Shifting Lenses

I love barbeque. I have my entire life. I grew up eating my grandfather’s brisket, and my dad still makes it for us using his old method. But truthfully, I love all varieties of barbeque. I have always been amazed at how it means something different in every region.

My family has gone on a number of road trips in the USA, and hitting the barbeque places along the way has always been a highlight for me. Some of my favorites include ribs at Dreamland BBQ in Tuscaloosa and the pulled pork at Triple Crown BBQ near Shenandoah National Park.

In Texas, barbeque is brisket. In the Northeast, someone will say they are barbecuing and just have burgers and hot dogs on the grill. This would not pass in most of the South. The meat we use is regional, so are the sauces and sides we have with it. And EVERYONE believes their barbeque is the best. It seems like it all depends on where you are from.

If I could only have one type for the rest of my life, it would be brisket. Not necessarily because I’ve decided Texas barbeque is always better, but because it’s the version that tastes like barbeque to me. And maybe that’s the point. Food isn’t only about what tastes good. Sometimes it tells us where we learned what “good” was in the first place.