Lets Talk Barbacoa …or…Saving face, for dinner

[Wingman]

While reading Danial Vaughen’s book, The Prophets of Smoked Meat, I ran across a BBQ tidbit that I hadn’t heard before.  Apparently, the word barbecue has derived from the word barbacoa, which defined by Wikipedia is a method of cooking animals, originating in the Caribbean, and depending on the location now may mean the meat cooked and removed from cow’s heads such as the cheeks, tongue, brains, and in some cases even the eyes.  The head is cooked overnight until the meat is falling from the bone.  Traditionally, the head was wrapped in leaves and cooked in a pit in the ground, but it’s usually steamed in an oven today.
While I’m sure many southwestern members, particularly those from Texas, knew what this word barbacoa was all about, I was clueless.  Using our forum’s search engine and Google I found the word had been used only once in our forum’s threads.  Tee used it in naming an appetizer (Barbacoa Nachos) he had at The Esquire Tavern in San Antonio.
If things go as planned, I’ll be in the southern part of Texas sometime next month and will have ample opportunity to test the barbacoa and report on same.  I can’t wait.
So that was my new BBQ knowledge for today.  Did any of you other northern boys and girls not know what barbacoa was?

[TentHunteR]

The "Barbacoa" version is one possible version of where the term "Barbecue" or "BBQ" comes.  There are other versions that claim to be just as valid.

Another version claims it came from roadsides "Bars" in the south offering inexpensive smoked meats to get you to come in and buy "Beer" & a game of "Cue Ball" (pool). Bar, Beer & Cue eventually got shortened to "Barbecue" or "BBQ".  This version could very well explain why so many think of BBQ as a "Southern" thing.

Who knows for sure?


And YES, we "Northern" boys & girls are familiar with BBQ. It may conjure up different thoughts to us than in Greensboro, NC,  which will think of it differently than Memphis, TN, or Lockhart, TX, or Jamaica (where jerk reigns), etc.  Hawaii has their Kalua Pig which is traditionally cooked in the ground. It's different everywhere you go, and each region seems to take a lot of pride in their version of it.

Here in Ohio, growing up we had what we'd call a "BBQ" or "Cookout" where anything cooked over a fire was fare game (Pork, Steaks, Chicken, Burgers, Sausages, Ribs (Beef & Pork), you name it).  About once a year we'd go to what we called a "Pig Roast" (similar to a Carolina Pig Pickin').

All I know is I love to "Barbecue" and eat Barbecue in it's many forms (one look at me you might be able to tell)!


Any other good stories of where the term "BBQ" originated?

[Saber 4]

When you get to south Texas you may be asked which Barbacoa you want traditional is as you found the description above with any and all of the head meats and many places will offer an all meat or all beef version which is usually brisket long and low cooked in the Barbacoa style and seasonings. Both are very good if cooked and seasoned well, and like all things Tex-Mex you will find variations in seasonings and serving methods depending on where you are in Texas. Hope you enjoy your trip and find lot's of good food to try.

[sliding_billy]

I have actually started to dislike the term BBQ because of the different ways that the term is used.  I'm with TentHunteR for the most part.  In PA, grilling was/is considered BBQ and the big feast was either a pig roast or a lamb roast.

[TwoPockets]

There are about as many ways that try and say there the term Barbeque or BBQ comes from as there are ways to cook it. Some get all hung up on the difference between BBQing and grilling too. Basically man has been cooking meat over a fire for at least 125,000 years. I have turned out good food low and slow in smokers and hot and fast on grills and all kinds of ways in between.

If you look at the top of the page, I like the way Tee put it:

   "BBQ…neither verb or noun…it is an experience…& best when shared with friends."

[Wingman]

When you get to south Texas you may be asked which Barbacoa you want traditional is as you found the description above with any and all of the head meats and many places will offer an all meat or all beef version which is usually brisket long and low cooked in the Barbacoa style and seasonings. Both are very good if cooked and seasoned well, and like all things Tex-Mex you will find variations in seasonings and serving methods depending on where you are in Texas. Hope you enjoy your trip and find lot's of good food to try.

Thanks for the heads up (pun intended).  We definitely want to try the traditional head meat version, but we will be taking our time in the area so will no doubt try both versions of barbacoa before we're done.  I believe this will be our only trip to this area of the country so we want to take full advantage of the opportunity to sample the fare.  In fact, we won't be leaving until we tire of eating great barbecue. 

So much food to sample, so little time!

Dean

[Pam Gould]

I learned about barbacoa from Rick Bayless who does a lot of Mexican stuff. I like how he cooks. Have several of his books nad everything so far is fabulous. If I ever get to Chicago I will try his restaurants.  .☆´¯`•.¸¸. ི♥ྀ.

[Ka Honu]

Funny that most Americans who know about it at all are familiar with the "brisket style" of barbacoa (largely because of Chipotle's version I'm told although I've never eaten there). Unless, as Mr. Buffett says, they've got "a Caribbean soul I can barely control and some Texas hidden here in my heart," they've probably never even considered eating anything made with cabeza de la vaca.

[Saber 4]

When you get to south Texas you may be asked which Barbacoa you want traditional is as you found the description above with any and all of the head meats and many places will offer an all meat or all beef version which is usually brisket long and low cooked in the Barbacoa style and seasonings. Both are very good if cooked and seasoned well, and like all things Tex-Mex you will find variations in seasonings and serving methods depending on where you are in Texas. Hope you enjoy your trip and find lot's of good food to try.

Thanks for the heads up (pun intended).  We definitely want to try the traditional head meat version, but we will be taking our time in the area so will no doubt try both versions of barbacoa before we're done.  I believe this will be our only trip to this area of the country so we want to take full advantage of the opportunity to sample the fare.  In fact, we won't be leaving until we tire of eating great barbecue. 

So much food to sample, so little time!

Dean

Dean, I would recommend you try a little of each at a couple of places that way you can compare apples to apples so to speak, it's also traditionally served with corn tortillas in that neck of the woods. You should have lot's of great BBQ to try through out Texas.

Funny that most Americans who know about it at all are familiar with the "brisket style" of barbacoa (largely because of Chipotle's version I'm told although I've never eaten there). Unless, as Mr. Buffett says, they've got "a Caribbean soul I can barely control and some Texas hidden here in my heart," they've probably never even considered eating anything made with cabeza de la vaca.

You are so right, Master Turtle