"Only smoking is proper barbecuing." Discuss

[Toby]

i think someone needs to reduce their cafine intact before they post on the forum

[aris]

It does beg the question though - what is 'British BBQ'. Do the brits have a distinct style they can call their own?

Perhaps this warrants a new thread. If so, please feel free to split this post of to one

[Pecker]

You say we would end up culturally impoverished if we only copied the Americans. My point is that fayre that is served at the typical British BBQ is already culturally impoverished.

I completely agree.

And that's my point. We have the tradition, the history, the ingredients and the skill to develop the British barbecue as something with a unique identity. We will definitely not do that if we only copy the American barbecue tradition.

As mentioned one of the aims of the BBBQS was to improve the placing of British teams at the key american competitions. The forum is here to support that so it is going to be slanted in that direction. If you go in for those competitions then those are the rules you have to play by. Naturally given the reason that this forum exists and that a number of frequent posters on this forum compete there is going to be a lot of discussion on those areas.

Fair point. But don't theBritish BBQ Society run the competitions in the UK? Couldn't they include catergories which promoted something a little more British?

As I've already mentioned I don't compete and have no plans to do so but I still get a lot of benefit from reading and contributing to the forum.

Me neither. I think food should be fun. I've never been to one of these comptetitions, but it looks to me like they're a lot of fun. I don't think I would have fun if I felt I were competing, but that's just me.

Steve W

[Pecker]

It does beg the question though - what is 'British BBQ'. Do the brits have a distinct style they can call their own?

Perhaps this warrants a new thread. If so, please feel free to split this post of to one

Aris, I think that's an excellent idea.

I'll open a new thread - if that's okay with everyone.

EDIT - Here it is:

http://www.bbbqs.com/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=2409

Steve W

[thelawnet]

style of BBQ and flavours that inspired us to buy smokers. Cooking low and slow and using smoke every time we BBQ does not demonstrate a lack of skills, it's just one area we want to perfect so that we can excel in competitions. We could probably cook anything else we wanted to, but we don't have any desire to because our favourite food is the US flavour profile with the use of smoke.

I wonder about this.

There are many BBQ foods that are outstanding. US BBQ is great, of course, but I wouldn't say that it's better than say Indonesian BBQ (satay, babi guling, ayam bakar).

Obviously the US is connected to the internet, controls the worldwide mass-media etc., they speak English, so their food is out there for that reason.

It doesn't make it better than say Indian tandoori chicken or chicken tikka, and I wonder how many here know how to cook those.

I guess US BBQ has caught on here in the UK because it's accessible enough for people to find heaps of info with little effort, but still cutting-edge enough that people are surprised when you pull a rack of ribs off the smoke after 4 hours cooking time.

So my closing statement would be:

If you want to cook authentic native dishes, it's a good idea to stick to native cooking methods and ingredients if you wish to achieve an authentic dish experience.

I'm not sure how native some of the techniques going on for US BBQ are. Margarine chicken, phosphate injections?

[The Social Smokers]

style of BBQ and flavours that inspired us to buy smokers. Cooking low and slow and using smoke every time we BBQ does not demonstrate a lack of skills, it's just one area we want to perfect so that we can excel in competitions. We could probably cook anything else we wanted to, but we don't have any desire to because our favourite food is the US flavour profile with the use of smoke.

I wonder about this.

There are many BBQ foods that are outstanding. US BBQ is great, of course, but I wouldn't say that it's better than say Indonesian BBQ (satay, babi guling, ayam bakar).

Obviously the US is connected to the internet, controls the worldwide mass-media etc., they speak English, so their food is out there for that reason.

It doesn't make it better than say Indian tandoori chicken or chicken tikka, and I wonder how many here know how to cook those.

Who's saying that US BBQ is the best? My post that you quoted explains my personal preference towards US BBQ. Not once did i say it was the best BBQ out there.....

Maybe you were getting confused over my use of "our", as in The Social Smokers BBQ team.

Not "our" as in the British public.

[keith157]

[quote="thelawnet"][
There are many BBQ foods that are outstanding. US BBQ is great, of course, but I wouldn't say that it's better than say Indonesian BBQ (satay, babi guling, ayam bakar).

