Saturday, October 14, 2006

Lesson in BBQ



I love BBQ. But until I moved to North Carolina two months ago I had no idea that there are actually four different types of BBQ. Did you?



"Original BBQ Sauce"

The "original" barbeque sauce, dating back hundreds (yes, hundreds) of years is Vinegar and Pepper, the first and simplest of the four. It is found on the coastal plains of both North and South Carolina and to a slight degree in Virginia and Georgia. From my experience thus far, if you are visiting NC this seems to be the type of BBQ served in most places.

"Mustard Sauce"
The second of the four sauces is the one that is distinct to South Carolina and the one that people most often think of as South Carolina style - Mustard Sauce. I have not tried this type of sauce, however, a resturant that Matt and I frequent offer mustard sauce as a choice for BBQ.

"Light Tomato Sauce"
The third type of sauce is Light Tomato sauce. This sauce is (or was) little more than Vinegar and Pepper with tomato ketchup added. This type of sauce can be found throughout parts of NC and SC.

"Traditional BBQ Sauce"
The fourth sauce is "Heavy Tomato sauce". This sauce has evolved in the last sixty or so years, and is the type of sauce that most Americans think of as barbeque sauce. You know the stuff Kraft, KC Masterpiece or some local joint makes. The stuff typically served with a rack of ribs or at Famous Dave's and Smokey Bones.

So hungry for some BBQ? Come on down to NC. I promise you it is some of the best BBQ you will ever taste. I even know a place that serves all four types of sauces.

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