# "Styles" of BBQ



## mdboatbum (Jan 11, 2012)

I wandered into a yet to be opened bbq place last evening with a friend of mine. We were being nosy, and as they were interviewing prospective employees the door was open. We chatted with one of the owners for a bit and my friend asked him what style of Q they were going to serve. He sort of waffled, and said "A little Texas, a little Carolina, some Memphis, you know dry with a rub and sauce..."

We politely chatted another minute or two and left, convinced the place wouldn't last long if the guy couldn't even figure out what kind of bbq he was going to make. Then I started thinking, "What style of BBQ do I make?" I don't really know much about the different styles other than Carolina can be vinegar based, mustard based and either sweet, tangy or spicy. Memphis, I think, is usually sort of sweet. And Kansas City comes either from Missouri or Kansas. In other words, I have no clue. So, anyone care to give a rundown on the different styles?


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## ecto1 (Jan 11, 2012)

I make Southern American style bbq My beef and links are Texas Style, My Ribs are kinda KC.  My pork in North Carolina and my chicken is just how momma likes it.


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## SmokinAl (Jan 11, 2012)

Don't know what I cook, but everybody seems to like it.


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## sqwib (Jan 11, 2012)

"SQWIB style"


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## venture (Jan 11, 2012)

I doubt if there will ever be total agreement on this one?

Here is the take of one source:

http://www.seriouseats.com/2011/02/...ity-tennessee-st-louis-ribs-pork-chicken.html

Good luck and good smoking.


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## sqwib (Jan 11, 2012)

Venture said:


> I doubt if there will ever be total agreement on this one?
> 
> Here is the take of one source:
> 
> ...


Good find

.


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## alelover (Jan 11, 2012)

I rub. I smoke. Then I put Sweet Baby Ray's on it. What style would that be? Kinda Memphis/KC maybe?


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## sqwib (Jan 11, 2012)

Styles. hmmm... sort of similar to the idea of trying to impose a genre on some bands, a lot of the newer artists do not like to be categorized.

Then we have the word barbecue used interchangeably with smoking and grilling... all different beasts in my opinion.

Some other things to ponder;

Is the *style* indicative of the technique or the saucing?

Was the smoke flavor an undesired result of cooking over hardwood coals many moons ago?

Define barbecue, is it a cooking apparatus, a method of cooking, is it an actual food or is it an event or all of these?
               

               I need a new barbecue.

               I am going to barbecue the chicken

               That was the best barbecue I ever had

               Are you going to the barbecue.

Describe pit cooking, what is a pit, can it be a hole in the ground as well as a steel, ceramic, brick or wood chamber?


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## africanmeat (Jan 11, 2012)

I rub it i smoke it then every body eats it   
	

		
			
		

		
	







	

		
			
		

		
	
      
	

		
			
		

		
	






	

		
			
		

		
	
  must be a tasty style


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## scarbelly (Jan 11, 2012)

africanmeat said:


> I rub it i smoke it then every body eats it
> 
> 
> 
> ...




LOL - they eat everything you cooks so  this doesn't count


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## alelover (Jan 11, 2012)

In NC BBQ and grilling are 2 very different things. They take offense down here if you confuse the 2.


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## bruno994 (Jan 11, 2012)

I've been fortunate enough over the years to enjoy Memphis BBQ a few times, eaten at Corky's (both dry and wet ribs), eaten at The Rendezvous downtown Memphis, where they just serve the rib meat, no bones.  I have had some good Kansas City BBQ at a KC Masterpiece joint in KC, pretty good also, thats where I got introduced to burnt ends on the menu.  Turns out after all these years, my favorite part, the kinda crispy, barky pieces were actually on the menu and not being cut off and fed to the dogs.  And of course, been all over my great state here of Texas, from The Salt Lick in Austin to Rudy's, to West Texas Style BBQ in Silsbee (best brisket you will ever eat, guaranteed!), I like 'em all.  Now this summer, on our family vacation (very reminiscent of the Griswalds going to Wally World) to Disney World, when we reached Orlando Sunday evening, we passed by a BBQ joint called "Wildside" I think, they had a pit smoking out next to the highway and I just couldn't pass up that sweet, smoky smell, so we whipped the family truckster in there to eat.  They had a pulled bbq chicken sandwich on the menu and that just sounded good, boy was I wrong.  It was chopped up chicken (probably oven cooked) in some crappy, thin sauce.  Worst $7.95 I have ever spent on the Q.  Should have known better than to try a resort towns BBQ.  I'm guessing the pit out front was just there to draw people in, worked on me.  As far as what style I cook to, I cook my style.  I season, smoke, baste, mop and otherwise cook to mine and my families preference.  If your smokin', don't think you can go wrong.


