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The globalization of barbecue?
Here is a neat but somewhat foggy blog post on barbecue:
The word out of the 2008 World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, the world's largest pork BBQ contest held last weekend in Memphis, is that the globalization of barbecue is in the "embryonic" stages.
Why is this foggy? Well, barbecue went global some time ago, whether it be Maori "Hangi," indigenous Mexican cooking under the ground, or North African nomads roasting a lamb. Slow cooking at low heat is the formula in each case and usually smoke plays a role too. The author notes that soon the Chinese will be in on it but has he ever had traditional Chinese short ribs? By the way, the best barbecue town in America -- Lockhart, Texas -- draws heavily on German techniques for smoking its meats.
The pointer is from Henry Farrell.
Posted by Tyler Cowen on May 26, 2008 at 02:39 PM in Food and Drink | Permalink
Comments
Barbecue with copious use of sauce seems to be primarily American. Perhaps that is what the author meant.
Posted by: Peter at May 26, 2008 3:02:35 PM
Wouldn't it be a fair guess that slow cooking meat over a smoky fire has been widespread for thousands of years?
Posted by: Bernard Yomtov at May 26, 2008 5:10:12 PM
Yawn. Not beef, not interested...
Posted by: agm at May 26, 2008 5:42:44 PM
I beg to differ. Lockhart does have great barbecue, but Dreamland BBQ in Tuscaloosa, Alabama served the best ribs I have ever had.
Posted by: at May 26, 2008 9:06:58 PM
Another example: Afghan bbq. Fremont, California - with the most concentrated Afghan population in the states - has some amazing Afghan barbeque (http://www.yelp.com/biz/de-afghanan-kabob-house-fremont#hrid:aiXBu6hdRPkvCj_x0Ui-pA/query:afghan). Interestingly: It's the only good food available in the city.
Posted by: Andrew G at May 26, 2008 10:04:47 PM
I hard a good BBQ thing in vietnam. I thought it had gone global?
Posted by: at May 27, 2008 1:17:23 AM
Tyler, I have not been to Lockhart, but I wonder if you make a distinction between pork and beef barbecue. As far as I can tell, Memphis has the best pork barbecue of any major US city. (The place to go is Interstate Barbecue.)
If you ever happen to spend an hour in Jackson, TN, though, try Latham's Meat Company.
Posted by: Jason at May 27, 2008 9:23:28 AM
I love to see Lockhart BBQ getting some much deserved recognition. Kreus's is my favorite Lockhart establishment, but if I had one bbq meal before I died it would be hard to pass up central TX's other stalwart, the Salt Lick.
Posted by: matt at May 27, 2008 1:22:02 PM
"Barbecue with copious use of sauce seems to be primarily American."
As someone who grew up with North Carolina style barbeque, I can't agree with this statement. The best American barbeque has very little sauce.
Posted by: Some Random Economist at May 27, 2008 5:22:35 PM
Not to mention Turkish Kebabs, which are ubiquitous from North Africa to China. So, barbecue is hardly a recent global product.
Also barbecue is the "national" food in the south of Brazil and Argentina.
Posted by: Ricardo Amaral at May 27, 2008 7:48:04 PM
Unless I'm mistaken, kebabs are not cooked slowly at low heat. They have more in common with grilling than with barbecue.
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Went to Kreu's (Lockhart) a month ago. Was not impressed. Brisket was overcoooked and dry. Sausage had no texture. It just dissappeared as you chewed. Sauce was like storebought, and didn't enhance the meat in any way. I wouldn't go back there if they were giving it away.
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