"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?

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.

SmokinAl · Jan 11, 2012

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

sqwib · Jan 11, 2012

"SQWIB style"

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.

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:

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

Good luck and good smoking.

Good find

.

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?

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?

africanmeat · Jan 11, 2012

I rub it i smoke it then every body eats it

must be a tasty style

scarbelly · Jan 11, 2012

africanmeat said:
I rub it i smoke it then every body eats it

must be a tasty style

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

alelover · Jan 11, 2012

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

x2

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.

miamirick · Jan 11, 2012

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

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.

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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