Monday, May 28, 2012

Mmm Mmm Monday: Memorial Day Barbecue

In America, Memorial Day is a time of appreciation for our troops...and hot dogs.  When I think of barbecues, I see sausages sizzling on the grill, burgers blackening (no offense Dad) and toasted buns.  There's marshmallows, beer, and good friends everywhere, but this isn't technically "barbecue".  For that, you have to head down south.  See, what we do with hot dogs and hamburgers on our barbecue is actually grilling: a quick method for cooking meat.  Barbecue, as a verb, refers to a slow method of cooking meat using indirect heat or smoke.

This cooking method is believed to have originated in the Caribbean, entering the English language as barbacoa, which translates to "sacred fire pit":
"Traditional barbacoa involves digging a hole in the ground and placing some meat (usually a whole goat) with a pot underneath, so that the juices can make a hearty broth." -- Wikipedia


Note: if you are the in UK, all of these terms are incorrect since your grilling is our broiling.  More confusion to come!

Further Reading: Barbecue Wiki
Photo Credit: Hedwig Storch


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