A Brief History of BBQ

It’s not known for sure where the word BBQ originated but it is believed that the Spanish, upon arriving in the Caribbean, coined the term barbacoa to refer to the technique the natives used to slow cook meat. When a fresh kill was made, there was no way to preserve the meat and bug infestation was a problem, even when sun drying especially around the equatorial regions. In fact, it is widely believed this is why spicy food originated - the spices helped cure and preserve the meat, and nearly every form of spicy food originated near the equator, while blander food is found south and north of the equator.

It is believed the natives smoked meat low and slow, often covering it in wet leaves, and the combination would keep the bug infestation down while preserving the meat, resulting in more of what would be called jerky nowadays. No doubt it was partaken in during the long process to full curing!

By the 19th century the technique was well established in the southern US and because of the prevalence of pigs, pork became the primary meat of choice. The technique was ideal for cooking tougher cuts of meat that were less expensive as the meat becomes tender and juicy when slowly smoked. It was often the first choice for impoverished Southern blacks, who paired it with local, inexpensive vegetables such as fried okra and sweet potatoes.

During the first half of the 20th century these African American’s spread northward bringing their recipes and opening BBQ joints in nearly every city. Along with such staples as fried chicken, hush puppies, and cornbread, the cuisine became known as soul food.

Other countries such as Argentina, Brazil and Korea each have their own style of barbecue but when we hear the word in the US, we think of the traditional patriotic barbecue that is an American classic.