Barbecue is Not a Grill

It's the time of year where we all get the hankering to cook and (inexplicably) eat outdoors. Smokey meats doused in sticky sauce start to call our name. Ladies and Gentlemen, it's Barbecue

Season.

Now there's food cooked on a grill, and then there's Barbecue. For the unindoctrinated and the yankees, here's a charming musical primer on Southern Barbecue:

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Now, there's a lot of barbecue out there, but there's a limited supply of good barbecue. There are some simple rules to help you find the tastiest shredded meat in your area:

1. Word of mouth. Find someone who knows what they're talking about and get a barbecue recommendation. It may take several tries and much experimenting.
2. Look at the cook. As a general rule, the best barbecue is cooked by big good-ole-boys and served by sarcastic, gum chomping women with frizzy hair. If the staff doesn't resemble this, you may be in trouble.
3. Sides. Check the menu before you order. If it doesn't include mac n' cheese, brunswick stew, baked beans and banana pudding, leave right now.
4. Sauce. The best places will have a variety of sauces, from vinegar-based to tomato-based to mustard-based to spicy. If they only have one, it had better be a signature sauce, like Maurice's.
5. Sketchy appearance. It may seem counter-intuitive, but the best barbecue places look like condemned barns with clouds of smoke coming out of them. If the place you're at is shiny and well-lit, give up now.

You can also make barbecue at home. It's great for parties or outdoor events. Not too long ago, I made some that was quite delicious, if a little dry. I roasted a pork butt in the oven and then pulled it and put it in a crock pot with bbq sauce and the drippings. Before roasting, I rubbed it with paprika, salt, pepper and garlic powder on a dijon mustard base. For sauce, I used Williamson Brothers' sauce.

Yummmmmmm.