A great barbecue sauce is sweet and tangy with just a touch of heat on the finish. Try a classic like Sweet Baby Ray’s or one of their other drool-worthy flavors.
Some people distinguish grilling — that BBQ is cold and slow, while grilling is hot and fast. However, common usage defines it as both. Contact Tom’s BBQ now!
BBQ is a popular and beloved American cuisine. It consists of seasoned meat cooked slowly over a fire or coals for up to 18 hours, giving the meat its distinct flavor from the smoke, meat fats and juices, and any spices or basting sauces that may have been added beforehand. Family and friends often enjoy this cooking method at social gatherings or sports events, and it has become an integral part of our national culture.
The origins of barbecue can be traced back to ancient times, when people used to roast meat over open fires. Throughout history, different cultures developed their own variations of this technique. The earliest references of a BBQ-type cooking can be found in Greek literature from the Mycenaean period, which took place between 1600 and 1100 BC. Later, this technique was adopted by the Romans and other ancient civilizations, where it became a popular way to cook meat.
During the European exploration of the Americas in the 1500s, Southeastern Indians cooking on slotted wooden racks that sat high above a heat source fascinated explorers. They brought sketches of these racks back to Europe, where they were anglicized as barbacoa. From there, the word spread to other parts of the world, including the American South.
By the early 1700s, people began to raise pigs for their meat in America, and this helped BBQ become a part of our culture. During this time, BBQ was also used to feed large crowds at political rallies and church events, where food could be prepared quickly and easily.
Today, there are a variety of ways to prepare barbecued foods, including on grills, in pits, and in smokehouses. There are even a number of restaurants that specialize in BBQ. It is a versatile and delicious style of cooking that can be enjoyed by anyone, regardless of their culinary background.
Although many people believe that barbecue can only be pork-based, this is not true. Beef barbecue is possible, too, and it is actually more common than pork-based barbecue. This type of barbecue is popular in the Southern United States, and it has become a staple in the local culture.
Ingredients
The ingredients used in BBQ vary, but most contain a base, acid, aromatics and spice. A sauce’s base can be made from a variety of things such as tomato, mustard or mayonnaise, vinegar, brown sugar or other syrups, apple or pineapple juice, and dehydrated onions and garlic. Other ingredients can include peppers and spices like chili powder, paprika or cumin, the food gums xanthan and guar, and preservatives such as sodium benzoate.
Paprika is an extremely common ingredient in bbq sauce recipes. It is usually used together with salt, garlic, cayenne pepper and brown sugar. Interestingly, it is rarely used with vegetable oil, molasses or olive oil.
Cilantro is another popular condiment for bbq. It is typically minced or chopped and is commonly used with salt, garlic, peppers, paprika and bourbon. The average content of cilantro in bbq sauce recipes is 0.3% by weight.
Some bbq sauce recipes do not require cooking, however most are required to be heated in order to combine the ingredients and thicken the sauce. Depending on the recipe, it is possible to reduce the ingredients without heating them, but this can result in an uneven flavour.
When creating a homemade bbq sauce, the ingredients must be combined in a saucepan and brought to a boil over medium heat. After a few minutes, large bubbles should begin to form, at which point the heat can be reduced to maintain a simmer until the desired consistency is reached. The sauce should then be cooled completely before being transferred to an airtight container and stored in the refrigerator.
Techniques
As with any type of cooking, there are a few key techniques that are essential to BBQ. These include understanding the difference between grilling and barbecuing, selecting the best cuts of meat, mastering cooking techniques, and adding flavors with sauces and rubs.
The most important technique to master is temperature control. Cooking at the right temperature is key to making a delicious barbecue and can be accomplished by using a meat thermometer.
Another crucial technique is creating heat zones on your grill. This is done by either banking coals on one side of the grill so that only half is lit while the food cooks in the unlit area, or by using a gas grill that allows you to create a sear zone and a smoking zone. This technique allows you to achieve the perfect level of both direct and indirect heat to your meal.
Smoking is a great way to infuse meat with flavor, but it takes time. To speed up the process, you can soak the wood chips in water before placing them on the grill. This will allow the wood to release smoke more quickly and will also make the meat tender and juicy. The type of wood used to smoke the meat can also make a significant difference in its flavor. Try experimenting with different types to find your favorite.
Finally, you should always use tongs when handling grilled meat and never pierce it with a fork. Doing so will only serve to drain the meat of its juices and flavors. Additionally, it’s important to always rest meat before serving so that the juices can redistribute and result in a more flavorful dish.
Finally, if you’re interested in trying out a new method of barbecuing, rotisserie roasting may be the way to go. To do this, simply place your cut of meat on a spit with a rotisserie motor and connect it to the power source. Turn the motor on and pre-heat the grill with the lid closed for 5 minutes before turning off the middle burner. This method will give you that coveted smoke ring without having to continuously rotate your meat.
Sauces
Whether you like it sweet and sticky or acidic and spicy, there’s a barbecue sauce to suit your tastes. And with new brands and varieties popping up all the time on grocery store shelves, choosing the right one can be tricky—not to mention expensive.
There are many regional styles of BBQ sauce, from Kansas City’s sweet tomato-based sauces to North Carolina’s vinegary offerings, and each region has its own specific nuances. But if you’re looking for a general barbecue sauce, look no further than the classics: ketchup, tomato paste, sugar or molasses, vinegar, onion powder, garlic powder, pepper and spices.
Other BBQ sauces are less conventional: teriyaki sauce has high concentrations of sugar and often includes pineapple and citrus, while Korean barbecue sauce is a bit sweeter with loads of green onion, ginger and soy sauce. And then there’s the smoked barbecue sauce, which has been popularized by restaurants in the South and Midwest with smoke flavors from wood such as mesquite and hickory.
This type of BBQ sauce is a great way to add smoky flavor without spending hours smoking your own meat, and it also works well as a marinade. Many smoky barbecue sauces are made from a combination of ingredients—including tomato, vinegar, molasses or brown sugar, apple or pineapple juice, onions, garlic powder and spices—that are cooked to bring out the natural smokiness of the ingredients.
There are also sauces that mimic the smoky flavor of smoked meats, using liquid smoke, which is typically derived from burning hickory or other types of wood in a controlled environment. This smoky flavor isn’t as strong as that of a true smoked barbecue sauce, but it’s an excellent alternative for those who aren’t ready to make the commitment to smoke their own meat.
In a blind taste test, we had a group of food professionals and barbecue-sauce enthusiasts evaluate eight barbecue sauces that were randomly selected from the grocery store shelves—no prior knowledge was given about which brands they were sampling. We asked them to rate each of the sauces on their own merits and to not compare one to another, so as to stave off palate fatigue.