TEXAS — TEXAS -- Barbecue is a staple and tradition that runs deep in the Lone Star State.
It's what us Texans love about Sundays, eat on Memorial Day and the Fourth of July, and smell when we are chilling by the pool or out on our annual camping trips. Our mouths practically water at the site of juicy, cooked meat.
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So what is barbecue and when did it come about? According to Texas Monthly, barbecues were held in Texas before the Civil War and were massive events to celebrate holidays like Fourth of July -- obviously, not much has changed.
For a more specific definition, there is a section of the Code of Federal Regulations that defines barbecue and how it's made:
§ 319.80 Barbecued meats. Barbecued meats, such as product labeled ‘‘Beef Barbecue’’ or ‘‘Barbecued Pork,’’ shall be cooked by the direct action of dry heat resulting from the burning of hard wood or the hot coals therefrom for a sufficient period to assume the usual characteristics of a barbecued article, which include the formation of a brown crust on the surface and the rendering of surface fat.
This brings us to the main topic of interest: grilling and barbecuing.
Some out-of-towners and non-Texans think that grilling and barbecuing are the same thing. Let's make one thing clear, there is a difference.
According to an article from Frontier Texas, barbecuing is an all-day event while grilling is done with charcoal or gas in a shorter amount of time. Frontier also reported that grilling typically only involves foods like vegetables, hot dogs and hamburgers while barbecuing involves more types of meat.
Barbecue is more about bringing family and friends together rather than just cooking tasty meat, Frontier Texas said.
Keep that in mind the next time you invite a Texan over for barbecue when you're only throwing a few hot dogs on the grill!
