How Do You BBQ?

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The debate goes on: Republican or Democrat, Chevy or Ford, Dry or Wet – Barbecue, that is. We all fall into one category or another, and chances are, you might have stronger feelings about your barbecue recipe than you do about the last election. Either way, grilling is a topic of heated discussion (pun intended), and you might be better off keeping your opinions to yourself (even if brisket is the best barbecue around).

That said, how do you BBQ?

Kansas City Style
Grab your bib, because it gets messy in Kansas City. They like sauce, and lots of it. Sweet and tangy, the folks in Kansas City enjoy their barbecue sauce dripping off their pork ribs, brisket and burnt ends (and running down to their elbows), served on a platter with fries and baked beans. The meat is usually sliced, not shredded.

Memphis Style
Grabbing a plate of barbecue in Memphis often means your pork ribs are cooked with a dry rub and served with a bowl of tomato-and-molasses-based sauce on the side. If you order a pulled pork sandwich, be prepared to eat your cole slaw as a condiment, not a side dish.

Texas Style
It starts with brisket, then the sausage and ribs. From there, the options are endless. The most common sauces are tomato, or ketchup, based, especially along the gulf coast where the southeastern influence is stronger.

South Carolina Style
This region embraces the quadrant of barbecue sauces: mustard, vinegar, heavy tomato, and light tomato, depending what you prefer. The term “barbecue” is synonymous with pulled pork, and your side dish options usually include hush puppies or boiled potatoes. The only approved drink is a cold glass of sweet iced tea.

Georgia Style
It’s almost always pork (shoulder or butt), finely chopped or pulled, with a thin vinegar-based sauce with a side of mustard-based potato salad or cole slaw made with mayo. Sweet Vidalia onion rings are a staple, and you’ll almost always get a basket of cornbread.

Your Own Style
Creating your own dry rub or barbecue sauce requires a basic recipe, a little creativity and a process of trial and error. We’ll get you started, courtesy of Tiernan, Inc., and you can do the rest.

Basic Dry Rub
1 cup salt
1 cup paprika
1 cup pepper

Sift ingredients together and mix in a bowl. Experiment with other herbs and spices to give your dry rub originality and personal flavor. Try chili seasoning, cumin, garlic, oregano, and other flavored salts. Remember, heat brings out the flavor, so you have to cook the rub on a piece of meat to really taste what you’ve created.

Basic Barbecue Sauce
2 cups ketchup
1/8 cup brown sugar
1/8 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon vinegar
½ teaspoon liquid smoke
½ teaspoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon orange juice
¼ cup water

Mix all ingredients in a pan and simmer for 20 minutes. Other ingredients to add are honey, molasses, mustard, beer or wine, soy sauce, stocks, hot sauce, soft drinks, coffee or tea, along with a variety of spices like dry mustard, cinnamon, cayenne and ginger.

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