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Thursday 15 August 2013

The History Of Eastern North Carolina Bbq Sauce

By Essie Craft


Eastern North Carolina BBQ sauce is hundreds of years old. It's traditionally a mixture of vinegar and pepper. Although this may not sound very appetizing to some, rest assured it's a very tasty recipe, though maybe a bit spicy for some. And remember, it would not have lasted until now if it was tasteless. There are, of course, several ways to make it, many of which have been passed down through generations of families.

The barbecue tradition in the United States stretches way back to the Native Americans, who cooked food slow and low on open fires. They perfected a technique of raising the spit so that it was out of reach of the flames. This ensured that the food did not cook as quickly. Additionally, it ensured that the smoke acted as a marinade, therefore flavoring the meat.

Throughout the years, pigs have been the meat of choice at barbecues. This dates back to the 1500s, when the Spanish brought pigs to America and the Native Americans cooked it for them in their distinctive slow and low method. However, these days you can barbecue most foods. Beef brisket, fish, chicken, turkey and even vegetables can be put on the grill.

In America, there are generally 4 sorts of barbecues, each pertaining to a particular type of sauce. Usually, the sauces fulfill 2 roles. They can be used to marinate the meat and can be used as a baste, to put on the meat while it is cooking. Additionally, it can be what is called a finishing sauce, put in a bowl and used as a dipping sauce with the cooked food.

The four sauces that are considered to be the first ones made in the US are Eastern Carolina, heavy tomato, light tomato and mustard. Each one has its own flavor and each has been doctored throughout the years according to personal preference.

The sauce used in Eastern North Carolina barbecues has vinegar and hot pepper. It has more than just these two ingredients though. Food is about balance of flavor and this recipe balances the sourness of cider vinegar and the warmth of the pepper by calling for light brown sugar. Pepper flakes and cayenne can be added too for an extra kick and the recipe is often rounded off with salt.

The great thing about doing any sauces is that you can experiment. Something that many people love doing is putting the vinegar and pepper recipe in a food bag and letting it sit for 24 hours so the flavors can merge. Then they add pork. By marinating the pork for 24 hours you'll get a much tenderer piece of meat, and the flavor of the liquid will permeate the meat and make it taste that much better.

Eastern North Carolina BBQ sauce is one of the oldest sauces used in barbecued food. While its spicy heat might not be to the taste of everyone, the fact is the recipe can be adapted to turn the heat down. What is most important though is to keep that tangy flavor from the vinegar, especially if using cider vinegar, as it works well with pork.




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