Southern Comfort 101: BBQ, Barbecue or Barbeque? The Science of Spices and Slow Cooking

This July will mark my ninth year of living in New York. Every spring and summer since I've moved here, I have been invited to what I was told would be a barbeque--or, as New Yorkers spell it, a BBQ.  

As a , the term “barbeque” raises my expectations, and beef is the first thing that comes to mind.

Typically when I arrive at these so-called “BBQs,” I'm often disappointed as I find hamburgers and hotdogs on the grill. This is merely grilling, and the verbiage on the invitation should have been “cook-out,” not “barbeque." Not to sound harsh, .

Texans take their barbeque very seriously. A “Texas” barbeque is a fierce spread of meats with beef as the centerpiece and a few sides of pork for show. For the most part, you will find beef ribs and brisket offered with a stack of napkins to wipe up all of the mess that is sure to be around your mouth. 

To have an authentic barbeque, one must dedicate most of his or her day to the preparation of the meat, followed by the long process of smoking the beef. (Or pork, if you're going that route with your ribs.)

As with all barbeque techniques, one should initially season the meat with a dry rub. Amounts will vary depending on your liking, but may I suggest a southern standard: chili powder, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, celery salt, paprika, salt and pepper.  During the cooking process, a basting mixture may be added to the meat to keep moist.  This can be a mixture of cider vinegar, chopped onion, and chopped garlic. This concoction should not be confused with an actual barbeque sauce. The final baste should be a liberal brushing of a homemade barbeque sauce.  This is to prevent any charring from the sugars within the sweet sauces. 

In regard to the beef, let’s start with the ribs. The back ribs of beef are actually a tough piece of beef, but if you tend to them with care, you can get a lot of bang for your buck.  They have a piece of membrane on the bone side that needs to be removed. You can ask your butcher to do this for you, or you can merely slide a butter knife under one end to loosen.  With a towel grab the loose end, pull, and remove the membrane in one shot.

Where beef ribs are concerned, expect up to eight hours of cooking time.  To shorten the time limit, the cook can wrap the racks of ribs in aluminum foil after a couple of hours, and place them back into smoker for about three more hours.  But done right, you’re in this for the long haul: forego the aluminum foil all together. 

Turning the focus to brisket, I will confess to the fact that I can eat my body weight in meats that have been cooked with the method of “low and slow.” This stands true with a well-cooked brisket.  Where exactly is the brisket cut located?  It comes from the breast section of a side of beef.

When selecting a cut of brisket, one should keep about ½ inch of fat located on the top of the cut of beef.  This will keep moisture and flavor within the meat throughout the cooking tprocess, as well as previous basting sauce from the above-mentioned procedure.  There is a rule of thumb when it comes to smoking a brisket: one hour per pound or an internal temperature of 190 degrees. One can also finish the cooking time by wrapping the meat in aluminum foil as mentioned above. 

Barbeque sauce is to slow cooked meats as creamed gravy is to chicken fried steak...necessary. For many years, The King of Barbeque (my dad) made the best barbeque sauce ever, I thought.  Later I found out he was merely using a bottled sauce and melting a whole stick of butter. 

I like to make a barbeque a little more authentic and this includes a homemade barbeque sauce.  All you have to do is measure and mix all ingredients in one pot and let simmer.  C'mon Dad, it's never too late. 

As the spring weather arrives, feel free to try the simple recipe below -- or claim a bottled sauce as your own via butter overload.  It's up to you.

1 cup ketchup

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed 

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons dijon mustard

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon garlic powder, or more

1 tablespoon canola or other mild vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)

Common side dishes to barbeque include salads, to counterbalance the heat from the meats and spices.  May I suggest a delicious potato salad, coleslaw, and baked beans? These items and recipes will be discussed in future lessons of Southern Comfort 101.

Next week: Chicken and Dumplings.  Questions?

Hailee Moore is a graduate of the French Culinary Institute.  She is a professional cook by day and a food writer anytime in between.  When Hailee is not cooking or writing, she can be found running or behind a book.

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