I agree completely most cultures have some form of BBQ

Obviously the US is connected to the internet, controls the worldwide mass-media etc., they speak English, so their food is out there for that reason.

And I'd imagine more people from the UK go to the US than other destinations, try BBQ (regardless of quality) and want to replicate it at home

It doesn't make it better than say Indian tandoori chicken or chicken tikka, and I wonder how many here know how to cook those.

Right again it's neither better nor worse just different, but this is a site promoting US Style BBQ. That said there are several people justifiably proud of using their chimeras and wood fired ovens to cook those styles

I guess US BBQ has caught on here in the UK because it's accessible enough for people to find heaps of info with little effort, but still cutting-edge enough that people are surprised when you pull a rack of ribs off the smoke after 4 hours cooking time.

I think that's over simplifying it when members have spent years making rubs and sauces to compliment each other with their choice of smoking wood to great national and international success. Heck if it were as easy as poaching of t'internet we wouldn't need this forum

[thelawnet]

I guess US BBQ has caught on here in the UK because it's accessible enough for people to find heaps of info with little effort, but still cutting-edge enough that people are surprised when you pull a rack of ribs off the smoke after 4 hours cooking time.

I think that's over simplifying it when members have spent years making rubs and sauces to compliment each other with their choice of smoking wood to great national and international success. Heck if it were as easy as poaching of t'internet we wouldn't need this forum

Of course it's not that easy, but the point is the info is out there. You can find multiple step-by-step guides to doing competition quality pulled pork or beef brisket, pages and pages of the stuff. That doesn't mean you can replicate it first time, it will take much practice. But the info is there.

For other BBQ styles not so much, so there's less motivation to really go for it. No website approaches the level of detail of the US websites (the US is well connected, literate, etc.) for developing world BBQ styles, so it's much harder to master it (even though Pakistani BBQ restaurants, for instance, is readily available in Pakistani communities around the UK, far more so than authentic US BBQ, it's not crossed the cultural threshold to people's gardens) and if you do then few other people are interested.

[keith157]

till they've tried it

Okay a bit tongue in cheek, yes you are right, but all we can do is our best. I've cooked BBQ from other cultures but am trying to get a handle on the US Style because we like the tase. I've grilled tandoori style kebabs (probably not kosher if you'll forgive the mixed metaphore) and even tried Korean beef. You does what you can to get the best you can of whatever food you like.
And yes, like it or not the US is dominant is a lot of things in the Western world, we had our go, but sadly it was per interent

[Pecker]

I've cooked BBQ from other cultures but am trying to get a handle on the US Style because we like the tase. I've grilled tandoori style kebabs (probably not kosher if you'll forgive the mixed metaphore...)

I think, like Chicken Tikka Masala, the tandoori-naan kebab is a very British invention. The tandoori-naan kebab is not Indian. Most Indian homes don't have a tandoor - indeed, about 95% don't.

Where did the Earl of Sandwich come from?

Right again it's neither better nor worse just different, but this is a site promoting US Style BBQ.

Keith, could you just clarify that, because I'm a bit confused.

The opening line on the front page of the site says:

Setup in 2008 by Toby Shea, a BBQ enthusiast of many years, the British BBQ Society is the primary barbecue forum in the UK. It is free to use and covers all aspects of barbecue, from grilling to low and slow, competitions to classes.

It then goes on to say:

The mainstream barbecue culture in Britain has been far from prestigious. In other parts of the world, barbecue is synonymous with great food eaten in a great atmosphere, whether we’re talking Aussie barbies, South African Braais or American pits, BBQ food is revered around the world. In Britain we get the barbecue party atmosphere but often the food isn’t great. We set up the society to provide a place for BBQ enthusiasts in the UK to share their knowledge, learn from their peers and spread the word that BBQ is more than burnt bangers and botulism burgers. In recent years we’ve seen British food go through a renaissance, once the laughing stock of the world, British cuisine and British chefs are now respected around the world. So let’s do the same for British Barbeque!!!

For me, that's just what I would like to see, too.

I don't want to cause any trouble or arguments, I thought I was actually suporting the main aims of the society.

I'm not trying to argue here, just searching for a little clarity, if that's okay. Hope you don't mind me asking.

Steve W