April 6, 2006
Barbecue and Barbacoa
By Stan Dyer
According to the National Barbecue Association, May is National Barbecue month. Now I'm vegetarian, and I don't barbecue, but with the weather warming up, and people's thoughts turning toward entertaining outside, I'm sure many readers will soon be firing up their grills. With this in mind, I have prepared a short history of barbecue and barbacoa to amuse you while you're waiting for dinner to cook. Whether it's barbecue or barbacoa, cooking outdoors is an American tradition that dates beyond the founding fathers.
The tradition we enjoy today of barbecuing outside is more likely "grilling" than barbecuing. Barbecuing is the slow cooking of meats in a variety of styles using hot coals, smoke, and, sometimes, water. The process takes hours to complete. Grilling uses a flame to cook meats quickly, and was probably developed by people who could not wait for their barbecue. The outdoor get-together associated with grilling is sometimes called a barbecue, and that's OK, but they aren't always serving up barbecue. Real barbecue most likely developed from the West Indies and the practice they called "barbacoa".
There are a number of interesting and colorful stories surrounding the origins of the word "barbecue", but most cannot be verified. What can be verified is the Haitian word "barbacoa" used to describe the wood rack they used to prepare meats in the barbecue fashion. Thus, barbecue is historically linked to this region even though it was practiced in other places and in other cultures. From there, the practice probably migrated North with the Spanish explorers to develop into the modern practice as we know it.
Barbacoa involves a hole in the ground, or pit and a fire. The fire is burned down to hot coals that are situated around the meat to be cooked. The meat is prepared by wrapping it in some protective wrapping, (banana leaves), and placed over a cauldron of water. All of this is covered with moist soil and left to bake in the ground for 10 to 12 hours, or longer.
In Mexico, variant forms of this practice developed into modern barbacoa. The type of meat used and the method varies according to availability and the tastes of different regions. In Central Mexico, the preferred meat for barbacoa is lamb. In the Yucatan, it's pork. In the Northern Regions, and on into Texas, the preferred meat is beef or cabrito. They also like "barbacoa de cabeza". This is cow's head prepared in the slow-cooked, pit method. I actually asked a man from the region if he ever tasted barbacoa de cabeza. He told me had, and he assured me it was "good"! I'll take his word for it. I actually have my concerns about anyone eating nerve meats after studying Mad Cow disease and prions.
Readers may be surprised to learn that the tradition of barbecue in other areas of North America actually developed on the East Coast. It makes more sense when you consider that this was the region first settled by European immigrants. Many of the people coming to the New World at that time were poor. They could not afford to tend to animals much, so they let their hogs run wild to fend for themselves. Later, when food was needed, or to "cull" the herd, these semi-wild hogs were rounded up and prepared in large pits. It is suggested that the word barbecue came at this time from a corruption of the word barbacoa used by the indigenous peoples who taught the method to the settlers.
As the barbecue developed, different sauces and treatments developed with it, depending again on regional availability and tastes. In the area of North Carolina, chopped pork is used served with a peppery, vinegar sauce along side cole slaw and hush puppies. This is not unlike the traditional treatment of fish. A bit further South in South Carolina and Georgia, they prefer a yellow mustard-based sauce. They serve barbecue with light bread, cole slaw, and "hash" with rice. This "hash" is a preparation of stewed organ meats. Georgians may also add a Brunswick stew.
In the Central South, the regions of Tennessee, Alabama, and Arkansas, the pork is pulled instead of chopped. Memphis Style barbecue uses a tomato-based sauce with peppers and molasses, served with cole slaw, cornbread, and french fries. This region is where ribs start becoming more of a focus. Alabama is similar, but they serve a spicier red sauce. Arkansas varies by region with each region favoring the treatment of the nearest bordering state.
When you get as far West as Texas, you get into cattle country and the preferred meat for barbecue changes from pork to beef. People out West seem to prefer beef barbecue, at least until they taste pork. In Texas, they also serve barbacoa de cabeza, but as a breakfast entre.
Whether you enjoy barbacoa, barbecue, or grilling, and no matter what style you prefer, or which meat you use, remember to practice safe food habits always. Meat being prepared for barbecue or grilling should be pre-cooked in a microwave. This cuts down on the grease dropping on the coals that produces "benzopyrene". Benzopyrene is the carcinogenic chemical that has people of science warning the public about the dangers of barbecue. In addition, when you are out in the hot sun, remember the one-hour rule: Never let your food sit above 32 degrees or below 100 degrees for longer than an hour. This practice reduces the formation of food bacteria that can lead to food poisoning. Be especially careful with mayonnaise and egg-based salads you intend to serve with your meal. They should always be kept out of direct sunlight, and chilled.
Barbecuing is an American tradition that dates beyond the founding fathers. It has developed into the modern tradition we know, and a celebration of the temperate summer months. This summer, enjoy your own traditions, keep them safe for all, and, if you don't have time for your own barbecue, try Famous Dave's or Big Papa's. I have it on good advice that either one will make you smile.