If you enjoy meat, you have probably eaten barbecued food in the past. But have you ever given the history of this delicious culinary technique any thought? What does the term “barbecue” mean? What is the origin of this slang term? And why can the term be spelled in two different ways?
What Is Meant by BBQ?
The term “barbecue” is shortened to “BBQ.” Additionally, you may see that BBQ stands for “barbeque,” “barb-cue,” or “bar-b-que,” depending on where you are in the world.
It’s interesting to note that tech-savvy people can interpret it as “Better Be Quick.” But if they like meat and there’s a slab of it sizzling over hot coals nearby, they’ll understand what you mean.
What Was the Origin of the BBQ Abbreviation?
The origins of the abbreviation are the subject of several hypotheses.
According to a 1982 edition of Tarheel magazine, the term “BBQ” is thought to have originated at a pub in the 19th century. To succinctly explain what to expect, the bar owner came up with the name “Bar Beer Cue Pig.” This window advertisement was quickly imitated by other pubs, and the term eventually evolved into the well-known acronym. Thus, this theory.
According to another account, a rancher roasted entire sides of beef using a brand bearing the initials “BQ.” According to the myth, “BBQ” was created by establishing a link between the brand and the cooking technique.
The common understanding is that the abbreviation was first used in the 1930s. However, see this Texas Monthly article for a thorough examination of the origins of the acronym.
Why Can You Spell “Barbecue” Two Different Ways?
The “Q” in the acronym is to blame for that. The problem is that “barbeque” and “BBQ” seem to be more closely spelled than “barbecue” and “BBQ.”
Additionally, it hasn’t helped that food companies all over the world have adopted the previous spelling in their branding and marketing campaigns for Best BBQ in Albuquerque products. Therefore, the more common spelling is “barbeque.”
Barbecue or Barbeque: Which Is Correct?
The proper spelling of the term is “barbecue.” A barbecue is really defined in English as the indirect cooking of food over an open flame. However, some believe that “barbeque” is the proper spelling of the term in its whole because it is so frequently used by companies. It isn’t.
For the sake of conciseness, let’s use both spellings interchangeably while discussing this wonderful culinary technique.
Barbeque in Cooking: What Is It?
We are aware of what BBQ is, but what does it actually mean? In a barbecue, food is cooked for lengthy periods of time over an open fire at low temperatures. Meat, fish, and fowl are typically the first things that spring to mind when we think of “food,” though barbecuing vegetables is also customary.
On occasion, the phrase is also used to describe the equipment that is used to prepare the cuisine. Using gas, hot coals, charcoal, smoking wood, or other heat sources can all be considered grilling in this context.
Barbecuing is frequently used interchangeably with grilling and other outdoor cooking techniques. But it’s a distinct culinary art that uses a lot of smoke and wood. In a subsequent portion of the text, we will analyze the differences between each form of outdoor cooking.
What Gives It Its Name, Barbeque?
The number of ideas on the origins of the term “barbecue” is equal to the number of things that can be barbecued.
According to one explanation, it comes from the Spanish term “barbacoa.” Gonzalo Fernández De Oviedo y Valdés, a Spanish adventurer, is given first-use credit for the word in this sense. It was originally published in his journal in 1526 in the Real Academia Española’s Diccionario de la Lengua Española (2nd Edition).
According to yet another version, the word’s roots are French. This argument appears tenable considering how closely the French word “barbecue” is spelled. By the way, “Barbe a Queue” translates to “Beard to Tail.” Do anything you want with that.
However, the “barbacoa” idea is the one that is most commonly accepted. The term “barbacoa” refers to the cooking equipment used by the Taino, a group of Caribbean Indians. The Spanish explorers called the Taino’s fire-cooked meat “barbacoa” when they discovered them doing so.
BBQ: Did Slaves Initiate It?
Sort of. Let’s examine why this is a valid issue in the first place, though.
Most people think that the Caribbean is where the word “barbecue” got its start. But today, cooking over a barbecue is a common part of American society. In actuality, the southern states of Kansas, Memphis, South Carolina, and North Carolina are recognized for having developed the cooking technique in that nation. Why is that?
Barbecuing dates back to colonial times in American history. Cattle and pig were the main sources of meat when Africans were transported to the United States by migrant European slave traders. However, the lowest pieces of meat were only used by low-income and enslaved people since they had to be cooked slowly.
Barbecue was therefore a cheap food source associated with the slave trade in the early years of the nation. Additionally, the African peoples that were transported to the New World by slave traders carried their culinary seasonings with them. This will be covered in greater detail in the section below on the history of barbecue sauce.
Therefore, even if the American BBQ was not created by slaves, their effect on the custom cannot be denied.
BBQ was invented by whom?
Nobody is aware. Since early people understood how to cook over fire, the simple barbecue has likely been a part of human culinary practices. Therefore, if there is one thing for which we should be thankful to our forefathers, it is that they disregarded wise counsel on playing with fire.
But it’s obvious that this cooking technique developed out of need. We take refrigeration for granted these days. In the past, the only methods for preserving meat were drying, fermenting, or rapidly frying it.