This is from the Museum of BBQ in Kansas City, which opened recently. This makes sense me, but I was raised on this nuance. I imagine this definition of BBQ is not universal.
by bonsreeb
23 Comments
neutronkid
I saw a definition once that I still live by. To barbecue is to cook with smoke. If you put the food directly over the heat, it is grilling.
SulkyVirus
The smoking picture is in direct contradiction to its definition. Should have used a different photo
jarizzle151
Yes, because people have never put their interpretations out for public display. Doesn’t make them right.
PBandCra
Barbecue is low and slow in Texas. Grilling is hot and fast.
Lostinwoulds
None of us can read so … Have fun.
AliciaXTC
Even smoked meats are called BBQ.
barspoonbill
I made this exact argument and was called wrong by a redditor with “30 years experience and two restaurants.” So sorry bbq museum but I’m gonna have to call bullshit on this one.
kingzain74
Its just a word in common speak and one should remove pretentious judgment and just use it as a general understanding of ” meat outside + some type of fire/ heat” just enjoy the time with the company and the food. Its not that serious especially if I ain’t the one cooking
bsievers
This is the pedantic correct use of all these in California too, except obviously as implied by the diagram: smoking is a subset of barbecue.
Hagfist
This assumes the US is the only country that uses wood or charcoal to cook food.
Regionally correct, internationally no.
GrillNoob
In the UK, for most people, barbecue means to cremate a sausage and burger over a giant flame that also takes out your fence and starts a forest fire.
Unless your burger is crunchy, it’s not a barbecue.
… I hate it here….
ellisonjb
Barbecue is NOT a verb.
Slowmexicano
In Latin America bbq is grilling and the other two don’t exist. Unless it’s buried in a hole or something.
Djohnson8S
We say grilling over here if you simple stuff, pre packaged and fabricated meat like only sausages or something.
We say bbq to everything else if it takes a little bit of effort, perhaps a rub or glaze, a bit of smoke or something.
Grilling for us here is uncontrolled, high heat and just guns blazing.
That’s like cooking or heating up food. Everybody can throw various items in a pan or so and heat it up. But cooking is adding flavours, getting the right texture and consistency, combining the products in such a way it adds to the taste
BBQ comes in many different forms and is accomplished in many different ways. But the cooking method has to involve a live fire… That’s the great thing about BBQ in my opinion.
carlmoss666
I don’t understand why they differentiate ‘barbecue’ from ‘smoking’. The smoke flavor is essential. Even if you are just using charcoal you still get a bit of a woody smoky flavor.
Bbqandjams75
On my stick burner thermometer 150-250 says “smoking”. 250-350 says “BBQ”. Past 350 it says “grilling”. Me personally cooking butts in that smoking range gives me a better product.Takes longer butt worth it to me.
Abe_Bettik
To me, Barbecue is a catch-all generic term that has lost its meaning and needs further context. Any attempts to re-categorize it will be met with failure and we should accept the changed definition.
Its like “pudding” of UK English or “Pie” of US English.
Pie in US English could mean anything from a Pizza to a Chicken Pot Pie to an Apple Pie to a handheld pastry to a Cobbler to a Casserole.
BBQ can similarly mean:
* Large cuts of meats cooked low and slow. * Any type of food cooked over smoke. * A barbecue, as in a propane or gas grill. * A barbecue, as in an event serving foods we might call BBQ, typically outdoors. * A flavor, as in BBQ chips, typically but not always involving smokey flavors. * Any type of food cooked on what we might colloquially call a barbecue (I barbecued some burgers on my Blackstone griddle.)
773driver
Sometimes you just have to let people be wrong and move on.
AwarenessGreat282
Why do they need to make it more confusing? It’s all BBQ. And if you grill, can you not grill with indirect heat? Of course you can.
mostlythemostest
We got to bbq. We eat bbq. We grill at bbq’s. We smoke at bbq’s. We drink beer at bbq’s. Bbq is the universal word for good eats and good vibes
Rearrangemetilimsane
Around me it’s Griling or Smoking. If some asks if you want barbecue you immediately know it’s a pulled pork sandwich.
23 Comments
I saw a definition once that I still live by. To barbecue is to cook with smoke. If you put the food directly over the heat, it is grilling.
The smoking picture is in direct contradiction to its definition. Should have used a different photo
Yes, because people have never put their interpretations out for public display. Doesn’t make them right.
Barbecue is low and slow in Texas. Grilling is hot and fast.
None of us can read so … Have fun.
Even smoked meats are called BBQ.
I made this exact argument and was called wrong by a redditor with “30 years experience and two restaurants.” So sorry bbq museum but I’m gonna have to call bullshit on this one.
Its just a word in common speak and one should remove pretentious judgment and just use it as a general understanding of ” meat outside + some type of fire/ heat” just enjoy the time with the company and the food. Its not that serious especially if I ain’t the one cooking
This is the pedantic correct use of all these in California too, except obviously as implied by the diagram: smoking is a subset of barbecue.
This assumes the US is the only country that uses wood or charcoal to cook food.
Regionally correct, internationally no.
In the UK, for most people, barbecue means to cremate a sausage and burger over a giant flame that also takes out your fence and starts a forest fire.
Unless your burger is crunchy, it’s not a barbecue.
… I hate it here….
Barbecue is NOT a verb.
In Latin America bbq is grilling and the other two don’t exist. Unless it’s buried in a hole or something.
We say grilling over here if you simple stuff, pre packaged and fabricated meat like only sausages or something.
We say bbq to everything else if it takes a little bit of effort, perhaps a rub or glaze, a bit of smoke or something.
Grilling for us here is uncontrolled, high heat and just guns blazing.
That’s like cooking or heating up food. Everybody can throw various items in a pan or so and heat it up. But cooking is adding flavours, getting the right texture and consistency, combining the products in such a way it adds to the taste
Regional definition, does not speak for everyone. https://www.dictionary.com/browse/barbecue
BBQ comes in many different forms and is accomplished in many different ways. But the cooking method has to involve a live fire… That’s the great thing about BBQ in my opinion.
I don’t understand why they differentiate ‘barbecue’ from ‘smoking’. The smoke flavor is essential. Even if you are just using charcoal you still get a bit of a woody smoky flavor.
On my stick burner thermometer 150-250 says “smoking”. 250-350 says “BBQ”. Past 350 it says “grilling”. Me personally cooking butts in that smoking range gives me a better product.Takes longer butt worth it to me.
To me, Barbecue is a catch-all generic term that has lost its meaning and needs further context. Any attempts to re-categorize it will be met with failure and we should accept the changed definition.
Its like “pudding” of UK English or “Pie” of US English.
Pie in US English could mean anything from a Pizza to a Chicken Pot Pie to an Apple Pie to a handheld pastry to a Cobbler to a Casserole.
BBQ can similarly mean:
* Large cuts of meats cooked low and slow.
* Any type of food cooked over smoke.
* A barbecue, as in a propane or gas grill.
* A barbecue, as in an event serving foods we might call BBQ, typically outdoors.
* A flavor, as in BBQ chips, typically but not always involving smokey flavors.
* Any type of food cooked on what we might colloquially call a barbecue (I barbecued some burgers on my Blackstone griddle.)
Sometimes you just have to let people be wrong and move on.
Why do they need to make it more confusing? It’s all BBQ. And if you grill, can you not grill with indirect heat? Of course you can.
We got to bbq. We eat bbq. We grill at bbq’s. We smoke at bbq’s. We drink beer at bbq’s. Bbq is the universal word for good eats and good vibes
Around me it’s Griling or Smoking. If some asks if you want barbecue you immediately know it’s a pulled pork sandwich.