Barbecue is one of America's favorite cuisines, yet the word conjures up a whole host of ideas about meats, cooking techniques, sauces and sides depending on where the barbecuing of the barbecued barbecue is to take place. In the height of barbecue season, EATS takes an in depth look at the several states' manifestations of the time-honored tradition.

A soft evening breeze, a cold drink and the rich aroma of meat cooking slowly over a fire are always the perfect way to relax and embrace the doldrums of midsummer. But the sights, sounds and smells conjured up by the word barbecue vary greatly depending on whether the feast takes place in the lowlands of the Carolinas, Tennessee Hill Country, Caribbean-influenced South Florida or the sprawling cattle ranches of the West Texas plains. Cooking style, choice of meat and even sauce vary dramatically across the southern United States, the area of the country known in culinary circles as the barbecue belt.

North Carolina
North Carolina is the place to go for an old fashioned pig pickin', an outdoor feast in which an entire hog is cooked. Important to note: the term "barbecue" in NC refers exclusively to pork. "Barbecued" describes chicken, ribs or any other meats. A popular side for North Carolina is hushpuppies, which is fried cornmeal.
                   

                    Meat: Pork
      Cooking Style: Slow-cooked then pulled or chopped
                  Sauce: Thin, spicy, and vinegary (East)

                              Thin tomato-based "dip" (West)

                   Sides: Hushpuppies, BBQ coleslaw

                     Meat: Pork
      Cooking Style: Hickory-smoked then pulled
                   Sauce: Vinegary and peppery (Coastal Area)

Georgia
Georgia is a major crossroads of BBQ styles, with both Carolina vinegar-based and Alabama tomato-based influences, as well as unique local influences. Unique to the state is Brunswick stew, a thick tomato-based soup with meat, beans, corn and okra. Country vegetables like sweet potatoes, lima beans and collard greens are also very popular.

                    Meat: Pork
      Cooking Style: Cooked bare (East)

                              Oak or Hickory-smoked (Middle and West)
                  Sauce: Ketchup or vinegar base with Worcestershire sauce,

                              bay leaves, honey and cloves (East)

                              Ketchup, molasses, and bourbon (Middle)

                              Mustard and hot peppers (West)
                   Sides: Hash and rice (East)

                              Brunswick stew (Middle)

                              Country vegetables (West)

Florida
Florida has two starkly contrasting approaches to barbecue. The Deep Southern style found in adjacent states like Georgia and Alabama is prevalent in the north, while Caribbean and Latin American influences from large immigrant populations dominate the south. The famous product of this style is "barbacoa," a Spanish word describing goat or beef (often cow's head) that has been cooked in a deep pit for several hours. Pork cooked the same way is called "carnitas." The middle of the state has become a hybrid of the two styles and is dubbed "Floribbean."

                    Meat: Pork shoulder and ribs, shrimp, lobster (North)

                              Barbacoa, carnitas (South)
      Cooking Style: Smoked then filleted or pulled (North)

                              Cooked in a deep pit then shredded (South)
                  Sauce: Dry spice rubs (North)

                              Tropical spices and marinades like mojo,

                              a mix of sour orange juice and garlic (South)
                     Side: Fruits

 
Alabama
Alabama is a pillar of traditional pork barbecue. 'Bama style tomato-based pork barbecue has successfully done what most other styles fail to do in spreading beyond the state across the entire Barbecue belt and farther north. White sauce, a mayonnaise-based barbecue sauce, still remains a local flavor in the northern part of the state.

                    Meat: Pork shoulder and ribs
      Cooking Style: Hickory-smoked then sliced or chopped
                  Sauce: Thick spicy tomato base

                              White sauce (North)
                   Sides: Collard greens, okra

Tennessee
Tennessee barbecue is dominated by Memphis-style barbecue, though the eastern part of the state carries strong Carolina influences.

                     Meat: Pork shoulder and ribs

      Cooking Style: Smoked then pulled or chopped
                   Sauce: Sweet, mild, thick, and ketchup-based (Memphis wet)

                               Dry-rubbed with spices (Memphis dry)

                               Vinegar-based (East)
              Non-Side: Coleslaw, finely chopped and light on mayonnaise,

                               is an important condiment rather than a side on

                               pork sandwiches in Tennessee

Missouri
Missouri has two distinct styles hailing from opposite ends of the state: St. Louis and the self-proclaimed barbecue capital of the world, Kansas City.

                   Meat: Pork ribs, beef brisket (Kansas City)

                             Pork steaks and bratwurst (St. Louis)
     Cooking Style: Slow-cooked (Kansas City)

                             Seared, slow-cooked, sauced and caramelized (St. Louis)
                 Sauce: Thin, tangy ketchup and vinegar sauce (St. Louis)

                             Thick, sweet, spicy ketchup and molasses sauce (Kansas City)
                    Side: Burnt Ends, which are left over pieces of brisket mixed with BBQ

                             sauce and beans (Kansas City)

Arkansas
Located in between the Missouri, Texas, Tennessee and Deep Southern styles, Arkansas barbecue consists of a smorgasbord of beef and pork offerings. Unique to the state, however, is the prevalence of chicken that can be attributed to the state's chicken processing industry (Tyson Foods, ConAgra and Pilgrim's Pride all call Arkansas home).

                    Meat: Beef, pork, chicken
      Cooking Style: Smoked, then often served in a sandwich
                  Sauce: Thin, vinegary, sweet and spicy tomato sauce
             Non-Side: Like in Tennessee, coleslaw is an important condiment

                              rather than a side on pork sandwiches

Texas
Considered by many outsiders to be the bastion of barbecue beef, Texas actually offers a stark contrast of styles specific to each region of the state. East, Central, South and West Texas all offer their own distinct barbecue traditions.

                    Meat: Pork shoulder and ribs (East)

                              Leftover  beef and pork cuts (Central)

                              Beef barbacoa (South)

                              Beef brisket (West)
      Cooking Style: Hickory-Smoked (East)

                              High heat over oak or pecan wood (Central)

                              Barbacoa tacos and fajitas (South)

                              Mesquite-smoked (West)
                  Sauce: Thick sweet tomato-base (East)

                              None (Central and South)

                              Thick spicy tomato-base (West)
                   Sides: Saltines and pickles (Central)

  Written by Will Shikani