Barbecue sauce, when drizzled over meat, adds flavor and moisture during the cooking process.
Barbecue sauce is a thick mixture usually made up of a base of garlic, herbs, peppers, tomato, vinegar, and assorted seasonings that is used to baste meat during cooking. The ingredients in each recipe are often well-kept secrets and vary from place to place. Many cooks claim to have their own “secret recipes,” but bottled versions are found on every supermarket shelf across the country.
The term barbecue can refer to the meat itself or to the act of cooking it. It is often used interchangeably as a noun or a verb.
It is common to agree that the secret of a good barbecue is in the sauce, which is applied abundantly while the meat is cooking. More is usually provided when served. Barbecue sauce can also be used simply as a condiment.
Honey is a common sweetener and a must-have ingredient in barbecue sauces.
In the United States, barbecue is traditionally defined as a festival or celebration whose centerpiece is an animal, usually a pig or cow, roasted whole on a skewer over a campfire. The meat is first marinated for hours while the campfire is prepared. Once placed on a skewer, it is turned over periodically and bathed in the sauce. The grilled meat is very tender and infused with the flavor of the sauce.
Barbecue sauce recipes vary by region.
Barbecuing is believed to be a southern custom, as the word was known to be used in Virginia before 1700. The term became common in America in the 1800s with western cowboys, who needed to be fed on long cattle drives. Herd owners did not want to give them the good cuts of meat and usually had tough cuts like brisket to eat. The brisket can be sticky and unappetizing, but cowboys have found that if it’s cooked for a long time, usually 5-7 hours, over low heat (around 200 degrees) and basting frequently, the meat becomes somewhat tender. and juicy. They soon discovered that other meats like beef short ribs, venison, pork, and goat worked well too.
Barbecue sauce can be used to baste meats, but it is also used as a condiment.
The origin of barbecues and sauces as an American custom is sometimes disputed by those who point out that many cowboys were actually from other countries and that the word “barbecue,” meaning “cooked from nose to tail,” is French. It has also been said that the barbecue is a derivation of the term barbecue from the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. When used here, it does not refer to the meat itself, but to a cooking structure of sticks placed on poles.
When cooking for a crowd, it’s wise to choose a simple barbecue sauce that will appeal to most palates.
BBQ sauces are big business these days. They can be found in supermarkets, gourmet shops and special order online. Different parts of the country prefer different sauces with different ingredients. In Louisiana, for example, the sauce is traditionally hot and spicy. In Kansas it is generally sweeter and Carolinians tend to like their sauce with a smoky flavor.
While barbecue sauces vary widely, garlic is the main ingredient in many iterations.
There are probably as many variations on barbecue sauce as there are states and countries. In most cases, the amount of preparation and long cooking time required for a traditional barbecue serve as a backdrop for gathering friends and family.
For barbecue sauce recipes, type “barbecue sauce recipes” into your favorite search engine.