Draws on hundreds of sources to document the evolution of barbecue from its origins among Native Americans to its present status as an icon of American culture. This is the story not just of a dish but of a social institution that helped shape the many regional cultures of the United States. The history begins with British colonists' adoption of barbecuing techniques from Native Americans in the 16th and 17th centuries, moves to barbecue's establishment as the preeminent form of public celebration in the 19th century, and is carried through to barbecue's iconic status today.

Barbecue: A History examines barbecue's history and place in American society using both historical and contemporary sources. The book examines all aspects of barbecue: Outdoor grilling and traditional slow cooking Restaurant and home cooking International forms of barbecue The specific foods involved in a barbecue The concept of the barbecue as a gathering Historical and contemporary recipes for main and side dishes Readers are treated here to a delightful and thorough history of barbecue, including its appearance in music, television, and film, and a consideration of how we think of and enjoy barbecue today.

The biggest, baddest, best salute to our passion for barbecue, in glorious full-color, from “America’s master griller” (Esquire). A 500-recipe celebration of sizzle and smoke, Steven Raichlen’s award-winning The Barbecue! Bible unlocks the secrets of live-fire cooking with top dishes, the tastiest sauces, and insider techniques and tips. It’s got everything: how to grill the perfect T-bone. Succulent chicken from around the world: Jamaica, Senegal, Brazil, India, Thailand, Uruguay. A perfect meeting of fire and ice: Fire-Roasted Banana Splits. Includes FAQs, problem-solving tips, and comprehensive notes on equipment, ingredients, marinades, rubs—even a chapter on thirst-quenchers to serve while you’re busy fanning the coals.

Explore the world of barbecue as food and culture through first-person stories from pit masters, barbecue joint owners, sausage makers, and wood suppliers. It’s no overstatement to say that the state of Texas is a republic of barbecue. Whether it’s brisket, sausage, ribs, or chicken, barbecue feeds friends while they catch up, soothes tensions at political events, fuels community festivals, sustains workers of all classes, celebrates brides and grooms, and even supports churches. Recognizing just how central barbecue is to Texas’s cultural life, Elizabeth Engelhardt and a team of eleven graduate students from the University of Texas at Austin set out to discover and describe what barbecue has meant to Texans ever since they first smoked a beef brisket. Republic of Barbecue presents a fascinating, multifaceted portrait of the world of barbecue in Central Texas. The authors look at everything from legendary barbecue joints in places such as Taylor and Lockhart to feedlots, ultra-modern sausage factories, and sustainable forests growing hardwoods for barbecue pits. They talk to pit masters and proprietors, who share the secrets of barbecue in their own words. Like side dishes to the first-person stories, short essays by the authors explore a myriad of barbecue’s themes—food history, manliness and meat, technology, nostalgia, civil rights, small-town Texas identity, barbecue’s connection to music, favorite drinks such as Big Red, Dr. Pepper, Shiner Bock, and Lone Star beer—to mention only a few. An ode to Texas barbecue in films, a celebration of sports and barbecue, and a pie chart of the desserts that accompany brisket all find homes in the sidebars of the book, while photographic portraits of people and places bring readers face-to-face with the culture of barbecue. “This beautiful collection, colorful enough to display as a coffee-table book, contributes significantly to the oral history tradition and the study of barbecue simultaneously.” —Journal of American Folklore “Tar Heels probably shouldn’t own up to liking Texas barbecue, but we have no hesitation about saying that we love this book about it. The voices of the folks who make it happen and this book’s wonderful photographs add up to a splendid portrait of Lone Star barbeculture.” —John Shelton Reed and Dale Volberg Reed, authors of Holy Smoke: The Big Book of North CarolinaBarbecue

"Fertel chronicles the uniquely southern art of whole hog barbecue--America's original barbecue--through the professional pitmasters who make a living firing, smoking, flipping, and cooking 200-plus pound pigs"--Amazon.com.

Presents stories, recipes, and photographs of barbecue cooking in the South, recording the pitmasters and legendary joints that make this food culture famous.

The Ultimate Book of BBQ builds on the expertise of Southern Living magazine to create the definitive barbecue and outdoor grilling guide. The book features more than 200 of the highest-rated Southern Living recipes for barbecued meats and sides, plus pit-proven tips, techniques, and secrets for year-round smoking, grilling and barbecuing. With full color, step-by-step photos and mouthwatering recipes, this book includes everything the home cook needs to achieve first-rate backyard barbecue. Proven cooking techniques and equipment, expert advice from award-winning pitmasters, and a Rainy Day BBQ chapter with stovetop, oven, and slow-cooker options make this Southern Living's most definitive book on barbecue.