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Who barbecues
Barbecues have been a White House tradition since Thomas Jefferson.
Lyndon B. Johnson, the 36th president of the United States, hosted the
first barbecue at the White House that featured Texas-style barbecued
ribs. Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter hosted a “pig pickin’” for about 500
guests including visiting foreign dignitaries. Ronald and Nancy Reagan
also were avid barbecuers who entertained with barbecues at their ranch.
George H. Bush, 41st president, held a barbecue for Members of Congress
annually on the South Lawn of the White House, a tradition continued by
his son, President George W. Bush. However, that tradition was
interrupted on September 12, 2001, the day after the terrorist attacks
on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Secret Service agents, who
had evacuated the White House a day earlier, cancelled the barbecue and
the White House kitchen released 700 pounds of beef tenderloin to feed
the hundreds of rescue workers who had traveled to Washington.
When we barbecue
The most popular holidays for barbecuing are, in order, July 4th (69%),
Memorial Day (56%), and Labor Day (50%).
What we barbecue
The most popular foods for barbecuing are, in order: burgers (82%),
steak (79%), chicken (72%), and hot dogs (71%).
The most commonly prepared side dishes are, in order, corn (42%),
potatoes (38%), and other vegetables (37%).
The most popular flavors of barbecue sauce are hickory, followed by
mesquite, honey, and then tomato-based. The most common ingredient added
to barbecue sauce is garlic, followed by brown sugar.
How we barbecue
There are about as many styles of barbecuing as there are opinions -
everyone's got their own! Generally speaking, though, there are barbecue
styles that dominate in different regions of the country. In the
Carolinas, they can't agree whether sauce should be vinegar, mustard or
tomato based, but they can agree on the meat the sauce goes on - pork.
In the Deep South, Georgia, Florida, and parts of Louisiana, you'll find
that Cajun cuisine has had a strong influence. Regardless of whether
you're barbecuing beef brisket, pork ribs, rabbit, or trout, chances are
your taste buds will get a kick from a spicy marinade, sauce, or rub. In
other parts of the South, pork also rules. In sunny California, lighter
fare such as salmon is king of the grill. The Midwest is a barbecue
hotbed - if you can't find a meat and sauce combination you like in
Kansas City, you can't find it anywhere.
Our Utensils
* The most popular barbecue utensils are long-handled tongs, followed by
grill cleaning brushes, and then long-handled forks and spatulas.
Our Fuels
Ellsworth B. A. Zwoyer of Pennsylvania patented a design for charcoal
briquettes in 1897. After World War I, the Zwoyer Fuel Company built
charcoal briquette manufacturing plants in the United States with plants
in Buffalo, NY and Fall River, MA.
There are stories circulating that Henry Ford invented the very first
briquette in 1920 with the help of Thomas Edison. However, the 1897
patent obviously predates this and Ford and Edison both knew Zwoyer.
Natural lump charcoal costs a bit more than charcoal briquettes, but it
burns hotter, which means you use less – and partially burned natural
lump charcoal can be reused. Briquettes work better for long cooking
periods and they produce more consistent heat.
It’s easy to check how much propane is remaining in your tank. Bring
your bathroom scale outside and put the tank on it. An empty tank weighs
between 17 and 19 pounds. . The difference between that and what your
tank weighs is how much gas you have left.
Barbecue History
There is no definitive history about how the word “barbecue” originated
– or why it’s sometimes used as a noun, verb, or adjective. Some say the
Spaniards get the credit for the word, derived from their “barbacoa”
which is an American-Indian word for the framework of green wood on
which foods were placed for cooking over hot coals. Others think the
French were responsible, offering the explanation that when the
Caribbean pirates arrived on our Southern shores, they cooked animals on
a spit-like devise that ran from “whiskers to tail” or “de barbe a`
queue.”
Competition barbecuing is one of the hottest hobbies in the country with
hundreds of cook-offs held throughout all 50 states. The biggest and
most famous are Memphis in May and The American Royal in Kansas City.
Both cities stake their claim to being the barbecue capital of the U.S. |
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| Source:
Hearth,
Patio & Barbecue Association |
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