Is there actually any European influence in American BBQ?

[AlaMoi]

yes.  indeed.  always an interesting bit of wtf? for those interested in  . . .

 

Asia is 50% of the world population, , , one cannot 'dismiss' the habits and accepted definitions applied to their experiences.

I suspect that the usual USA BBQ method require far more fuel than Asians use (by choice or by need. . . )

 

whether Asians  crave USA BBQ style . . . I cannot address - don't live there.  which raises the question - is there an Asian cooking technique which can be considered 'the same as' (the rather loosely defined) US BBQ?

[heidih]

Odd conversation, In California BBQ means outdoor grilling. Today Q Southern style means 

 

Edited November 10, 2023 by heidih (log)

[rotuts]

I grew up in the Bay Area 

 

well before there were Weber's 

 

BBQ was grilling over Kingsford.  

 

there were no  low and slow BBQ anywhere.

 

Burgers , Dogs , Chicken 

 

and the chicken was whole , and done on a rotisserie.

Edited November 10, 2023 by rotuts (log)

[Anchobrie]

13 hours ago, mleonnig said:

The use of various bbq rigs such as offset stick burners, barrel smokers, and vertical smokers, employing indirect heat and the resulting directed air flow and smoke control, as well as the ingredients spices, and cuts we use, is what makes American Barbecue original and sought after globally.

 

I agree, cooking directly over coals and fire, or "grilling", goes back to before the Neolithic (but Americans do a lot of that as well and it is a cultural cornerstone for us too).  

 

 

Romans did that over 2000 years ago to smoke salmons from the Atlantic shores of their empire (from North Portugal to France) to ship them to Rome. I don't think they were teach by any American....

Regarding the spices, I agree, EEUU have their own seasoning and maybe some cuts, and not really appealing to me. I rather will use spices or cuts from other Americans (like those living down in Patagonia who knows how to roast). But yes, in the US people use their cuts, and in Argentina use their own cuts... what's the point?.

I don;t know what mean the rest of that phrase. I have lived in a few places around the globe (including 4 states in the US) and people don;t really sought after "US" barbecue. Much more sought after are Brazilian or Argentinian meat places, and they have nothing to do with the stuff done in the North of the continent.

 

cheers

[gfweb]

3 minutes ago, Anchobrie said:

 I have lived in a few places around the globe (including 4 states in the US) and people don;t really sought after "US" barbecue. Much more sought after are Brazilian or Argentinian meat places, and they have nothing to do with the stuff done in the North of the continent.

 

cheers

 

 

"People don't seek after US Barbecue"? 

 

Perhaps if you lived in Vermont or Maine... but all over the US South BBQ is the t hing and South American restaurants are a perhaps interesting novelty at best.

[liuzhou]

8 minutes ago, gfweb said:

all over the US South BBQ is the t hing

 

But not around the globe which was the claim.

[rotuts]

BBQ is a very regional thing.

 

some southern states have at least 3 distinct styles

 

and the other two , not far from you , are not consider proper BBQ

[rotuts]

if BBQ is considered ' low and slow '

 

they availability of cheap ( wood ) fuel might be a consideration 

 

for its evolution .

 

in many parts of the America's  fallen hardwood trees are common .

 

the south excels at low and slow possibly because its warmer , thus has extra cheap fuel

 

for low and slow , if not free fuel .   they don't import English Walnut for Texas BBQ Id guess.

 

in the North , that fuel kept you from freezing in the winter , so no low and slow

 

 and soft wood trees , pine etc  would never work  due to the resin.

[Anchobrie]

26 minutes ago, gfweb said:

 

 

"People don't seek after US Barbecue"? 

 

Perhaps if you lived in Vermont or Maine... but all over the US South BBQ is the t hing and South American restaurants are a perhaps interesting novelty at best.

I have to agree (I do live in the US South after spending some time in NE).

However, the post I was answering stated thatUS BBQ  was sought after globally. Every one has its own experience. But for each "steak house" I see several Argentinian or Brazilian rest (and those american steak houses are often not really bbq places) around the globe.

 

cheers.

[rotuts]

I agree

 

Southern USA BBQ , low and slow 

 

does not really travel well.

 

that thought led me to think about the fuel issues.

 

fuel for it should be hard wood , and very cheap .

 

not so easy to find in most places these days , and days of yore.

Edited November 10, 2023 by rotuts (log)

[Smithy]

@rotuts, you raise a good point about the fuel. In the parts of Texas we frequent, the preferred wood seems to be mesquite at the commercial operations. I've seen competition folks there use oak instead, and there may be barbecue places that we haven't tried that prefer oak. Both types of wood are abundant in the area. 

[liuzhou]

There was a brief fashion for Brazilian BBQ here in China about 15 years ago. Lasted about 6 months.

 

巴西 means Brazil and 烤肉 (top right of the sign) is roast meat.

