Summertime by Donovan Locke.
Took me some time to find this video. It’s awesome. The singer is Donovan Locke with the Toronto All Star Big Band. The best version of “Summertime” Ever! This man has chops. And the sax player was terrific.
O.K. Time to fire up the grill and do some BBQ. And Summer isn’t the only time I do BBQ. I have BBQ’d in every type of weather. Sun, rain, snow, hail. Whatever. Whether you use charcoal, wood chunks, or propane gas, the results are scrumptious eats. I either use charcoal or wood chunks. I won’t use propane gas (it leaves a nasty taste in my mouth. And I won’t use starter fuel for the same reason. I use a chimney starter).
So, how did BBQ come about? I suppose when humans first learned how to cook meat over an open fire. And making sure the fire was smokey, to keep the insects away. So, while I was doing some research, I found out that there quite of number of countries that has some form of BBQ. Here are a few examples.
Korean method: thin slices of beef or pork cooked and served with rice.
Mongolian barbecue: which is really a type of stir-fry from Taiwan.
Here’s a slideshow about BBQ from around the world.
www.msn.com/...
On the bbqcritic website, they credit the origin of barbecue to the Taino Indians of the Caribbean islands.
When BBQing, you need to cook over indirect heat — usually a wood fire and cook for a long time. You need a combination of smoke, meat juices, fat and whatever spices or rub recipes you use. It could be wet or dry BBQ (with or without sauce).
Back to the history. This is a direct quote from the Time magazine website.
No one is really sure where the term barbecue originated. The conventional wisdom is that the Spanish, upon landing in the Caribbean, used the word barbacoa to refer to the natives' method of slow-cooking meat over a wooden platform. By the 19th century, the culinary technique was well established in the American South, and because pigs were prevalent in the region, pork became the primary meat at barbecues. Corn bread emerged as the side dish of choice, owing largely to the fact that in humid Southern climates, corn grew better than wheat (which was prone to fungal infections). Barbecue allowed an abundance of food to be cooked at once and quickly became the go-to menu item for large gatherings like church festivals and neighborhood picnics.
Here in the U.S., there are four main styles: Memphis, Tenn.; North Carolina; Kansas City; and Texas.
Memphis: Pulled pork-shoulder with a sweet tomato-based sauce.
North Carolina: The whole hog is smoked in a vinegar-based sauce.
Kansas City: Ribs with a dry rub.
Texas: Depends on where in the state. Eastern: pulled-pork, Western: mesquite-grilled brisket.
I imagine there are different variations of each style.
Pork, in the South, was the used the most because the hogs were low maintenance, and they produced large litters. Hogs also quickly matured. However, BBQ uses any kind of meat: beef, bison, turkey, chicken, rabbit, seafood, etc. Now and again, I would grill some bread and butter corn on the cob with an herb butter to go with the main dish. Maybe some asparagus. I’m not confident with making dessert on the grill. Or grilling fruit.
This is just a very short history of BBQ. There are many resources about BBQ history out on the web. And while you’re surfing the web, fire up the grill and indulge in some fantastic BBQ.
I can put on some hamburgers, brats, and hot dogs on the grill. They will be done in no time. But, if you want BBQ, you will have to wait. The longer, the better. That’s just my opinion.
BBQ is smoked, not grilled. You’re looking for the smoke ring. The key is slow and low. That’s BBQ! Enjoy.
Here’s a recipe for Baby Back Ribs Kansas City Style, courtesy of the Neelys from the Food Network.
It’s at least a four napkin eats. Goes well with a dark beer. I like Guinness, or Doppelbock bier (if you’re in Germany, that stuff will knock you on your rear. One bottle of Doppelbock had the alcohol content of 23%. Be careful.
Baby Back Ribs — Kansas City Style
Ingredients
- 2 slabs pork spare ribs, 3 pounds each
- Kansas City Barbeque Sauce, recipe follows
Dry Rub:
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 1/2 cup dry mustard
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
Kansas City Barbeque Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 (about 2/3 cup)small onion, finely diced
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup (2 (6-ounce) cans) tomato paste
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Dry Rub:
Remove the thin white membrane off of the bone-side of the ribs. Mix together the brown sugar, dry mustard, cayenne, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Massage the rub into the ribs and let sit for 1 hour or up to overnight.
If cooking on the grill, place the ribs meat-side down next to medium-hot coals that are about 225 degrees F. The indirect heat will cook them slower, making them tender. Allow to cook for 1 hour. Turn ribs every half hour and baste with the Kansas City Barbeque Sauce. Cook until the ribs are tender, about 3 to 4 hours.
If cooking indoors, place in a roasting pan with a rack. Slather the ribs with the Kansas City Barbeque Sauce and tent a piece of aluminum foil over them. In a preheated 350 degrees F. oven, place the ribs, basting with the sauce every 30 minutes and removing the foil for the last 30 minutes and cooking until fork tender, about 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
Kansas City Barbeque Sauce:
In a small saucepot on medium-high heat, heat the oil and add the onion, cooking until translucent.
Add the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and mix together. Add to sauce pan and let simmer for 30 to 45 minutes. Use to baste the pork spare ribs.
3 cups