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## alblancher (Jan 11, 2012)

Of all the things we do in our lives the way we cook is probably as much a peak at who you are then anything else you can do.

Can you imagine an impatient person waiting  hours for a freaking piece of meat to get perfect?

How about sharing your Q and recipes with your friends and the members of the forum.  I'd think people that do that tend to be pretty good people in real life.  Maybe that's why our gatherings are always such a good time?

I don't try to make a living doing this so I cook the way I like my food to taste. Do you think that may say a bit about my personality?

To answer your question,  I cook Al style BBQ.  It is as much a statement of my experiences and tastes as anything else I can do.


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## dewetha (Jan 11, 2012)

only two types of BBQ. good or bad!

most BBQ in Chicago, is bad. for every one that is good there are 10 bad. some of these places have been in business for decades too. around me, it's all about the sauce. most are boiled with some grill marks and sauced. no wood flavor, no dry rub. there are some good ones that i have been saving to try, working my way up the ladder.


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## daniels (Jan 11, 2012)

Correct me if I'm wrong.

A Texan I used to work with called everything done on the grill 'barbecue'.  I told him I considered steaks not to be barbecued but grilled and anything with barbecue sauce or a rub to be barbecue.

Memphis style is cooked with a rub and served with barbecue sauce on the side as a condiment if I understand it correctly.

Being from St. Louis I should know what St. Louis style barbecue is but I don't have a clue other than if it has Maull's barbecue sauce on it then it must be St. Louis style.  I'm sure that's not a requirement for St. Louis style barbecue for anyone but me.


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## tyotrain (Jan 11, 2012)

alblancher said:


> Of all the things we do in our lives the way we cook is probably as much a peak at who you are then anything else you can do.
> 
> Can you imagine an impatient person waiting  hours for a freaking piece of meat to get perfect?
> 
> ...


x2


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## mballi3011 (Jan 11, 2012)

I'm with Ahron on this one I smoke it they eat it and tehy all say it was really good. My Style.


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## miamirick (Jan 11, 2012)

my style is to smoke it tasty and way too much,  so all my pals leave "fat and happy"


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## michael ark (Jan 11, 2012)

I go to rendezvous all the time they have never served anything but full ribs .They do serve pp but that's from butts  but what would a guy from Texas know about Memphis BBQ. 



bruno994 said:


> I've been fortunate enough over the years to enjoy Memphis BBQ a few times, eaten at Corky's (both dry and wet ribs), eaten at The Rendezvous downtown Memphis, where they just serve the rib meat, no bones.  I have had some good Kansas City BBQ at a KC Masterpiece joint in KC, pretty good also, thats where I got introduced to burnt ends on the menu.  Turns out after all these years, my favorite part, the kinda crispy, barky pieces were actually on the menu and not being cut off and fed to the dogs.  And of course, been all over my great state here of Texas, from The Salt Lick in Austin to Rudy's, to West Texas Style BBQ in Silsbee (best brisket you will ever eat, guaranteed!), I like 'em all.  Now this summer, on our family vacation (very reminiscent of the Griswalds going to Wally World) to Disney World, when we reached Orlando Sunday evening, we passed by a BBQ joint called "Wildside" I think, they had a pit smoking out next to the highway and I just couldn't pass up that sweet, smoky smell, so we whipped the family truckster in there to eat.  They had a pulled bbq chicken sandwich on the menu and that just sounded good, boy was I wrong.  It was chopped up chicken (probably oven cooked) in some crappy, thin sauce.  Worst $7.95 I have ever spent on the Q.  Should have known better than to try a resort towns BBQ.  I'm guessing the pit out front was just there to draw people in, worked on me.  As far as what style I cook to, I cook my style.  I season, smoke, baste, mop and otherwise cook to mine and my families preference.  If your smokin', don't think you can go wrong.


