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to 'cue - An American Tradition From the Pit to the Grill,
Pork is King
Whether you're a
southern pulled-pork aficionado or a northern patio pitmaster, the first signs
of spring mean only one thing - it's grilling season. Or is that barbecue season?
A recent survey
by the National Pork Board shows that although nearly one in three Americans (31
percent) prepare food on the grill at least once a week, the majority do not draw
a distinction between grilling and barbecuing. A uniquely American tradition,
cooking meat over hot coals or a wood-fire has become more than just another way
to cook pork. It has become a favorite American pastime and a distinct style of
cuisine in its own right. Pork
is "King of the Grill" Americans can't seem to get enough of
the smoke infused taste of meat cooked on an open fire. And pork is not only a
delicious choice for a barbecue feast; it's an essential part of barbecue history
and tradition. "No matter where I have traveled in the 'barbecue belt,' one
thing is certain, pork is the meat when it comes to traditional barbecue,"
says John T. Edge, director of the Southern
Foodways Alliance and author of Southern Belly: The Ultimate Food Lover's
Companion to the South. American
folklore says barbecue originated where there was an abundance of hogs. Pork naturally
became a popular cuisine among the locals and as the population expanded westward,
so did pork's reach. In addition to being a favorite for grilling, pork continues
to be an essential part of traditional barbecue fare and a perfect match for the
wide, wonderful range of regional barbecue flavors. "There's
no question that pork is a natural for barbecuing and grilling," says Pamela
Johnson, director of consumer communications for the Pork Information Bureau.
"Whether you're looking for a small, fast-cooking cut like a chop or a large,
slow-cooking cut like the shoulder, savory pork is the ideal partner for the grill
or barbecue pit." To
'Cue or To Grill? That is the Question. While most Americans use the
terms barbecue and grill interchangeably, they are not one in the same. The confusion
lies in that the same piece of equipment, the barbecue grill, can be used for
grilling and barbecuing. Grilling, by definition, is a high-heat, direct method
of cooking meat over live flames. By contrast, barbecuing is characterized by
a long, low-heat, smoke-cooking method using coals, smoldering logs or chunks
of wood. Good
things happen fast when you're grilling. Depending on the cut of pork and the
temperature - which sometimes climbs as high as 550 degrees F. - small cuts like
chops, tenderloin and kabobs can cook in a few minutes. The trick is placing the
meat directly over the hot coals or heat source. Patience is a virtue when it
comes to barbecuing. To 'cue like a pro, the rule of thumb is low and slow. Cooking
times can extend to 10 hours with temperatures falling as low as 225 degrees F.
The slow-cooking method is best for large, less tender cuts, such as pork shoulder. Since
most people don't have built-in barbecue pits in their backyards, home cooks dedicated
to barbecue have learned to carryover the finer points of pit cooking to the grill.
"Although pit cooking is traditional, a covered grill and flavored wood
chips will work just as well to impart the traditional barbecue flavor,"
says Johnson. "The secret to barbecuing larger cuts of pork can be summed
up in three words - low and slow." Properly adjusted, a grill can deliver
low temperatures over a period of several hours, just like a barbecue pit. The
key is to keep the temperature between 200 and 225 degrees and to avoid burning
by controlling the draft and the distance of the meat from the fire or heat source.
And the result? The unmistakable smoky flavors of barbecue from the convenience
of a backyard grill. Cue'
Across the USA Like the accents and subcultures of the United States,
the flavors of regional barbecue offer distinct variations depending on their
birthplace. "Regional tradition decrees that all barbecue is not created
equal - all are delicious, but the differences are striking," says Edge.
"Across the 'barbecue belt,' from the Carolinas to Memphis to Kansas City,
aficionados know the secret is the pork - sauced and seasoned with a local flair."
In the Carolinas,
pork, particularly pulled pork, defines barbecue. Whole hogs and shoulders are
smoke-cooked over hickory or oak wood for hours until the meat is tender enough
to pull off with your fingers. Ribs
reign as the signature barbecue dish in Memphis. Pitmasters use a dry rub mixture
of spices, including paprika, salt, onion powder and ground black pepper, on the
meat. Kansas City sets itself apart by its thick, sweet barbecue sauce. The
combination of ketchup or tomato sauce combined with brown sugar, corn syrup,
molasses, vinegar and spices make for a delectable side on or next to ribs.
Source...
TheOtherWhiteMeat.com.
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