“The use of pork then became sacred, and
authentic BBQ is now viewed as being a
slow-cooked, juicy piece of pig.”
The vinegar-based sauce came from the Caribbean tradition
of basting the meat to seal in the juices and thus provide a
more tender bite. The juices were then incorporated into the
sauce, and the entire hog was covered in the tangy, flavorful
glaze. The chefs took pride in their creations, and their pig
farms, therefore taking the best possible care of them to pro-
vide the best meat. The use of pork in the Carolinas is said to
be the original birthplace of early-tradition BBQ.
The Carolinas are also known for their mustard-based sauce,
which stems from the large population of French and German
immigrants that settled in the land. The Germans are well-
known for serving up a spicy mustard with their brats and
other types of sausages. The French go hand-in-hand with
that Dijon that we’ve all come to love so much. Honey is a
southern staple, and vinegar helps cut the sugar. Add it all to-
gether and you’ve got a golden Carolina mustard-based BBQ
sauce that will knock your socks off.
As settlers moved into the thick of the south, they came to
Memphis, which was perfectly set up as a port along the Mis-
sissippi. Because of this, Memphis received all sorts of imports
and other goodies, including molasses and brown sugars,
which led to the ultimate invention of the dark,
sweet, tomato-based sauce we all know
today. Memphis sticks with pork as their
main source of BBQ meat, but they
will branch off from time to time,
depending on the availability.
It wasn’t until after the sec-
ond World War that tons
of BBQ joints started
opening up shop in
Memphis, but the
dry-rub, smoked,
and sweet BBQ
sauce was a tradi-
tion among the lo-
cals long before.
Once Memphis
realized it was sit-
ting on a gold
mine with its
own style of BBQ,
the area became
extremely
popular
among tourists who
were willing to travel hun-
dreds of miles for a good
rack of ribs smothered in that
delicious, dark sauce.
.