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## sprky (Jan 12, 2012)

LOL style is a relative term its how you look at it. To me I have a wide range of styles, all depends on what the flavor of the month is.

Then you have the wimp style (no heat), the mild style ( little heat) medium style ( mid range heat) and the chili head style ( Hot heat).

There for I feel this is an unanswerable question, subject to a huge debate. just my $0.02

I'm in no way saying that this can't be answered I just feel style is in how you view it.


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## mdboatbum (Jan 12, 2012)

I was kinda wondering about the regional variations, but thanks for all the answers.

Found this on Wikipedia:
[h2]Main regional styles[/h2]
See also: Regional variations of barbecue

While the wide variety of barbecue styles makes it difficult to break barbecue styles down into regions, there are four major styles commonly referenced (though many sources list more). The four major styles are Memphis and Carolina, which rely on pork and represent the oldest styles, and Kansas City and Texas, which utilize beef as well as pork, and represent the later evolution of the original deep south barbecue.[sup][10][/sup] Pork is the most common meat used, followed by beef and veal, often with chicken or turkey in addition. Lamb and mutton are found in some areas, such as Owensboro, Kentucky, and some regions will add other meats.[sup][2][/sup][sup][3][/sup]
[h3][edit] Memphis[/h3]
Memphis barbecue is primarily two different dishes: ribs, which come "wet" and "dry", and barbecue sandwiches. Wet ribs are brushed with sauce before and after cooking, and dry ribs are seasoned with a dry rub. Barbecue sandwiches in Memphis are typically chopped pork served on a simple bun and topped with cole slaw. Of note is the willingness of Memphians to put this chopped pork on many non-traditional dishes, such as pizza or nachos.[sup][2][/sup][sup][3][/sup]
[h3][edit] Carolinas[/h3]
Carolina barbecue is usually pork, served pulled, shredded, or chopped, but sometimes sliced. It may also be rubbed with a spice mixture before smoking and mopped with a spice and vinegar liquid during smoking.

Two styles predominate in different parts of North Carolina. Eastern North Carolina barbecue is made by the use of the "whole hog", where the entire pig is barbecued and the meat from all parts of the pig are chopped and mixed together. Eastern North Carolina barbecue also uses a thin sauce made of spices and vinegar. Western North Carolina barbecue is made from only the pork shoulder, which is mainly dark meat, and uses a thicker sweetened tomato-based sauce. Western North Carolina barbecue is also known as Lexington barbecue, after the town of Lexington, North Carolina, home to many barbecue restaurants and a large barbecue festival, the Lexington Barbecue Festival.[sup][11][/sup][sup][12][/sup]

South Carolina has three regional styles. In western parts of the state, along the Savannah River, a peppery tomato or ketchup-based sauce is common. In the central part of the state (the Midlands), barbecue is characterized by the use of a yellow "Carolina Gold" sauce, made from a mixture of yellow mustard, vinegar, brown sugar and other spices. In the coastal "Pee Dee" region, they use the whole hog, and use a spicy, watery, vinegar-and-pepper sauce. In Piedmont area of the state shoulders, hams, or Boston butts are used.[sup][13][/sup]
[h3][edit] Kansas City[/h3]
Main article: Kansas City-style barbecue

Kansas City has a wide variety in meat, but the signature ingredient is the sauce. The meat is smoked with a dry rub, and the sauce served as a table sauce. Kansas City style sauce is thick and sweet (with significant exceptions such as Arthur Bryant's, which is significantly less sweet than others in the region, and Gates, notably spicier than other KC-style sauces) based on tomatoes and molasses. This is perhaps the most widespread of sauces, with the Kansas City recipe _K. C. Masterpiece_ being a top-selling brand.[sup][3][/sup][sup][9][/sup][sup][14][/sup]
[h3][edit] Texas[/h3]
Main article: Barbecue in Texas

