When did BBQ become "Pulled Pork?" (barbecue, French, Southern)

[OzzyRules]

Originally Posted by Dogboa

Real BBQ requires a smoker. The rest is grilling.

Of course. But what are you going to call it when you invite people over?

[CCCyou]

Originally Posted by tnff

I grew up in SC upstate where BBQ was a way of life. And BBQ meant whole hog cooked over a pit, not a smoker. It was served three ways -- sliced, chopped, or minced. Chopped was the most popular because it mixed all parts of the hog into one blend into bite size pieces perfect for a sandwich.
All that time not once did any of those old men who did the cooking call it "pulled pork." When did pulled pork become the thing? To me the meat is somewhat mushy and lacks flavor. Like it's been steamed rather than BBQ'd.

Growing up in Texas with uncles who were ranchers, it wasn't until I was about 24 when I found out that 'BBQ' could even include something that wasn't BEEF!

Now don't get me wrong - there ain't nothing like some pork-ribs or pork-butt smoked several hours with pecan-wood for the smoke!
We now make it like that often right here at home, with more 'love' than most any restaurant will, so I know what you mean.
Pulled port is simply smoking/cooking the butt long enough that you don't need a 'knife' to prep it for serving! Yum!

But there is also nothing like some amazing long BEEF ribs slow-smoked 14 hours overnight on pecan/oak wood mix - lord howdy!!
Closest 'not-from-home' for these I found is County Line Restaurant in Austin Texas
(I think there's one on RiverWalk in SanAntonio too).
I grew up on sliced brisket - the beef ribs were always a special treat!

[phonelady61]

Originally Posted by Medtran49

I do believe a lot of people in Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, even South Carolina, where you are apparently from, besides other areas in the States of the cities you mentioned would take great exception to that statement. Heck, even Kentucky. There's even a few places with decent BBQ in SE Florida, besides Dogboa does PDG pork shoulder/butt pulled pork, and couple of small pigs he's done on his Horizon off-set and caja china we rented. I'm not that fond of brisket, but those who like it say his is PDG too.

I m not from sc Im just living here for another 6 yrs and i will be off again to florida .Im sorry i would put kc bbq and austin bbq anyday of the week up against other s bbq.

[ABQConvict]

"Pulled" just refers to a joint of meat that has been cooked to the point of tenderness where a portion can be sectioned off without slicing with a knife, i.e. it can be pulled off the joint.

It is just a term. Maybe one that was not part of your local vernacular.

As for the mushiness, yeah, a lot of people pull the pork then put it in a pan and cover it to "keep warm" which causes it to steam and ruins the texture of the meat. I am with you on that one. Potions should be kept on the pig/joint until moments before serving.

[hertfordshire]

Originally Posted by OzzyRules

Of course. But what are you going to call it when you invite people over?

A cookout.

[Threerun]

Mmm.. Now I wish I was back in WV when I had property loaded with hickory, white oak and cherry.. I had an old OK Joe's vertical smoker and I used the crap out of it.

Brined and smoked my own home butchered hams




And in the fall we made venison brats with pork trimmings.. I used to smoke 75lbs of that a year.



Of course after that when it was time to eat them they got grilled.

[mainebrokerman]

Many terms have become generalized
And regionally specific at the same time

London broil and prime rib are two other examples

Bbq up here means referring to the act of grilling or smoking
Or
A gathering “ we are having a bbq Sunday “.

[Mightyqueen801]

I know someone who calls his grill 'the barbecue". I think Australians do, too, as in "another shrimp on the barbie".

I first heard of pulled pork about 25 years ago when a neighbor from North Carolina made some and brought it to a cookout we were having. I never heard of anyone saying "we are having barbecue" referring to a specific dish. Usually it is "we are having a barbecue", meaning you are having people over for a meal that consists, in part, of grilled meats.

The only times I saw a whole pig cooked outside over an open flame, it was called a "pig roast". Most of the time the people throwing that kind of party were Cuban.

[Mikala43]

Porno food.

[Bamaman1]

There are just so many different angles to "barbeque." Or is it "barbecue"?

I lived 18 years in Memphis, and I usually ate Q about every other day. And in all those years, I never had any brisket or BBQ beef. It wasn't on our diets.

We took the table for 12 at the foot of the basement steps at the Rendezvous every Friday night for years. Back then, the ribs were $1.75 for small and $2.75 for large plates. Beer was $1.75 for a 4 glass pitcher, and a 4" thick ham and cheese sandwich was $.75. That was 1968-1972.

I long for those days. And I loved when barbeque was pork shoulders cooked over smoldering coals all night long. I also liked when pork was a fatty meat producing the best flavored smoke. Today's pork is too lean, too white and it's cooked over hybrid natural gas pits with 2-3 wood logs.

I'm still in search of superlative barbeque pork. I seldom get it because the great cooks like Gridley's and Willinghams and John Wills are no longer in business. The great cooks are often very poor restaurant owners.