Barbecue, also known as BBQ, is a style of cooking meat low and slow over indirect heat from a wood fire. Good barbecue relies on the right blend of smoke, spice, sauce, and time to turn tough cuts of meat into tender, mouthwatering masterpieces. When done right, barbecue enthusiasts agree that a properly smoked brisket, racks of ribs, or pulled pork sandwiches are things of beauty. But what exactly makes a good barbecue plate? Let’s break it down.
Meat Selection
The star of any barbecue plate is obviously the meat. BBQ joints pride themselves on their specialty whether it’s brisket, ribs, or pulled pork. The most common proteins you’ll find on a barbecue plate are:
- Brisket – Slow smoked beef brisket is a Texas barbecue specialty. Good brisket has a thick, black, crusty bark on the outside called the “bark” that gives way to melt-in-your-mouth tender meat inside.
- Ribs – Pork ribs are synonymous with barbecue. Pork spare ribs and baby back ribs are the most popular. Good ribs have a caramelized exterior with meat that pulls cleanly off the bone.
- Pulled Pork – Shredded smoked pork shoulder is the mainstay of Carolina barbecue. It’s juicy, tender, and infused with smoke.
- Chicken – Chicken legs, thighs, and wings hold up well to low and slow smoking. Chicken should have crispy, spicy skin with moist meat.
- Sausage – Smoked sausages like kielbasa and andouille are right at home next to barbecue. Good barbecue sausage is plump and juicy.
Those are the classics, but you may also find barbecue plates featuring smoked turkey, mutton, or beef ribs depending on regional specialties.
Smoke Flavor
The defining characteristic of true barbecue is smoke. Barbecue masters use wood fires to infuse meat with rich, smoky flavor over hours of careful cooking. The most popular smoking woods are hickory, oak, pecan, apple, cherry, and mesquite. Each imparts its own distinct smoky essence.
Good barbecue should have pronounced smoke flavor without being acrid or bitter. If you take a bite and get that wonderful smoky aroma, you know you’re eating legit barbecue. Smoke rings in sliced meats are another sign of thorough smoking. A smoke ring is the pink discoloration beneath the crust that forms as smoke interacts with meat. It’s purely aesthetic but prized by barbecue enthusiasts.
Spice Rub
In addition to smoke, spice rubs add big flavor to barbecue. BBQ restaurants have secret spice mixes, but classic rubs use combinations of:
- Paprika
- Chili powder
- Brown sugar
- Salt
- Pepper
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
The rub permeates the meat during smoking to form a flavorful, textured bark. You get little explosions of sweet, savory, spicy flavors in each bite. Good barbecue should have a prominent spice rub flavor balanced with smoke.
Sauce
Barbecue sauce adds another flavor dimension to smoked meats. The style of sauce varies regionally:
- North Carolina – vinegar-based with chili flake heat
- South Carolina – mustard-based
- Texas – tomato-based with spices
- Kansas City – sweet, tangy, tomato-based
A good barbecue plate allows you to taste the meat’s natural flavors shone through the sauce. Sauces should complement, not mask the star ingredients. Too often mediocre meats are drenched to the point you only taste sweet sauce.
Side Dishes
What goes with barbecue? The classic sides are:
- Baked beans – Sweetened with brown sugar, ketchup, and bacon
- Coleslaw – Cool, creamy cabbage slaw
- Potato salad – Chunky spuds with mayo dressing
- Mac and cheese – Gooey, cheesy comfort food
- Cornbread – Sweet, crumbly bread with cornmeal
These hearty sides balance the rich meats. Creative barbecue joints offer more elevated sides like collard greens, fried okra, and smoked mac and cheese. The portions should be generous – after all the meat is the star.
Bread
Good barbecue needs good bread to soak up sauce and juices. Thick slices of cheap white bread are traditional. Buns work for pulled pork sandwiches. Creative options include Texas toast, Hawaiian rolls, or buttermilk biscuits. Whatever the vehicle, it should be substantial enough to handle messy meat without getting soggy.
Portion Size
Barbecue is meant to be hearty comfort food, so portions should be Texas-sized. A pound or more of meat along with generous sides is standard. If you walk away hungry, it wasn’t enough barbecue. Leftovers are highly encouraged.
