The Basics of Regional BBQ Cooking
Regional BBQ flavors are not created equal Saturday, June 02, 2018
Regional BBQ flavors are as varied as the accents and the terrain. Carolina, Texas, and Kansas City each have their own BBQ specialties. We're going to quickly introduce you to each of these regional BBQ flavors.
Carolina Barbecue
This regional BBQ claims to be the center of American barbecue cuisine. Carolina barbecue is synonymous with roast pork, and often they even roast the entire pig and have a "pig pickin".
In the Carolinas, the cooking process is more important than the sauce. Carolina barbecue is slow roasted and smoked for hours in pig cookers made from big oil drums. After the careful cooking process, it's served on buns with a vinegar-based sauce and coleslaw.
Check our recipe for authentic Carolina Pulled Pork when you are planning your next outdoor dinner party.
Texas Barbecue
It's only natural that in the land of cattle ranchers, beef, and specifically brisket, is king. This regional BBQ specialty is grilled, then thinly sliced and served in piles with a tangy tomato-based sauce over it. The sauce is made with Worcestershire sauce and vinegar, so it's pretty runny.
You can enjoy your own version of this regional BBQ specialty. Here's a recipe for traditional Texas brisket. Serve it with potato salad or macaroni and cheese.
8-10 pound untrimmed brisket
1/2 cup chili rub
Wash and trim the brisket, then cover with chili rub. Smoke it for 8-10 hours at 225 degrees. You can wrap the brisket in foil and bake in the oven at 200 degrees for the last two hours. This helps keep the meat tender.
Kansas City Barbecue
Kansas City claims to fall right between the other regional BBQ specialties. Kansas City barbecue specialties are typically ribs that are slow cooked, much like Carolina pork.
Kansas City style barbecue uses a tomato-based sauce, like Texas brisket, but it's much thicker and very sticky. They claim that their regional BBQ sauce is better since it clings to the meat and doesn't fall into the fire.
Here's an authentic KC BBQ sauce recipe.
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of paprika
1 tablespoon chili powder
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cayenne
Saute the oil and garlic in a saucepan until it is golden. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer on low for fifteen minutes.
Depending on where you're from, one of these regional BBQ specialties may sound like home to you. However, you can still learn to enjoy other regional BBQ with these recipes.
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