Let’s talk about your meat. Do you like it “hot and fast”, or “low and slow”? To be clear, I’m talking about the difference between grilling and barbecue. Grilling is generally done quickly over direct heat from low-smoke fuels, while barbecue is usually conducted slowly over indirect heat from high-smoke fuels. After all, what is barbecue without that mouth-watering smoky flavor?
Etymologists, people who study the origin of words, believe barbecue derives from the word barabicu (“sacred fire pit”) found in the language of the extinct Taino people, one of the major indigenous populations of the Caribbean. The word and the cooking technique migrated from the Caribbean into other languages and cultures. The method of buried cooking in barbecue pits was used by Native Americans for thousands of years. Sometime during the 16th century, in addition to disease, warfare and slavery, the Spanish introduced the pig to America. The Native Americans in turn, introduced the Spanish to the concept of slow cooking with smoke. Pig + smoke = barbecue.
Regional variations and tastes were established as the cooking method spread with the exploration of the continent. Carolinas style barbecue is centered on pork and uses vinegar- and tomato-based sauces. Memphis style focuses on ribs, which are prepared with “wet” or “dry” rubs. Kansas City style incorporates several varieties of meat, including cuts of beef, and the primary use of hickory wood for smoking. Sauces are typically tomato-based with sweet, spicy and tangy flavors. Texas “Cowboy” style is noted for the addition of mesquite wood and the use of mutton and goat meat.
You can taste the tradition at Brazen BBQ Smokehouse and Bar, 441 Washington St., where John Bracamonte and Brad Thomas serve award winning barbecue. Although the trophy case near the entrance is filled with numerous accolades, their first venture into competition wasn’t an easy go. As Bracamonte explained, he was raised on Texas style barbecue and his partner was a trained chef, so competing seemed like a logical step. They entered their first contest with high expectations and proceeded to get their “butts kicked”.
“We learned there’s a difference between cooking for friends and family, and impressing the judges,” he said.
Undeterred, they tweaked their recipes and techniques, and began bringing home the ribbons. In 2009, they received the coveted California BBQ Rookie of the Year award, finished in the California Top Ten and the Nation’s Top 100. They’ve been bringing home the awards ever since.
The lunch-time crowd filled numerous tables inside the high-ceilinged open-beamed dining room, and on the wide shady veranda. Bracamonte told me he uses hickory wood or peach and apple chips depending on the cut of meat. I ordered the Build-Your-Own Platter which included tri-tip and pulled pork served with cornbread, cowboy beans and slaw. The thick slices of beef, after spending 12 hours in the smoker, are tender, pink and juicy with a savory hickory crust. The pulled pork is succulent and sweetened by the apple and peach chips. Sauces, served on the side, include B.R.A.G, which is tangy with a bite of vinegar, Smoky Lace, which is sweet with a hint of tamarind and Barn Burner, which brings the heat with habanero pepper. The portions are substantial, but save room for dessert. The Pig Candy Brownie is a bacon-infused chocolate treat served warm with vanilla ice cream, strawberry puree and bourbon sauce. So indulgent! So delicious!
Be sure to visit their Web site, brazenbbq.com, where you’ll find recipes (Crawfish and Grits in Cajon Cream Sauce – yum!) and catering information.