 

I can also recommend Tibetan BBQ'd yak meat grilled over a yak dung fire. Not many trees up there!

 

 

[rotuts]

Aaron Franklin uses Post Oak  its abundant in his area 

 

and people call him and he clears out the fallen Oak.

 

in the fine video @heidih posted 

 

one pit maser mentioned he got called for local wood , free

 

and the caller's family came in later for free BBQ .

 

in New England where I live , there are lots of low stone walls. @ the property line.

 

I have one along my back yard.  

 

those stones were probably not imported from France .

Edited November 10, 2023 by rotuts (log)

[heidih]

And let us not even go to sauce styles which are integral to US Southern Q

[gfweb]

1 hour ago, Anchobrie said:

I have to agree (I do live in the US South after spending some time in NE).

However, the post I was answering stated thatUS BBQ  was sought after globally. Every one has its own experience. But for each "steak house" I see several Argentinian or Brazilian rest (and those american steak houses are often not really bbq places) around the globe.

 

cheers.

 

That certainly is true.

 

I'd take it further and say that US BBQ doesn't make for much of a restaurant experience even in the US.  Its pretty monotone and largely too sweet for my taste.

[rotuts]

again , in the video BBQ is mentioned as a communal sort of affair

 

restaurant ( steak house ) is more gentrified.

 

most BBQ spots are not where you might want to wear your bespoke stuff..

 

but they are very very good eating places .

[C. sapidus]

I see quite a few posts blurring the lines between (in decreasing order of temperature) grilling, BBQ, and cold-smoking. Clarity on that terminology would help focus this discussion.

 

I suspect that people from many cultures have contributed to what we call American BBQ. 🤷🏼‍♂️

[C. sapidus]

Here are a couple of articles on the history of barbecue, for those who are interested:

 

The Origins of the Word “Barbecue” (JSTOR Daily)

 

The History of the Barbecue: A Native American method of tenderising meat goes global (History Today)

[Captain]

Here in Australia we call grilling and broiling heating from above.  BBq is heat from below.

[C. sapidus]

30 minutes ago, Captain said:

Here in Australia we call grilling and broiling heating from above.  BBq is heat from below.

 

Yes in the US people will say they are "Having a barbecue" (Australian meaning - high heat from below) so the terminology is severely jumbled, even before traveling the world.

 

Probably too wordy to say, "Indirect heat with smoke at 230°F (110°C)" rather than "BBQ".

 

Edited November 10, 2023 by C. sapidus
Temperature conversion whoops (log)

[liuzhou]

2 hours ago, Captain said:

Here in Australia we call grilling and broiling heating from above.  BBq is heat from below.

 

Same in UK. Usually.

[Anchobrie]

14 hours ago, C. sapidus said:

Here are a couple of articles on the history of barbecue, for those who are interested:

 

The Origins of the Word “Barbecue” (JSTOR Daily)

 

The History of the Barbecue: A Native American method of tenderising meat goes global (History Today)

 

Too much fuss regarding the wording.

 

See here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gridiron_(cooking)

 

It can be traced back to the Romans (as usual) in a western context. I am sure it can be traced down in a similar way in Asian populations who knows how to handle iron and metals (to make the fundamental part of a bbq, the Gridiron).

Not sure when it happened in North american native communities, but I cannot see them barbecuing before they had access to a metallic Gridiron.

[C. sapidus]

2 hours ago, Anchobrie said:

Not sure when it happened in North american native communities, but I cannot see them barbecuing before they had access to a metallic Gridiron.

 

Non-metallic gridiron, from the second link above. I expect that wet/green wood was needed.

 

 

 

[mleonnig]

On 11/10/2023 at 10:01 AM, gfweb said:

 

That certainly is true.

 

I'd take it further and say that US BBQ doesn't make for much of a restaurant experience even in the US.  Its pretty monotone and largely too sweet for my taste.

I would disagree. It's quite possible that you have not explored enough us barbecue because the US in particular is known to have the most diverse and wide-ranging regional Styles and not all of them are sweet. A lot of styles focus on vinegar based sauces even Alabama has their own regional mayonnaise based sauce.  Santa Maria style 'cue in California is not sweet either.

 

I would also say the barbecue joints are not necessarily supposed to be a "restaurant" experience but are a unique "dining" experience all their own.

Edited November 11, 2023 by mleonnig (log)

[Anchobrie]

3 hours ago, C. sapidus said:

 

Non-metallic gridiron, from the second link above. I expect that wet/green wood was needed.

 

 

 

Sure, still, modern BBQ use stuff already known in the old world 2000 years ago. Everything points out that the OP message is completely wrong, and that's why I am writting here, to fix his errors.

Now, we know people barbque  in the old world before 75 AD, when the Vesuvius blow up....

 

I am wondering if you support the OP statement, do you?

I have found other threads opened by him and are full of... well, full of errors and mistakes, at minimum.

 

cheers