Is there anything similar to American BBQ in Europe?

[Rafter H BBQ]

Slow Roasting Meat was invented right after the discovery of Fire and was the ONLY way meat was cooked EVERYWHERE and by ALL HUMANS until the invention of Clay Pots. Call it BBQ, BARBECUE, BARBACOA, VIANDE RÔTIE LENTEMENT (French), NYAMA CHOMA (Kenyan) or any of the Above preparations...
People of ALL Nationalities, Races, and Religions have Slow Roasted Meat on an Open Fire, by some means, for approximately 300,000 YEARS and NO ONE GROUP can take full credit for its invention...JJ

Well said Chef!

 

[jcam222]

Slow Roasting Meat was invented right after the discovery of Fire and was the ONLY way meat was cooked EVERYWHERE and by ALL HUMANS until the invention of Clay Pots. Call it BBQ, BARBECUE, BARBACOA, VIANDE RÔTIE LENTEMENT (French), NYAMA CHOMA (Kenyan) or any of the Above preparations...
People of ALL Nationalities, Races, and Religions have Slow Roasted Meat on an Open Fire, by some means, for approximately 300,000 YEARS and NO ONE GROUP can take full credit for its invention...JJ

Couldn’t have said it better J

 

[paul_alex]

Slow Roasting Meat was invented right after the discovery of Fire and was the ONLY way meat was cooked EVERYWHERE and by ALL HUMANS until the invention of Clay Pots. Call it BBQ, BARBECUE, BARBACOA, VIANDE RÔTIE LENTEMENT (French), NYAMA CHOMA (Kenyan) or any of the Above preparations...
People of ALL Nationalities, Races, and Religions have Slow Roasted Meat on an Open Fire, by some means, for approximately 300,000 YEARS and NO ONE GROUP can take full credit for its invention...JJ

Exactly. Even in American BBQ there have clearly been European contributions. Not sure why people want to deny it.

Texas smoked brisket - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Also I am pretty sure Cochon de lait did indeed originate in France.

 

[Humo18]

At least Nordic Europeans were smoking fish to preserve them a while before American slaves were BBQ'ing. Spending 16+hrs smoking a brisket to make it edible might have seemed like too much work, though- have no idea.

In the 9th century A.D. Scandinavian people slaughtered pigs and goats for food in the Fall to prepare for the severe winters. I would imagine that during warmer autumns they smoked the meat to preserve it. During colder seasons I guess that freezing the meat was in order. Since they raised geese for food, they probably smoked them too like we smoke chicken today.

 

[JLeonard]

I'm no expert.... But in my opinion what we call "BBQ" here in the States is a melting pot of all forms of cooking. There is no true American form of cooking. It all borrows from all cultures. And of course what some call "soul food" I just call "good eating", it seems to be a regional thing as to what we call things. I say thank you to all that have came before and lent their culture to our form of "BBQ".
Jim

 

[Humo18]

Slow Roasting Meat was invented right after the discovery of Fire and was the ONLY way meat was cooked EVERYWHERE and by ALL HUMANS until the invention of Clay Pots. Call it BBQ, BARBECUE, BARBACOA, VIANDE RÔTIE LENTEMENT (French), NYAMA CHOMA (Kenyan) or any of the Above preparations...
People of ALL Nationalities, Races, and Religions have Slow Roasted Meat on an Open Fire, by some means, for approximately 300,000 YEARS and NO ONE GROUP can take full credit for its invention...JJ

cheff jimmyj, that's true! We have been fire-roasting meat since archaic man (Homo Erectus) in Eastern Africa accidentally dropped his food on his warming fire 100k's years ago and liked it. Homo Erectus spread throughout Asia and Europe all the way to Spain. It's now in our genes all over the world.

 

[bill ace 350]

I see. Not sure about Cochnillo.

Did they borrow the idea from slaves or did they figure it out on their own ? It seems simple enough in a warm environment to smoke the leftovers/

Agree. In reality, many cultures no doubt figured it out on their own.

For those that disagree, i will use the example of "simple" technology found throughout the world, developed independently- the bow and arrow.

 

[paul_alex]

In the 9th century A.D. Scandinavian people slaughtered pigs and goats for food in the Fall to prepare for the severe winters. I would imagine that during warmer autumns they smoked the meat to preserve it. During colder seasons I guess that freezing the meat was in order. Since they raised geese for food, they probably smoked them too like we smoke chicken today.

