Every spring, North Americans fire up their grills, stock up on meat, and get ready for a slew of delectable barbecues. However, how much do we truly know about barbecuing? This list will offer you with everything you need to surprise your friends at the next neighborhood BBQ, from the roots of popular activities to startling techniques and tactics!
1) Barbecues have their origins in pig-pickins, which were popular in the South prior to the Civil War. The crowd ate whole hogs that had been prepared.
2) Meats have been smoked since 6000 B.C. to make them safe to eat and keep. To prevent germs and enzymes from growing, the beef was subjected to smoke and low heat.
3) A Barbie is a term used in Australia to refer to a BBQ. The phrase "I'll slide an extra shrimp on the Barbie for you," which first featured in Australian tourism commercials, is frequently used to describe the country.
4) Today's barbecue isn't genuinely barbecuing for most North Americans. Barbecuing is the process of cooking meat at temperatures close to the boiling point of water (180-220°F) over a longer period of time in order to tenderize it while retaining its natural juices. Today, the most popular method is broiling, which involves cooking at a temperature of 475-700°F in a fraction of the time.
5) Half of all marshmallows consumed in the United States were toasted over a grill, according to the Barbecue Industry Association.
6) Bring your bathroom scale outside and weigh the gas tank to find out how much propane you have left.
7) The origins of the term "barbecue" are a mystery. Some say it derived from the American-Indian word barbacoa, which meant "cooking wood." Others claim it comes from the French phrase de barbe queue, which means "tail whiskers."
8) Use liquid smoke to provide a smoky flavor to foods cooked on a gas barbecue or inside the house. This product, which is a condensation of actual smoke, may be readily added to any BBQ marinade or sauce.
9) Barbecuing brisket, a tough cut of beef derived from a cow's chest, takes one to two hours per pound. For a normal 8-pound chunk, that's an average of 12 hours on the grill!
10) Both Kansas City, Missouri, and Lexington, North Carolina, proclaim themselves to be the world's barbecue capitals. Memphis, on the other hand, claims to be the home of pig barbecue.
