If you ask the folks who swear by the fatty brisket of their hometown, it’s all about the sauce. Our tasters agree that this sweet, tomato-based original has the perfect balance of ingredients (no high-fructose corn syrup here), and it’s thick enough to cling to meat.

Culinary Director Sarah Farmer, Food Stylist Josh Rink and Culinary Assistant Ellie Crowley all participated in this taste test. Click the Tom’s BBQ to learn more.

If you ask people what BBQ is, you will get a wide variety of answers. It can be a cooking method, a restaurant, a cookout, or even a beautiful woman (slang). It is difficult to pin down a definitive definition because there are so many different foods that are called barbecue, and they are cooked in so many different ways. But there are some basic elements that you can look at to see if something is really barbecue.

One of the most important aspects of barbecue is that it involves smoke. It is hard to think of any barbecue without the presence of smoke, and the addition of smoke enhances the flavor of meat and other food.

Another key aspect of BBQ is that it is typically cooked at low temperatures for long periods of time. This allows the fat to break down and the food to be tenderized. Low temperature cooking also gives the food a chance to absorb the flavors of the wood used for smoking, which adds to its taste.

A third aspect of barbecue is that it often has a sauce, which serves to protect and bind the meat. The sauce can be as simple as a few squirts of mustard and some salt, or it can be as complex as a bourbon-based rub. This adds a sweetness and a consistency that is often missing from other methods of cooking meat.

There are many different methods of barbecuing, but they all share one thing in common: they involve slow cooking over a flame or hot coals to impart a special flavor. The most famous example is the smoked meats of the South, such as pork ribs and beef brisket. Other popular examples include chicken wings and pulled pork.

In America, the popularity of barbecue has increased in recent years due to television shows about grilling and to a degree because of the rise of fast-food chains that specialize in barbecue. Today there are thousands of barbecue restaurants across the country, and there are also many competitions where cooks compete to win prizes for their food.

Origins

The word barbecue is often used to describe meat seasoned and cooked over an open fire or in an enclosed pit. However, the word can also be applied to a variety of other cooking techniques, including smoking and frying. Moreover, it can refer to an event, usually festive and outdoors, at which food prepared with barbecue methods or equipment is served. Lastly, it can even be used to describe a flavor associated with foods cooked using barbecue techniques or equipment.

It is thought that barbecue as we know it today originated in the Caribbean. In the 16th century, the indigenous peoples that Christopher Columbus encountered on the island he named Hispaniola developed a style of roasting meats. The Taino Indians used a raised wooden framework called a barbacoa to hold meat over the flames and smoke from a fire, imparting a distinctive flavor. The Spanish explorer Gonzalo Fernandez de Oviedo y Valdes was the first to use the term barbecoa in print, in 1526 in the Diccionario de la Lengua Espaola (2nd Edition) of the Real Academia Espaola. The word was subsequently adopted by other European languages and is the basis for our modern spelling barbecue.

In the United States, the barbecue trend took off in the 19th century. By the early 20th century, BBQ grills and smokers had become deeply ingrained in American culture. In addition to being a way to cook meat, it became a social activity, a time for families and friends to come together. Skilled individuals who mastered the art of smoking and grilling became known as “pitmasters” and were revered in their communities for creating mouthwatering dishes.

While barbecue is generally thought to have originated in the Caribbean, it did not take long to reach the rest of the country. The South had a great supply of cattle, and once the Carolina low-and-slow technique spread to the West, it was not long before beef became part of the barbecue landscape.

The term barbecue has since expanded to include meats from a wide range of animals, as well as seafood and vegetables. It is cooked in outdoor grills, campfires, indoor fireplaces, open pits and in a bewildering array of steel devices. Today millions of Americans enjoy barbecuing every day, and a number of restaurants specialize in producing barbecue over wood or charcoal.

Styles

Across the country, barbecue styles have emerged, each with its own unique flavor and cooking techniques. From the tangy sauces of Carolina to the slow-smoked meats of Texas, each region has its own signature style that celebrates its local ingredients and history.

In North Carolina, the BBQ tradition centers on pork, which is seasoned with a tangy vinegar sauce to preserve the flavor of the meat. In Tennessee, Memphis is a leader in the BBQ world, and their signature dish is the famous ribs that fall off the bone. Kansas City BBQ is known for its ability to cook a variety of different meats, but they are best known for beef brisket and their delicious signature sauce.

Another popular BBQ style is Mongolian, which combines Chinese and Korean cuisine. The food is usually grilled over a grill and served with a selection of vegetables. A special sauce is also used, which has a thick ketchup base with sweetness and spice.

While there are many BBQ styles in the United States, four main strands of the tradition have developed: North Carolina and Memphis, which focus on pork; South Carolina and Texas, which use beef as well as pork; and Kansas City, which uses both meats equally. These four major styles have their own regional flavors and traditions that create distinct dishes and sauces.

Other countries have their own barbecue traditions, as well. In Taiwan, the most common dishes are pork belly and steamed buns stuffed with sliced meats. This style of cooking is very similar to Western-style bbq, which is cooked with indirect heat over long periods of time to achieve the desired smoky flavor.

Caribbean barbecuing involves marinating chicken, pork or beef in jerk seasoning, a combination of spices including allspice, thyme and scotch bonnet peppers. It is then grilled over hot coals or a gas grill and served with rice and peas or plantains.

Recipes

The perfect barbecue is all about crispy-edged, charred, tender meat slathered in deeply flavorful homemade sauce. Whether you prefer the classics like sticky ribs and brisket or are feeling adventurous with Thai Peanut Satay or Vietnamese Meatballs, these BBQ recipes will help you create a backyard feast.

If you’re looking for a light side to pair with your sweet, saucy BBQ chicken or ribs, try this fresh mango, jicama and red onion salad with spicy chili-lime dressing for a refreshing taste of summer. Or, if you’re a fan of seafood, this shrimp pasta salad is packed with al dente noodles, crunchy veggies and tender buttery shrimp. For vegetarians, there’s also this creamy, herby tofu dish that’s easy to make and is perfect on a hamburger bun or spread over homemade nachos. For more ideas, browse our full collection of summer BBQ recipes and easy grilling recipes.

Sarah Hopper