That would make sense. I would imagine spit roasting birds was a common sight all over Eurasia.

 

[paul_alex]

I'm no expert.... But in my opinion what we call "BBQ" here in the States is a melting pot of all forms of cooking. There is no true American form of cooking. It all borrows from all cultures. And of course what some call "soul food" I just call "good eating", it seems to be a regional thing as to what we call things. I say thank you to all that have came before and lent their culture to our form of "BBQ".
Jim

Agree. There is no doubt European, African and Native influence

Agree. In reality, many cultures no doubt figured it out on their own.

For those that disagree, i will use the example of "simple" technology found throughout the world, developed independently- the bow and arrow.

Agree. I suspect those who have an issue with this are influenced by articles like this: https://www.theguardian.com/comment...-tradition-enslaved-africans-native-americans

As if European immigrants were foreigners to smoking. Pig roasts, Ox Roasts and smoked chicken was present in the Middle Ages.

 

[paul_alex]

From some of my research it seems ox roasts died in popularity after the Middle Ages. I wonder why.

 

[paul_alex]

Agree. In reality, many cultures no doubt figured it out on their own.

For those that disagree, i will use the example of "simple" technology found throughout the world, developed independently- the bow and arrow.

What do you think of this article?

Barbecue is an American tradition – of enslaved Africans and Native Americans | Michael W Twitty

The traditional holiday cookout has its roots in the cooperation between black and indigenous peoples struggling to get or keep their freedom from colonialists

www.theguardian.com

Even if slaves did most of the cooking (no real sources and not sure how that is provable) I have read Lexington style BBQ's use of pork shoulder dates back to Germans and Texas' emphasis on brisket and sausage is indeed a German-Czech thing. Whole hog BBQ exists all around the world.

 

[bill ace 350]

What do you think of this article?

Barbecue is an American tradition – of enslaved Africans and Native Americans | Michael W Twitty

The traditional holiday cookout has its roots in the cooperation between black and indigenous peoples struggling to get or keep their freedom from colonialists

www.theguardian.com

Even if slaves did most of the cooking (no real sources and not sure how that is provable) I have read Lexington style BBQ's use of pork shoulder dates back to Germans and Texas' emphasis on brisket and sausage is indeed a German-Czech thing. Whole hog BBQ exists all around the world.

Short on evidence, long on opinion and conjecture.

 

[forktender]

Myron Mixon invented BBQ, just ask him!!!.

 

[Humo18]

 

[paul_alex]

Short on evidence, long on opinion and conjecture.

Here is another article saying the same thing.

From Plantation to Barbecue Joint: The Black Contribution to American Barbecue

Professor and culinary historian Jessica B. Harris writes about the history and Black contribution to American barbecue.

barbecuebible.com

I am pretty sure whole animals roasts were common in the part of Europe early colonists came from. These articles seem way off base to me. But these people somehow have awards and pHDs.

 

[Humo18]

From some of my research it seems ox roasts died in popularity after the Middle Ages. I wonder why.

Being beasts of burden, maybe owners could not afford to get rid of a working animal?

 

[Humo18]

Here is another article saying the same thing.

From Plantation to Barbecue Joint: The Black Contribution to American Barbecue

Professor and culinary historian Jessica B. Harris writes about the history and Black contribution to American barbecue.

barbecuebible.com

I am pretty sure whole animals roasts were common in the part of Europe early colonists came from. These articles seem way off base to me. But these people somehow have awards and pHDs.

There is no denying that African Americans of the south have contributed greatly to the evolution of BBQ in our country. Many great black pitmasters out there that ply their trade based on cultural learnings and cook amazing BBQ. I just don't get articles that claim that this fact has been erased from history.

 

[paul_alex]

There is no denying that African Americans of the south have contributed greatly to the evolution of BBQ in our country. Many great black pitmasters out there that ply their trade based on cultural learnings and cook amazing BBQ. I just don't get articles that claim that this fact has been erased from history.

Agreed. But they are not the only ones like these articles claim.

 

[Humo18]

Agreed. But they are not the only ones like these articles claim.

That's true.

 

[bill ace 350]

Some scientists estimate fire has been used to cook food for at least 1.6 million years.

I don't think any one group can claim to have "invented" bbq cooking.