There are four generally recognized regional styles of barbecue in Texas: East Texas style, which is essentially Southern barbecue and is also found in many urban areas; Central Texas "meat market style," which originated in the butcher shops of German and Czech immigrants to the region; West Texas "cowboy style," which involves direct cooking over mesquite and uses goat and mutton as well as beef; and South Texas barbacoa, in which the head of a cow is cooked (originally underground).[sup][15][/sup][sup][_page needed_][/sup]
[h2][edit] Other regions[/h2][h3][edit] California[/h3]
The original use of buried cooking in barbecue pits in North America was done by the Native Americans for thousands of years, including by the tribes of California. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries eras, when the territory became Spanish Las Californias and then Mexican Alta California, the Missions and ranchos of California had large cattle herds for hides and tallow use and export. At the end of the culling and leather tanning season large pit barbecues cooked the remaining meat. In the early days of California statehood after 1850 the Californios continued the outdoor cooking tradition for fiestas.

In California a well known barbecue dish is grilled tri-tip beef rump, sometimes cut into steaks. The Santa Maria Style BBQ, originally from the Central Coast of California, uses a portable 'towed' trailer version frequently seen at Farmers markets.[sup][16][/sup]
[h3][edit] Hawaii[/h3]
The cooking customs of the indigenous peoples of Polynesia became the traditional Hawaiian _Luau_ of the Native Hawaiians. It was brought to international attention by 20th century tourism to the islands.
[h3][edit] Other states[/h3]
Other regions of the core barbecue states tend to draw their influence from the neighboring styles, and often will draw from more than one region. Oklahoma barbecue, for example, combines elements of Texas, Kansas City, and Memphis barbecue adds its own unique elements, such as smoked bologna sausage.[sup][3][/sup][sup][7][/sup] The state of Kentucky is unusual in its barbecue cooking, in that the preferred meat is mutton. Southern barbecue is available outside of the core states; while far less common, the variety can be even greater. With no local tradition to draw on, these restaurants often bring together eclectic mixes of things such as Carolina pulled pork and Texas brisket on the same menu, or add in some original creations or elements of other types of cuisines.[sup][2][/sup]
[h2][edit][/h2]


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## smokey mo (Jan 12, 2012)

michael ark said:


> I go to rendezvous all the time they have never served anything but full ribs .They do serve pp but that's from butts  but what would a guy from Texas know about Memphis BBQ.





Might they serve country style spare ribs? Made out of shoulder? thus no bones? I dont know but in the northwest people think salmon goes on cedar and there is no other bbq than the gas grill.  I think we are pretty rare that spend all day and night to make food the right way.


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## eman (Jan 12, 2012)

BBQ is cooked on a grill slowly .

Grilling can be done on the same grill just quickly over high heat.

Smoking, Got to be Low an  slow.


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## venture (Jan 12, 2012)

Hmmm?

No consensus?

Good luck and good smoking.


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## alelover (Jan 12, 2012)

In NC BBQ is not a verb.


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## alelover (Jan 12, 2012)

It is the results of low and slow smoking.


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## sunman76 (Jan 13, 2012)

I'm not sure what my style is, so I guess it is time for a BBQ road trip to see which one mine is close to.  
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






Guess I go with sunman style.  I dont have any vacation time left


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## bruno994 (Jan 13, 2012)

Smokey Mo said:


> Might they serve country style spare ribs? Made out of shoulder? thus no bones? I dont know but in the northwest people think salmon goes on cedar and there is no other bbq than the gas grill.  I think we are pretty rare that spend all day and night to make food the right way.


It might have been, but probably not.  I'm sure 'michael ark' is right.  It was my one and only trip to that BBQ palace.  We were on a plant managers tour of a number of pallet mills and they fed our group at The Rendezvous.  We had a buffet style spread (group of about 50 men) and of course we had already been partaking in some adult beverages before we left the casinos down in Tunica, MS.  It probably was pulled pork, I just know everything was delcious, no matter what it was!  My bad if I was wrong.


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