Wednesday, August 14, 2013

The History Of Eastern North Carolina Bbq Sauce

By Essie Craft


If you have never heard of Eastern North Carolina BBQ sauce then you need to know that it's considered the first ever recipe for barbecue sauces in America. Its mix of pepper and vinegar may not sound so inviting, but it has lasted for hundreds of years. These days people have tweaked the recipe a little and added their own things, buts its essence is still the same.

Barbecue is something of a tradition in the United States. It was started by Native Americans, who perfected the method of slow cooking by placing food well above the flames, so that it would not cook as quickly. This method also allowed all the smoke to permeate the meat and act as a marinade, giving the food that distinctive barbecue flavor.

Throughout the years, pigs have been the meat of choice at barbecues. This dates back to the 1500s, when the Spanish brought pigs to America and the Native Americans cooked it for them in their distinctive slow and low method. However, these days you can barbecue most foods. Beef brisket, fish, chicken, turkey and even vegetables can be put on the grill.

In the United States, the types of barbecue are usually broken down into about four distinct types. Usually the types refer to the sauces each are made with. The sauces are usually meant to fulfill two distinct roles. They act as a basting sauce - to put on the food as it is cooking - and they also act as a finishing sauce, which you dip the food in.

The four sauces that are considered to be the first ones made in the US are Eastern Carolina, heavy tomato, light tomato and mustard. Each one has its own flavor and each has been doctored throughout the years according to personal preference.

Hot pepper and vinegar are what makes the Eastern North Carolina variety unique. The use of vinegar offers an acidity that can combat the richness of the meat and the spice gives it flavor. Though the original recipe probably had only these two things in, these days people have added further ingredients. For instance, some use sugar to counteract the sourness of the vinegar and the heat of the pepper. Salt is a must too, as this adds extra flavor.

Due to the internet and the ease of communication these days, it's very easy to create your own hybrid sauces and experiment with the original recipes. What some like doing is marinating their meat for 24 hours in the liquid and then continually basting while it's cooking, so that the pork is penetrated with more flavor.

Eastern North Carolina BBQ sauce is truly the original sauce of America. Put it in the fridge once it's made and it should keep for a month. It's very simple to do and can be tweaked depending on your love of spices. The food should have a tangy flavor and this is especially important when using pork, which seems to go well with cider vinegar.




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