British Undeservedly Snotty about American Cuisine

[Malthus]

Yeah, BBQs big rise back in the 80s/early 90s was as part of the Austraphilia going around at the time.

I think its more than just Britain too, many foreigners too seem to assosiate Australia with bbq.

And..I doubt Australia copied the US. BBQ is a fairly logical, basic way of cooking. When you're in a country with nice hot weather and plenty of meat...then its a given you'll want to BBQ and it'll become part of your culture.

Given that Australian "barbecue" is nothing of the sort (just what Americans generally call "grilling"), you are almost certainly correct that the Australians simply took the name and applied it to a very un-original way of cooking.  In a way, that's a pity, because actual barbecue is wonderful stuff (though it takes forever to make), while grilling is very ordinary. Anyone thinking they are eating barbecue because the Australians convinced them that grilling is barbecue is losing out on the real thing.

In Canada at least, the term "barbeque" simply refers to cooking meat (and other things) over high direct heat - that is, what in the US would be called "grilling". What you refer to as "barbeque" - slow cooking over indirect heat and smoke - is a lot less common; here at least it is strongly associated with "southern US" style regional cooking, and is thought of as sora exotic, though I note that specialty stores are now selling smoking rigs.

Pretty well every backyard has a gas or charcoal "barbecue", but the meaning is the same as in Australia - most people simply grill their food directly over the heat.   

[Ed Anger]

This thread reminds me to get the big green egg out this weekend and fix up some brisket.

[Caliga]

This thread reminds me to get the big green egg out this weekend and fix up some brisket.

I have a smoker that cost me around $200.  I looked up how much one of those egg things cost once.

[Barrister]

Aye, I grew up cooking wood over a charcoal or propane, and we called it barbeque, and I'm not about to change just to please some southern US purists.

That being said I've been playing around with southern-style smoking, and it can produce some tasy results...

[grumbler]

Aye, I grew up cooking wood over a charcoal or propane, and we called it barbeque, and I'm not about to change just to please some southern US purists.

No reason to call grilling "grilling" rather than "barbecuing" so long as you don't pass up on real barbecue because you think it is merely grilled.  It is like the "champagne" issue; those who drink California sparkling wine and call it "Champagne" are not wrong, but they should also not confuse what they are drinking with the product of the Champagne region.

[Barrister]

Aye, I grew up cooking wood over a charcoal or propane, and we called it barbeque, and I'm not about to change just to please some southern US purists.

No reason to call grilling "grilling" rather than "barbecuing" so long as you don't pass up on real barbecue because you think it is merely grilled.  It is like the "champagne" issue; those who drink California sparkling wine and call it "Champagne" are not wrong, but they should also not confuse what they are drinking with the product of the Champagne region.

My troll has failed. 

I completely agree with what you said. 

[Malthus]

No reason to call grilling "grilling" rather than "barbecuing" so long as you don't pass up on real barbecue because you think it is merely grilled.  It is like the "champagne" issue; those who drink California sparkling wine and call it "Champagne" are not wrong, but they should also not confuse what they are drinking with the product of the Champagne region.

It was a long time before I tried southern-style barbeque, partly for this very reason - because I did not know the difference in preparation. It is indeed very different, and very tasty. I'd try it myself, only it appears to be a lot of work.

[Caliga]

The problem I have with making barbecue myself is that the closest restaurant to my house (only about a half mile away) is a BBQ pit with some of the best brisket and ribs I've ever had... and cheap to boot.  So, why bother?

I still want to try a brisket in my smoker, but I doubt I'll top the other place.

I posted pics of that restaurant in another recent thread. 

[Eddie Teach]

I have a smoker that cost me around $200.  I looked up how much one of those egg things cost once.

How much was it? The website I looked at was playing coy with their pricing. 

[Ed Anger]

I have a smoker that cost me around $200.  I looked up how much one of those egg things cost once.

How much was it? The website I looked at was playing coy with their pricing. 

I paid 700 or so, IIRC.

[Caliga]

Yeah, the standard sized model is like $700.  They have a smaller model, but it's still outrageously expensive for its size.  There's also a giant model that costs like $1,300.

[Barrister]

How does your $200 smoker work Cal?

I tried 'smoking' something over indirect heat on my propane grill, but while it cooked, it really didn't taste smoked.

[garbon]

It is like the "champagne" issue; those who drink California sparkling wine and call it "Champagne" are not wrong, but they should also not confuse what they are drinking with the product of the Champagne region.

Supporting France? Supporting California? Which will I choose?

[Caliga]

How does your $200 smoker work Cal?

I tried 'smoking' something over indirect heat on my propane grill, but while it cooked, it really didn't taste smoked.

You need to be burning wood to get the smoked flavor brah.

I've done burgers, chicken, brats, and ribs with the smoker.  They all came out nice and smoky... too smoky in the case of the ribs, given that I used juniper wood to smoke them (by mistake), which made them taste like gasoline.

[grumbler]

My troll has failed. 

I am not that concerned with popular names for things (though I don't mind the Languish meme which has me fighting over them).  Technical or legal definitions are different, of course.