Barbecue Versus Grilling: The South Carolina Debate Rages On
If you are from the South, it’s a centuries-old debate that has continued unabated since African-American plantation slaves in Dixie first threw a whole pig onto open coals. It’s barbecue. Another difference exists between the former Civil War combatants regarding the nature of barbecue. Those in the Northern states suggest that barbecue is the act of grilling meat over an open flame while Southerners contend barbecue is the actual meat used. Hence the saying "In the North, barbecue is a verb. In the South, it’s a noun." Taking the South Carolina perspective, barbecue is definitely always pork and always cooked slowly over several hours to create that delectable, one-of-a-kind, fall-off-the-bone taste. In various regions of the old Civil War Confederacy, the discussion includes exactly what kind of sauce constitutes great barbecue and they differ from region to region. During the 19th Century, pigs were a low-maintenance food source that could be released to forage for themselves in forests and woodlands. When food or meat supplies were low, these semi-wild pigs could then be caught and eaten. However, South Carolina has become home to many transplant Yankees who still believe in their form of barbecue. In order to placate both camps (as much as that is possible with this particular subject), here both grilling and barbecue will be covered. In South Carolina, the pork meat used in barbecue is always either the chopped or sliced variety. Occasionally you will also see some barbecue aficionados use what is known as "pulled" pork (shredded by hand) but this is relatively rare. In most of South Carolina, the barbecue sauce of choice is yellow mustard-based, although the other two major varieties (vinegar-based—Grand Strand and Lowcountry and tomato-based—Upstate and western Midlands) can also be found, mainly in the . In most of South Carolina, barbecue is also served alongside white bread (only regular loaf, table bread will do) along with coleslaw and "hash" served over rice. The hash is made of stewed pig organs.
Other parts of the South use chopped or sliced pork with a peppery vinegar sauce with sides of hush puppies and coleslaw. Still others use a tomato-and-vinegar based sauce. In the western areas of the Old South is where one sees the majority of pulled pork barbecue served with a sweet tomato sauce flavored with peppers and molasses. The barbecue of this area heavily consists of pork ribs that have their flavoring in a dry rub before cooking, a sauce during cooking or both. The side dishes here consist of coleslaw and cornbread. However, once you reach Texas the barbecue becomes beef. And that is an entirely different story…. Regardless of sauce, the preparation of Southern-style barbecue is pretty much the same and hasn’t changed much since the earliest days of the dish. The key is to slow cook the pork over a low heat so the natural juices and fats have a chance to seep into the meat. In many commercial South Carolina barbecue restaurants whole hams are left to cook over open coals for as much as 12-14 hours at a time. These times increase with the amount of meat being cooked. This slow-cooking method allows plenty of time for the connective tissues in the meat to dissolve, producing the fall apart consistency that is Southern barbecue.
One thing virtually all Southern or western-style barbecue has in common. It’s a very subjective and individual endeavor. Barbecue cooks all have their very own recipes regarding seasoning, cooking times, basting sauces, wood or other heat source for the fire and other preparation specifics. Ingredients for seasoning have been known to be as diverse as honey, molasses, dry spices and peppers, and other "secret" ingredients that are kept very close to heart. When it comes to barbecuing and grilling, there are two main schools of thought for the techniques that you can use. The first of these – and the most popular method for those who grill in their back yards – is the style where the food is cooked directly over the source of heat. This way, the food is rapidly cooked on a hot grill suspended directly over the heat source (charcoal, wood or gas burners). Any foods, including the most tender cuts, hamburgers, steaks, kabobs of all kinds, chicken, and even vegetables are quickly seared and cooked to perfection using this technique.
The second barbecue cooking technique uses heat indirectly. This is more appropriate when you’re cooking much larger or whole cuts of meat, such as especially thick steaks, roasts, a whole hog, or a pork shoulder. When you’re cooking using this method, the food is cooked away from the actual source of heat. This usually requires a water pan of some kind in order to maintain the moisture level of the food. The temperatures generally sit in around 250ºF. During this cooking method, the lid of the barbecue remains closed most of the time, and the length of the cooking is much longer than in the first method. The rule of thumb of this technique is a low temperature for a long time.
No matter which method you use, it’s important to never cook your meat too quickly. If the internal temperature of your meat rises too quickly as you cook it, the water and the fat within it will be expelled before the collagen connective tissue can melt. This means that your cut will be dry and tough. Here are some of the more common mistakes and do's and don'ts made in barbecue grill cooking: While using lower heat for a longer period of time is generally good for virtually all barbecuing and grilling, there is a secret in knowing exactly when to use high heat to make a beautiful, tasty meal every time. Of course, meat such as hamburgers or pork of any kind must be thoroughly cooked all the way through to preclude the chance for any food contamination by bacteria. For the best results, many barbecue chefs cook vegetables and medium-rare steaks by first using a high heat in order to sear the outside of the food and seal both the juices and the flavors inside.
First, one must understand how meat is cooked on an open grill. As it is heated, the fibers of the meat will tighten, squeezing out much of the juices. If you’re only cooking meat partially, searing it with high heat will help to seal in the juices by quickly cooking the outer layers of the food. Thereafter, you go back to a lower heat. Leaving the food on high heat will result in the inner layers cooking too quickly, thereby drying out all the juices. Try the technique a few times until you get it right.
When you are using high heat, the rule of thumb is to cook on each side for a maximum of five minutes (a total of ten minutes). After ten minutes, anything that you’re cooking should be moved aside to a medium heat so that it can finish cooking at that lower temperature.
There is one common way to discover how hot your fire without the use of a cooking thermometer. Simply to hold your hand a couple of inches away from the grill. If you’re only able to keep it there for about a second, your grill is at a high heat (over 600ºF). If you’re able to hold your hand there fore a few seconds, it’s at a medium heat (around 400ºF). At a lower heat, you’ll be able to hold your hand there for over five seconds. Barbecue is such an institution in South Carolina that is has fostered competitions across the state that start in July and last through the end of the year. These competitions can be found in cities both small and large, from the Upstate to the Lowcountry, the Pee Dee and the Midlands. One such event, the Beach, Boogie and BBQ Competition held in Myrtle Beach each year around Labor Day, has had legislation sponsored in the General Assembly to make it the official South Carolina barbecue competition.
You can find these barbecue competitions in small towns like Fort Mill, Rembert and Kingstree to the South Carolina tourism mecca of Myrtle Beach. While you usually won’t be able to sample the competition barbecue by purchasing it (unless the competitor also pays a vendor’s fee to sell their barbecue) at many of the competitions, the barbecue cooks also participate in a "people’s choice" phase of competition. This separate contest offers a prize or award to the winner and is becoming more popular across the state. Most also include the full three variety range of sauces, too. So get a literal taste of the good life in South Carolina. Try your hand at the culinary delicacy of the South or head to a barbecue competition near you.Types of Southern barbecue
Preparing Southern barbecue in South Carolina
Grilling and barbecuing techniques
Common grilling mistakes
Using high barbecue or grilling heat
Barbecue competitions in South Carolina
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