BBQ Is More Than a Meal, It Is a Taste of the United States!

BBQ is unique in the United States in that so many different parts of the country have quite a different take on what makes the perfect BBQ. The differences range from what goes into the sauce, to the types of meat, and even in using rubs instead of sauces. Tell someone from Texas that Carolina-style is the best, and you are best served to run for cover!

The Difference between Rubs and Sauces

This is where the battle begins... rub or sauce. Some regions will tell you that using a sauce is amateur hour. You need a nice rub that will tenderize and flavor the meat all at the same time. Other areas will tell you the sauce is everything, but the difference is when they apply it and how they serve it. Of course, there are BBQ hedonists that will use a rub while cooking and then slather on the sauce before removing the meat from the grill.

A rub is a mixture of various spices that serve different purposes. Some of the spices are meant to specifically tenderize the meat, while others infuse flavors and heat. When a rub is done properly, there is no need for anything else. Sauce lovers beg to differ and believe a quality sauce will take good BBQ to the next level. The makeup of the sauce, however, will differ from region to region.

Types of BBQ Sauces

When it comes to sauce, four regions are generally noted that present distinct types and flavors of sauces: Texas, Memphis, Kansas City, and Carolina. Texas-style sauce will have a thinner consistency as the tomato is often thinned out with Worcestershire and vinegar. The sauce is often served on the side and used for dipping. For those of you that have a sweet tooth for BBQ, this would not be a wise choice.

Kansas City-style is one of the more famous and one of the two that most BBQ restaurants will use on their menu. The sauce itself is very thick and very sweet. Memphis is another popular style and found on plenty of menus. It is another thick and sweet sauce, but it not as bold as Kansas City-style Bar-B-Q. These sauces are commonly used throughout the cooking process. Finally, we have Carolina-style. This is very popular for pork and is loaded with flavorful spices to complement the meat.

Pork or Beef?

Again, this is often defined by the region. For instance, beef if King in Texas, so it is not too difficult to figure out their favorite type of meat. Brisket is always on the grill at local establishments, but it will not be hard to find a healthy order of beef ribs, either. Kansas City is like Switzerland in BBQ, as they enjoy both beef and pork.

Carolina and Memphis BBQ lovers lean a bit more towards pork than they do beef. Both styles of sauces are loaded with spices and are very sweet, so the pork is really the perfect type of meat for this style of cooking. Unlike beef, the pork flavor is actually enhanced with flavors such as molasses and brown sugar.

Make Some Scrumptious Barbecue Ribs Today

Barbecue is a popular style of cooking that involves preparing a particular type of sauce that is filled with flavor and is very tasty. Different types of meat can be cooked in this style and it involves considerable use of various cooking techniques.

Sauces are an important part of a barbecue preparation and it is important to spend as much time on preparing the sauce with right flavors as it is to cook the meat well. Most stores today are well stocked with different variety of sauces that can be used in barbecue. These are ready to use sauces which can be directly used by you in your preparations. Most of these sauces are spicy and have a very strong flavor that helps in making the preparation delicious. Bottled sauces available in the store are available in a variety of colors and each of these has a distinct taste and must be purchased according to the personal choice. Consistency of these sauces is very thick and often times they have a spicy flavor that is offset by a sweet taste. A peculiar flavor is an inherent part of these bottled condiments and preparing these sauces is sometimes a good alternative to buying prepared sauces from the store.

Barbecue sauces can vary in consistency from thin to thick and can be prepared using a variety of ingredients and each of has their own unique flavor. Vinegar is commonly used in the preparation of thin sauces and is known for its acidic properties, used most often with pork. Use of this kind of sauce requires use of adequate ingredients that will offset the sour taste of the acidic compound. Tomato is the most widely used ingredient for making barbecue sauce. This kind of sauce is usually thick and has an interesting sweet and sour flavor. Mustard is another common ingredient that is used in the preparation of sauces and is a yellow colored sauce that has a very strong flavor. Ribs can be barbecued with any of these sauces to make an excellent and extremely tasty dish.

Chicken can be barbecued to prepare it in a manner that gives it a distinct and unique flavor that makes for an amazing culinary experience. Apple juice can be combined with barbecue sauce and vinegar to get a chicken preparation that is scrumptious. Black pepper and garlic are commonly used in barbecue preparations and lend a strong flavor to the preparation. Barbecue preparation can be made on the stove to get the same flavor as that of barbecued meat.

A popular BBQ ribs recipe is hot honeyed spare ribs, an interesting recipe that involves seasoning the ribs thoroughly and slowly cooking the meat. This is a good variation from other forms of barbecue preparation. It involves cooking the meat with the sauce in order for the meat to absorb the flavor of the sauce and to become extremely juicy and delicious to bite in to. The sauce has to be poured all over the meat to ensure the meat is completely covered in the sauce and is slow cooked. A visible coating of the sauce on the ribs provides an appetizing appearance as well as a savory taste.