To fully appreciate the meat, one must first understand the meat.
Baby Back Ribs (a.k.a Back ribs or loin ribs)
Taken from the top of the rib cage between the spine and the spare ribs, below the loin muscle of a pig. They have meat between the bones and on top of the bones; baby back ribs are curved, shorter and often meatier than other ribs.
Bark
Chewy, jerky-like crust that forms on seasoned meats that are smoked.
Boston Butt
Most often used for pulled pork. This cut comes from the upper part of a front leg of the pig.
Brine
A mixture of liquid, salt, and seasonings used to enhance a piece of meat prior to cooking. It adds moisture, as well as flavor, to the meat.
Brisket
A cut of meat from the breast or lower chest of a steer or cow. It consists of two parts: the flat or lean side (which has less fat) and the deckle or point side (which has more fat.
Burnt Ends
Usually from the point of the brisket. The cubed, crusty, chewy edges of the beef brisket.
Chip
Kentucky barbecue term referring to crispy, chewy, diced pieces from the outer edges of smoked mutton and pork. These pieces are combined and served with thin, vinegary, allspice-flavored barbecue sauce called dip.
Chuck Ribs
Beef ribs from the upper front of the rack of the steer or cow;ribs 2, 3, 4 and 5.
Dip
A thin, vinegary barbecue sauce.
Dry Glaze
In Memphis, a finish you can request for ribs. Ribs are topped with a barbecue sauce that has been smoked to thicken its consistency; that sauce is then topped with a generous coating of seasoning.
Dry Ribs
In Memphis, a finish you can request for ribs. Pork ribs are smoked first, lightly seasoned, then finished and served with a generous coating of seasoning—without sauce.
Fat Cap
The thick, white layer of fat on top of meat. Best trimmed to a ¼ thickness. It serves many purposes, including adding flavor and protecting the meat, keeping it tender.
Fatty Side (a.k.a Moist Side)
Refers to the fattier side of a beef brisket.
Flat (a.k.a The Flat)
Refers to the lean side of a beef brisket, which has more meat and less fat.
Hot n' Fast
Refers to cooking over direct, radiant high heat (usually an open flame) at temperatures over 350°F. Cooking at these temps requires you to turn the meat more often, to prevent burning.
Lean Side (a.k.a The Lean)
Refers to the less fatty side of a beef brisket.
Low n' Slow
A method of barbecuing where food is cooked at a low temperature for a long time, sometimes up to 18 hours. The food is not placed directly over the heat source. The heat doesn’t exceed 275°F and usually is closer to 225°F.
Meat & Cheese
A Memphis barbecue appetizer consisting of smoked bologna, smoked summer sausage, cheddar cheese, crackers, and a side of barbecue sauce.
Mop (a.k.a Mop Sauce)
A thin sauce brushed or sprayed onto the meat’s surface while it cooks. A classic mop is vinegar based and mixed with black pepper, red pepper flakes, and hot sauce.
Necked (a.k.a Naked)
Barbecued meat served unseasoned and without sauce.
Paste Sauce
A barbecue sauce made from tomato paste or sauce.
Pit
A generic term for any device used to cook barbecue.
Plate Ribs (a.k.a Short Plate Ribs)
Beef ribs from the lower center rack of a steer or cow; ribs 6, 7 and 8.
Point (a.k.a The Point)
Refers to the fatty side of a beef brisket.
Pork Rinds
In a pig, the subcutaneous layer of fat (underneath the skin) fried to a puffy, crispy texture.
Rib Tips
The very end of a rack of spare ribs. When a rack is trimmed horizontally to make St. Louis style ribs, there is a thin strip of rib ends (or tips) left behind.
St. Louis Style Ribs
Pork ribs that have had the rib tips trimmed off.
Wet Ribs
In Memphis, a finish you can request for ribs. Pork ribs are brushed with sauce before, during, and after the cooking process.