Talkin' Barbeque

Let's get this straight from the start. When we're talking 'BARBEQUE' we're talking slow cooked pork served with sauce. It’s our distinctly Southern definition of the word that won't be found in many dictionaries. It also is a very broad definition that represents many different flavors as you travel across 'The Barbeque Belt'. John Shelton Reed put it simply, “Southern barbecue is the closest thing we have in the United States to Europe's wines or cheeses; drive a hundred miles and the barbecue changes.”

The culinary topography of the Barbeque Belt begins with the peppered vinegar based sauces of Eastern North Carolina that brighten with the addition of tomato as you move west across the state. South Carolina is best known for its mustard-based sauces. Georgia adds hot orange and sweet red sauces to the mix while Alabama throws in a little mayonnaise for it’s unique White Sauce. Tennessee rounds out the mix with its sweet, thick tomato sauce containing molasses.

Preferred side dishes, choices of cut and preparation are as varied as the sauce recipes. We'll explore the whole variety over several installments. But first check out our Home Smoking Barbeque Primer for the skinny on Barbequing.

Pork is the mainstay of the states culinary culture and Barbeque it's most renowned invention. Let's begin our travel down the 'The Barbeque Belt' in the eastern part of the state and the simple and firey Eastern Carolina Barbeque... read more about NC Barbeque Styles & Places.

The Barbeque takes on a whole new color as we travel into South Carolina. Around Columbia Mustard based sauces are the norm... read more about Georgia & South Carolina Barbeque Styles & Places.

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