- Conecuh sausage on a bun
- Smoked chicken sandwich with Alabama white sauce
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Alabama has various barbecue styles and dishes and is noted for hickory-smoked pork and chicken prevalence. White sauce, a mayonnaise-based barbecue sauce, was invented in Decatur, Alabama in 1925.
Barbecue became popular in Alabama during the early 19th century, although its roots go back to Native American cooking styles. Local militias often hosted barbecues to incentivize their members to attend yearly drills and were also hosted as political or civic gatherings. By the late 1820s, some social reformers opposed barbecues, arguing that they encouraged "political debasement" or that the presence of alcohol and merrymaking was a moral concern. However, these anti-barbecue efforts were unsuccessful. [1]
The earliest barbecue restaurants in Alabama were opened in the 1890s, as Americans moved into the cities because of accelerating industrialization. Pork and chicken became the primary meats served because of their local availability. [2] The oldest continuously operating restaurant in Alabama is the Golden Rule Bar-B-Q, founded in 1891. [3] In 2015, the Alabama Department of Tourism launched "The Year of Alabama Barbecue", a campaign to promote Alabama's barbecue restaurants. [4]
Traditional barbecue in Alabama centers around pork cooked in open pits over hickory wood. [1] Other hardwoods, such as oak and pecan, are also used. Smoked pork is often pulled and eaten on a bun as a sandwich with coleslaw and dill pickles. A vinegar-based barbecue sauce similar to that found in North Carolina barbecue is common in northern Alabama. A tomato-based barbecue sauce is most common south of Birmingham. [5]
Evergreen, Alabama is known for the invention of Conecuh sausage. [6]
Alabama white sauce is a mayonaisse-based barbecue sauce commonly used with barbecue chicken, an Alabama specialty. Typical ingredients of white sauce include vinegar, lemon juice, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and horseradish. [7] It is believed to have been invented by Bob Gibson at the Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q in Decatur in 1925. [5] The sauce's popularity was mainly confined to northern Alabama until 1994 when it began to be bottled and sold commercially. [4]
The cuisine of the Southern United States encompasses diverse food traditions of several subregions, including Tidewater, Appalachian, Ozarks, Lowcountry, Cajun, Creole, and Floribbean cuisine. In recent history, elements of Southern cuisine have spread to other parts of the United States, influencing other types of American cuisine.
Churrasco is the Portuguese and Spanish name for grilled beef prominent in the cuisines of Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina. The term is used in other Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries for a variety of different meat products.
St. Louis–style barbecue refers to spare ribs associated with the St. Louis area. These are usually grilled rather than slow-cooked over indirect heat with smoke which is typically associated with the term "barbecue" in the United States. Often overshadowed by its more famous cousin, Kansas City–style barbecue, St. Louis–style barbecue struggles to distinguish itself from other city based styles of barbecue. Although St. Louis–style barbecue takes inspiration from other styles of barbecue it still retains its own distinct style.
The cuisine of Kentucky mostly resembles that and is a part of traditional Southern cuisine. Some common dinner dishes are fried catfish and hushpuppies, fried chicken and country fried steak. These are usually served with vegetables such as green beans, greens, pinto beans slow-cooked with pork as seasoning and served with cornbread. Other popular items include fried green tomatoes, cheese grits, corn pudding, fried okra, and chicken and dumplings, which can be found across the commonwealth.
Barbecue varies by the type of meat, sauce, rub, or other flavorings used, the point in barbecuing at which they are added, the role smoke plays, the equipment and fuel used, cooking temperature, and cooking time.
Barbecue sauce is a sauce used as a marinade, basting, condiment, or topping for meat cooked in the barbecue cooking style, including pork or beef ribs and chicken. It is a ubiquitous condiment in the Southern United States and is used on many other foods as well.
Barbecue is a tradition often considered a quintessential part of American culture, especially the Southern United States.
Barbecue chicken consists of chicken parts or entire chickens that are barbecued, grilled or smoked. There are many global and regional preparation techniques and cooking styles. Barbecue chicken is often seasoned or coated in a spice rub, barbecue sauce, or both. Marinades are also used to tenderize the meat and add flavor. Rotisserie chicken has gained prominence and popularity in U.S. grocery markets. Barbecued chicken is one of the world's most popular barbecue dishes.
Texas Barbecue refers to methods of preparation for barbecue unique to Texan cuisine. Beef brisket, pork ribs, and sausage are among the most commonly known dishes. The term can also include side dishes that are traditionally served alongside the smoked meats.
Barbecue is an important part of the heritage and history of the U.S. state of North Carolina. It has resulted in a series of bills and laws that relate to the subject, and at times has been a politically charged subject. In part, this is due to the existence of two distinct types of barbecue that have developed over the last few hundred years: Lexington style and Eastern style. Both are pork-based barbecues but differ in the cuts of pork used and the sauces they are served with. In addition to the two native varieties, other styles of barbecue can be found throughout the state.
Texan cuisine is the food associated with the Southern U.S. state of Texas, including its native Southwestern cuisine influenced Tex-Mex foods. Texas is a large state, and its cuisine has been influenced by a wide range of cultures, including Tejano/Mexican, Native American, Creole/Cajun, African-American, German, Czech, Southern and other European American groups.
A barbecue sandwich is a sandwich that is typically prepared with barbecued meats. Several types of meats are used to prepare barbecue sandwiches. Some varieties use cooked meats that are not barbecued, but include barbecue sauce. Many variations, including regional variations, exist, along with diverse types of cooking styles, preparations and ingredients.
Cooper's Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que is a barbecue restaurant chain based in Llano, Texas. Cooper's is best known for its two-inch-thick pork chop known as the "Big Chop", and for being President George W. Bush's favorite barbecue restaurant.
South Carolina is home to several distinct styles of barbecue characterized by different cuts of meat, types of barbecue sauce and preparation. It is particularly well known for the heavy emphasis on pork and the popularity of a mustard-based barbecue sauce in the central part of the state.
Ed Mitchell is an American pitmaster and businessman. Mitchell's frequent media appearances and advocacy for the use of heritage breed pork has earned him the title of the most "famous pitmaster" in North Carolina. Mitchell has appeared in Bon Appetit and on Throwdown! with Bobby Flay and National Geographic.
Barbecue bologna or smoked bologna is a barbecue dish from the US state of Oklahoma. It has been nicknamed Oklahoma tenderloin, Oklahoma prime rib, or Oklahoma steak. It is also sometimes served in Tennessee and Texas.
Chicago-style barbecue is a regional variation of barbecue from the American city of Chicago, Illinois. The style developed due to immigration from other countries and parts of the United States. It is known for the invention of the aquarium smoker and the prominence of rib tips and hot links.