Background
Before regional distinctions formed, barbecue abided by a simpler set of instructions—it was merely smoked meat (any type that was available) cooked outside, intended for large groups of people.“Barbecue as we know it today is a combination of Western European meets Native American techniques,” says Robert Moss, the author of Barbecue: The History of an American Institution, the first full-length history on the subject.
Read MoreStyles
Even within state lines, there are multiple micro-regional styles, with different camps arguing over who upholds the purest form. One thing is certain though — veer away from the sacred mantra ‘low and slow’ and you’ll be met with an unforgiving wrath. As barbecue author John Shelton Reed wrote, “Do not confuse the sacred and the propane.”
Read MorePersonal Testimony
I have traveled long and far, over rivers and through woods, to bring you this glorious display of my barbecue knowledge. Listen to my wisdom in Savannah's Field Guide.
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