3.4 Let's get started with some questions on barbecue------------------- [What's the best way to get started doing barbecue?] Rick Otto-- When I first got into finding barbecue information on the Internet, before I began 'lurking' on the BBQ List, I was jumping all over the place, trying one recipe after another, with some successes but a lot more failures. Once I settled down, (and started reading the posts and then asking questions on the BBQ List) and started trying to perfect a dish, things all fell into place. I began with a pork shoulder because I was told it's the most forgiving. Once I had that down, I gained confidence to progress to other dishes. Someone recently stated that the worst barbecue you can do is better than any 'Run-of-the-mill' barbecue in a restaurant. TRUE. I've enjoyed some of my failures. I just wish I could pass some samples to all the experts on this group for a first-hand appraisal. -------------------- [Here's an important question for the List. My wife gets sick of barbecue if we have it 5 nights running. . . Hmmmm. What should I do?] Take her to McDonalds or Burger King on the fourth night and she will be ready for barbecue again. -------------------- [I'm a newcomer to barbecue. Can the people on this List help me get started?] Ed Pawlowski-- At one time all of us had to learn about barbecue. Some got it handed down by family and others stumbled across it and wanted to learn how to make it. The purpose of this BBQ List is to help each other make better barbecue. There are many talents assembled here and they are all willing to assist you. Take advantage and enjoy. I'll bet that you can add to some topic that the rest of us are less knowledgeable about. -------------------- [Can someone tell me why there are differences in barbecue in various places?] Frank Boyer-- The barbecue of any area today is what was common at the time the area was settled. When the East coast of the US was settled, tomatoes were considered poisonous. The sauce of the day was vinegar-based, and the meat was cooked with local trees. The Caribbean has hot peppers, pimento trees, allspice, citrus, seafood, and hence jerk. The Kansas City area had grain for hogs, tomatoes were okay to eat, sugar from the south, and cattle and peppers came up from Texas. So we have an area that cooks beef and pork with a sweet tomato-based sauce with chilies. Texas had beef, peppers, post oak trees and mesquite, hence brisket with a chile-based rub, served dry. The Northwest had game, seafood and alder trees and smoked salmon. A lot of the plains food was cooked on Buffalo chips, I wonder what that did for the flavor! The Mediterranean had grapes, seafood, etc. and grape wood is used for cooking. The comfort food of an area is very important to its people. Sometimes it isn't better, it is just different.
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