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Someone once said that barbeques are the food of a patient man. That someone sure knows a thing or two about barbeques because if there is one thing that characterizes a barbeque is that it takes a lot of time to set up and cook. Barbeques are the antithesis of fast-food where a meal is a couple of sentences and a few dollars away. A barbeque requires patience, fortitude and a certain degree of maturity to pull off. Even starting a barbeque itself takes time and experience. At the end of the day, however, when you have a bite of what eventually comes off the grill, the time and effort you invested into doing a proper barbeque is completely worth it. In many cases (and hard-core barbeque devotees will attest to this), you do not even need to add a marinade or spices to the meat to make it tastier. Barbeques somehow magically bring out an inert flavor from meat that other forms of cooking fail to do. There is, in fact, scientific evidence to why a barbeque tastes so great. The slow heat breaks down the collagen in the meat. This makes the meat tendered and releases the juices that are already present in a good cut of meat. Spices, marinades and garnishes need only be used sparingly on a good cut of meat barbequed by a seasoned barbeque veteran.
Barbequing is one of those truly authentic American culinary traditions. One of the first meats to be barbequed in the Americas was pork. Early Americans experimented with different types of wood (spices and the concept of marinating was non-existent at the time in the Americas) to give the meat a unique flavor. Some types of wood gave the barbeque a sweet taste while others, particularly woods like hickory, gave the meat a smoked taste. Eventually the barbeque tradition blossomed and, as a result, evolved into the full-fledged culture it is now with marinades and barbeque sauces and so on. Although the concept of barbequing has remained constant throughout the years, it has evolved to meet the local gastronomical needs of the people. Today, almost every state has a different form of barbequing. Families will have their own trademark, secret marinade or barbeque sauce formula which they will protect with their lives! The most famous locations for barbeques in the United States are Kansas City, Texas and Memphis. They hold vigorously to their barbeque traditions and are constantly competing with each other for the title of 'Barbeque Capital of the World'.
There are, of course, strong barbeque cultures across the world, most notably in Australia and New Zealand. The aboriginals of Australia are known to have excellent barbequing skills and barbeque a whole range of meat from snakes to ostriches! South Africa too is famously barbeque-crazy although they call it Braai. It is more than just a form of cooking in South Africa. It is a social affair. The men will usually take care of the meat while the women take care of the salads and other side dishes.
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