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December 18, 2005
"It's Time That We End All Arguments About: What is a Bar-B-Q!"
Kansas Citians pride themselves on their barbeque. In fact, I’d bet that if you would ask a older Kansas Citian, they’d most likely tell you that barbeque originated here.
There are two main arguments that a Kansas Citian will use to describe what barbeque is: (1) that it’s all in the sauce, and (2) that the meat has got to be slow cooked (either over wood or hot coals). Some people will even argue that the meat should be smoked (ala Gates Bar-B-Q) to be true barbeque. But, most who live in this fine city will all agree: Kansas City has the best barbeque.
While growing up in Southern California, barbeque came with a much different mentality. Pretty much everything we grilled outside was called barbeque. It could be done on a coal-burning grill or a gas grill and it was still barbeque. It could be steak, or hamburgers, or vegetable kabobs. If it was grilled it was barbequed. Likewise, we even call the grills themselves “barbeques” (e.g., “I should to go fire-up the barbeque,” or, “Maybe it’s time that we go buy a new barbeque”).
This mentality does not sit too kindly with Kansas Citians. No, in fact, Kansas Citians, will take any opportunity they can to correct someone who does not possess the correct definition of what barbeque truly is.
In years past, this same argument has arisen between my family who liver here in Kansas City and my family who live in California. Two of the people who seem to always come back for more are my dad and my wife, Julianna. To give you a glimpse into this long-running — and never-won — battle (or, at least, a glimpse into how crazy my family is), I present to you a letter that we recently received from my dad…
Dear Tim and “JULIANNA”:As you can see, there is some amount of passion behind these arguments. As for Julianna and I… I think we will remain silent on the matter. My father thinks he is correct, and that is fine. We are secure in our barbequeness.
It is time that we end all arguments about: what is Bar-B-Q!
As you will clearly see from this article (click the picture to the right to read the article – Ed), a Bar-B-Q is when one cooks meat over “hot coals.” Yes we So. Californians know what barbecue is. I understnad that the Mid Westerners have been a little confused thinking that it is all in the idea of having a sauce.
But as I had tried to explain in our last conversation, they did not name a sauce first then come up with a way to cook the meat. No, they developed a way to cook the meat first, and then called this method of cooking, a “Barbecue.” Then, as one could see in the progression of this method of cooking meat, a Mid Westerner then came up with a sauce, and at that time one might have said: this would taste good on that good old fashioned way of cooking meat over hot coals that they cann a Bar-B-Q. And when they had what is now known as Bar-B-Q sauce that is put on “MEAT THAT IS SLOWLY COOKED OVER HOT COALS” (or hot flames).
I am so glad that we are able to go to a third party, and objective and intelligent source to end a little famliy squabble. Of course, this intelligent source confirmed my position, but we won’t ma a big deal out of this, WILL WE JULIANNA and Tim.
I’ve got to go. Sandy and I, here in So. California, are going to Bar-B-Q some salmon tonight. Yep, we are going to slowly cook this slab of fish (meat) over some nice hot coals, that we now call a Weber.
As thos West Indians would say: “Meat good! Don’t keep meat too long on Bar-B-Q.”
Love,
Dad
Posted at 08:30 am
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Just chuck a coldie in the esky, whack on some Cold Chisel and chill out.
Luke Phillips () (URL) - December 18, 2005 at 6:06 pm
Well, as I said, I’m secure in my barbequeness (even though I do know many people who would say that what you’re describing is “grilling,” not “barbequeing”).
timsamoff () (URL) - December 18, 2005 at 7:10 pm
2. But taken state-for-state, the whole of Texas generally has better BBQ than the whole of Kansas. Or the whole of TN.
3. Texas Monthly’s issue on the topic a few years back is one of the best I’ve read.
4. The Oxford American does a poor job talking about the topic, and is too ‘deep south centric’
5. I vehemently disagree: it’s NOT in the sauce, anymore than “Emergent” is in the candles.
6. Californians and northerners in general cannot barbeque. They can, however, Weber™.
7. Beer brats on a propane grill is not BBQ.
8. Brisket to some is the king of BBQ. I prefer a good brisket to ribs anyday.
9. Sans-sauce is the only way to tell if you’ve done a good job with the barbequeing.
10. that’s all. I’m just having fun.
paulsoup () (URL) - December 18, 2005 at 9:07 pm
I agree that the sauce is not what makes something “barbeque” (I was just stating it as a common opinion). I do know that I’m not very impressed with Texas barbeque — a little too TexMex in my experience (but, honestly, I haven’t had much). Brisket could be considered barbeque if you ascribe to the “slow cook” theory, but I’m not so sure if I would call it that — brisket is another form of cooking on its own.
timsamoff () (URL) - December 19, 2005 at 09:22 am
Dennis the menace () - December 19, 2005 at 12:07 pm
Dennis the menace () - December 19, 2005 at 1:46 pm
timsamoff () (URL) - December 19, 2005 at 2:28 pm
We BBQ meat. We light the BBQ. We have a BBQ.
You guys just BBQ.
FYI “Grilling” is what happens in the bit between the stove(top) and the oven – usually to cheese on toast. Or maybe to chops in a vertical electric appliance popular in the 1980s.
Luke () - December 20, 2005 at 5:28 pm
It sounds like your dad has your wife backed into a corner on this…I think I have to side with him from a historical standpoint.
However, as a good postmodern, I know that the definition of BBQ can be whatever I want it to be and I don’t have to give a flip what anyone else’s perspective is. I would argue that true BBQ is both — it is delightfully cooked meat flavored with savory smoke, plus a good sauce made from scratch.
john () (URL) - December 20, 2005 at 6:22 pm
As for John’s description… Well, the last part would actually jibe well with the Kansas Citian opinion, so I don’t know exactly how the historical aspect fits in.
Yes, this is definitely a hard-fought battle where I see little ground gained by either side.
timsamoff () (URL) - December 20, 2005 at 7:20 pm
jason () (URL) - December 22, 2005 at 02:11 am
Luke () (URL) - December 22, 2005 at 7:45 pm
Merry Christmas. Brisket is barbeque. Barbeque really is a noun and a verb (and if you’re talking in a drawl, sometimes an adjective), but it has nothing to do with “pork in a jar”... To wit:
“Wanna go git some barbeque?”
“Shore. Jonny-Ray barbequed some brisket and ribs this mornin’.”
“I love barbeque ribs”
“Well better git there quick-like. The pit crew stops cooking at 10 am, and usually run out by noon.”
“Can you believe it: Sue ruins her ribs by puttin sawce all over it. Just like a Yankee.”
“Just because she’s from north of Texas doesn’t make her a Yankee…”
“Well, close ‘nuff…” ....
(fade to black) (applause, applause, applause).
paulsoup () (URL) - December 23, 2005 at 09:09 am
Strange how there is this passion, all in fun, not over the goodness of the activites, but over what the activity is called.
There’s an interesting ponder here — I wonder how much of the struggle to be the church is like this — we really don’t disagree that the thing you are cooking is delicious, we just don’t want you to call it BBQ.
Michael Toy () (URL) - December 25, 2005 at 1:48 pm
timsamoff () (URL) - December 25, 2005 at 1:56 pm