Sides
Here are some common sides found on a barbecue plate with descriptions:
| Side Dish | Description |
|---|---|
| Baked Beans | Beans cooked low and slow with brown sugar, ketchup, and bacon for sweetness |
| Coleslaw | Shredded cabbage tossed in a creamy mayo dressing, sometimes with carrots |
| Potato Salad | Boiled potatoes dressed in a mayo mixture while still warm |
| Mac and Cheese | Elbow macaroni baked in a cheesy sauce |
| Cornbread | Slightly sweet bread made with cornmeal |
Regional Barbecue Styles
Barbecue differs across the United States based on regional preferences. Here are some of the most distinctive styles and their key characteristics:
| Region | Meats | Sauces | Sides |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | Brisket, ribs, sausage | Tomato-based | Beans, slaw, bread |
| Memphis | Ribs, pulled pork | Tangy, slightly sweet tomato-based | Beans, slaw, potato salad |
| Kansas City | Ribs, burnt ends | Sweet, thick tomato-based | Beans, potato salad, fries |
| Carolina | Pulled pork, whole hog | Vinegar-based or mustard-based | Slaw, hush puppies, greens |
Texas
Texas is known for its beef brisket smoked over post oak or pecan wood. The black peppery rub and meaty flavor stands up to the tomato-based barbecue sauce. Thick slices of white bread accompany heaping mounds of brisket.
Memphis
Memphis style barbecue features baby back ribs and pulled pork shoulder smoked over hickory wood. The ribs have a distinct dry rub flavor underneath the sticky sweet sauce. Pulled pork is shredded and served on buns with sauce on the side.
Kansas City
Kansas City barbecue means ribs above all else – slabs of meat with a peppery rub cooked low and slow over hickory smoke. Burnt ends – the crispy bark pieces from smoked brisket – are also popular. The sauce is typically sweet and thick.
Carolina
In North and South Carolina whole hog barbecue rules where pigs are smoked for hours until falling off the bone. The pork is shredded and mixed with a tangy vinegar-based sauce and topped with coleslaw.
BBQ Competition Judging
Barbecue competitions judge plates on specific criteria like:
- Appearance – How visually appealing is the meat cut, sauce, garnish?
- Taste – How is the flavor, texture, tenderness, moisture level?
- Spice Rub – Is it balanced or too salty, sweet, spicy?
- Smoke Flavor – Is it prominent without overpowering?
- Sauce – Does it complement or detract from the meat flavors?
Judges take small sample bites to focus on individual elements. Each criteria receives a numeric score that’s tallied. High totals win competitions.
servoobservation
Here are some characteristics to look for when observing high quality barbecue:
- Rich reddish-brown bark on the exterior
- Prominent smoke rings in sliced meat
- Meat pulls apart easily and is very tender
- Pronounced smoky aroma
- Sauce complements but doesn’t overwhelm natural flavors
- Spice rub provides texture and flavor balance
- Very moist and juicy, not dried out
- Ribs have meat that pulls cleanly off the bone
Lesser barbecue may have bark that seems detached rather than integrated, very light smoke flavor, dry or tough meat portions, or sauce that makes the meat overly sweet or salty.
Popular Regional Barbecue Joints
These beloved restaurants are long-time stalwarts of regional barbecue:
- Franklin Barbecue (Austin, TX) – Considered the gold standard of Texas brisket
- Louie Mueller Barbecue (Taylor, TX) – Their beef ribs are stuff of legend
- Rendezvous (Memphis, TN) – Classic Memphis ribs since the 1950s
- Arthur Bryant’s (Kansas City, MO) – Burnt ends and ribs since the 1920s
- Skylight Inn (Ayden, NC) – Whole hog barbecue specialists since 1947
- Lewis Barbecue (Charleston, SC) – Smoked meats with modern twists
Any of those institutions of ‘cue offer prime examples of their regional barbecue styles.
Conclusion
Great barbecue is an art form that balances smoke, spice, sauce, and technique. The hallmarks of an excellent plate are tender, moist meat with robust smoky flavor complemented by sauce and sides. Regional styles vary based on local preferences but prize meat quality above all. With so much nuance in play, barbecue plates elicit strong opinions about what constitutes great ‘cue. The only way to decide is to sample widely and experience the range of barbecue options firsthand.