants.  This is also a personal thrill for me.  Barbecue has become a huge business over the past few years, and new restaurants are opening all over the country.  Great barbecue can be found in places never believed possible before.  As an example, my former home of Chicago, IL has a number of excellent barbecue establishments within a one hour drive of downtown.  Also, Mike Mills' original 17th Street Bar & Grill, voted 'Best Barbecue in America' in 2009 by Bon Appetite magazine, is located in Murphysboro, IL.   As a "Marc Axiom" when evaluating a barbecue restaurant, if you don't smell smoke when you initially walk in, walk out!

3.  Documenting all the products I've tries & restaurants I've eaten at.  Yes, this seems a little extreme, but  there are a number of reasons why I do this.  First, I often get asked what sauces and rubs I prefer and where is the best place in town to go for barbecue.  Having the list helps me make better recommendations and allows me to provide more detail in my recommendations; which in turn helps people make the best choice(s).  Second, there are times when I want to use a rub or sauce I've used before to create a certain flavor profile and the list helps me remember what product that is.  Third, it prevents me from purchasing a product that I didn't like again by accident.  And finally, the listing is a record of my barbecue experience and history.  This is important to a true barbecue enthusiast.

4.  In search of the "perfect" rib.  My barbecue obsession is pork ribs - to cook and eat.  When I go to a barbecue restaurant for the first time, I always order the same thing: pork ribs, beans & cole slaw.  Similarly, at an Italian restaurant I always get the lasagna the first time.  This is my initial judgment of the establishment and serves as an even playing field to compare with other restaurants I've eaten at.  When I judged a Kansas City Barbecue Society (KCBS) barbecue contest in Wisconsin a few years ago I ate what I consider to the most "perfect" rib I've ever tasted.  As it was a contest, I wasn't able to find out 'who' cooked it and 'how' they cooked it.  Finding that perfect rib, finding out how to replicate it, and replicating it would be the culmination of my search.  Then again, there may be a more perfect rib out there than the one I just found.  So, II guess I'll probably always be searching.  What a "perfect" ribs is the subject of a future column.

5.  The amazing smoky meat.  There are many great things about barbecue, but the meat itself is the greatest to me.  And it has to have a good smoke flavor, no matter what type of wood is used.  After all, that's what we strive to perfect.  It's also what makes us "urban legends" in our neighborhoods and with friends and family when we can cook it well.  I love the taste of smoke on all meat, as well as salmon.  And to get an excellent piece of smoky barbecued meat, it's has to be cooked low and slow.  No exceptions!   Another "Marc Axiom".  I know shortcuts can be taken to produce a smoked effect, but it's always results in a lower quality product.  Excellent smoked barbecue is addictive.    

While some of these things may not seem all that crazy to a lot of people (or maybe they do), they fuel my barbecue passion.  So, find your own personal barbecue experiences, hold them close to your heart, and have fun with them.

Yes, barbecue is our culinary heritage, the fastest growing food segment in America, and a community event, but it also can be personal.  Or stated in classified terms..."barbecue confidential". 

Marc 
Where there's smoke, there's probably barbecue!