History of smoking meats:

When examining the history of Barbecue/Smoking people quickly breakdown into the age old
argument of what exactly Barbecue is. If we credit the indigenous peoples of the Caribbean with the
advent of Barbecue as a method of preserving meat then it only follows that modern day Barbecue is
an evolution of this process, changing over time into that great southern icon, Barbecued Pork (or
pulled pork). However if you wander out of the south you quickly find people who "Barbecue"
hamburgers on their Weber grill. People have eaten things referred to as Mongolian Barbecue,
Japanese Barbecue, and Greek Barbecue. All of these are very different things. The biggest debate
you will find along the purists of the meaning of Barbecue will occur if you bring together a Texan and
a South Carolinian. In Texas, Barbecue means Beef, particularly Brisket. In the Carolina's (the whole
south for that matter), Barbecue means Pork (typically shoulder roasts and Boston butts).
So where do you start with a History of Barbecue? Let's start with this somewhat controversial
premise. Everything that is typically called Barbecue has a couple of things in common. Barbecue
requires meat. You grill vegetables. For those of us living in the 21st century, meat, regardless of what
kind is far more prevalent than it was to our ancestors. Industrialized ranching, refrigeration, and
mass trucking of goods have made meat a not only a staple of diet but practically an every meal
entree. In the evolution of Barbecue, wherever that evolution took place, one this has always been a
constant. Barbecue is more than a meal. It is an event. People gather for good barbecue, whether
invited or not. Barbecue is an event that gathers people around a fire to watch, smell and eat. Like the
fires of prehistory this is the place to eat, drink and tell stories.
Before you start brawling, remember that Barbecue is a social event and though you might not agree
with the process, the food is always good. I will be starting with the origin of Barbecue in the United
States and in later features will look at the evolution of both Texan and Southern Barbecue
individually.
When the first Spanish explorers arrived in the new world they found the indigenous people of the
Caribbean preserving meats in the sun. This is an age old and almost completely universal method.
The chief problem with doing this is that the meats spoil and become infested with bugs. To drive the
bugs away the natives would built small, smoky fires and place the meat on racks over the fires. The
smoke would keep the insects at bay and help in the preserving of the meat.
Tradition tells us that this is the origin of Barbecue, both in process and in name. The natives of the
West Indies had a word for this process, "barbacoa". It is generally believed that this is the origin of
our modern word Barbecue, though there is some debate on the matter.
The process began to evolve with the migration of Europeans and Africans to the region of the
Southern United States. European pigs and cattle were transplanted to the new world and became the
primary meat source for the colonies, pork being the meat of choice in the South due to the ability of
pigs to thrive with little care. The racks used to dry the meat were replaced with pits and smoke
houses.
Now pit cooking is by no means new at this point in history or specific to any particular region of the
world. If we define Barbecue as a process of cooking meat (or specifically pork) in pits then the
inventors of this process are probably the Polynesians who have been masters of slow, pit cooked pork
for thousands of years. So we will have to leave the definition for another time.

The process of slow cooking meat in early colonial times was often reserved for poor cuts of meat left
for slaves and low income peoples. Higher quality meats had no need for a process of cooking that
would reduce the toughness of the meat. Throughout the south Barbecue has long been an
inexpensive food source, though labor intensive. But I am getting ahead of myself.
One thing to remember that without a process of refrigeration, meat had to be either cooked and
eaten quickly after slaughter or preserved by either a spicing or smoking process. Traditionally spicing
requires that large amounts of salt be used to dry the meat and lower the ability of contaminants to
spoil the meat. Smoking in this period of time had much the same effect. The indigenous practitioners
of Barbecue, cold smoked meat meaning that the meat was dried by exposure to the sun and
preserved by the addition of smoke.

Regional variations of barbecue at present:

Barbecue varies by region, with the four main styles named after their place of
origin: Memphis, Tenn.; North Carolina; Kansas City; and Texas. Memphis is
renowned for pulled pork-shoulder doused in sweet tomato-based sauce (eaten on
its own or as a sandwich). North Carolina smokes the whole hog in a vinegar-based
sauce. Kansas City natives prefer ribs cooked in a dry rub, and Texans ... well,
Texans dig beef. Eastern Texas' relative proximity to Tennessee puts it in the pulledpork camp, but in the western segment of the Lone Star State, you're likely to find
mesquite-grilled "cowboy-style" brisket. Locals defend their region's cooking style
with the sort of fierce loyalty usually reserved for die-hard sports fans.

Africa
South Africa
A typical braai on a small braai stand
The word braaivleis is Afrikaans for "smoked meat."
The word braai (plural braais) is Afrikaans for "barbecue" or "grill" and is a social custom
in South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, Swaziland, Zimbabwe and Zambia. The
term originated with the Afrikaans-speaking people, but has since been adopted by
South Africans of many ethnic backgrounds. The word vleis is Afrikaans for "meat".
The word has been adopted by English-speaking South Africans and can be regarded
as another word for barbecue, in that it serves as a verb when describing how food is
cooked and a noun when describing the cooking equipment, such as a grill. The
traditions around a braai can be considerably different from a barbecue, however,
even if the method of food preparation is very similar.
While wood was formerly the most widely used braai fuel, in modern times the use
of charcoal and briquettes have increased due to their convenience, as with barbecues

elsewhere in the world. There has, however, been a renewed interest in the use of
wood after the South African government started with its invasive plant species removal
programme. A previously distinguishing difference between a braai and a barbecue
was that barbecues generally used gas, as opposed to an open flame. However,
over the last few years, many households now own a gas braai together with a
wood or charcoal braai[, mainly due to gas being a more convenient fuel. Open
flames remain the favorite for braais away from home.
Similar to a potluck party, braais are social events which are casual and laid-back,
where families and friends converge on a picnic spot or someone's home (normally
the garden or verandah) with their own meat, salad, or side dish in hand. Meats are
the mainstay of the South African braai. They typically
include boerewors, sosaties, kebabs, marinated chicken, pork and lamb chops,steaks,
sausages of different flavors and thickness, and possibly even racks of spareribs. Fish
and Rock Lobster, commonly called kreef in Afrikaans, are also popular in coastal
areas.
A braai is a social occasion that has specific traditions and social norms. In black and
white South African culture, women rarely cook meat at a social gathering, as this is
normally the preserve of men. The men gather round the braaistand (the grill)
outdoors and cook the meat, while women prepare the pap, salads, desserts, and
vegetables in the kitchen. The meal is subsequently eaten outside by the braai
stand, since these gatherings are normally hosted during the long summer months.
The cooking of the meat is not the prerogative of all the men attending, as one
person would normally be in charge. He will attend to the fire, check that the coals
are ready, and cook the meat. Etiquette has it that others are not permitted to
interfere with the braai operators duties, except if expressly asked to help. Other
men may assist in the cooking, but generally only partake in fireside conversations
while having a drink in hand. This is very similar to how Australian, New Zealand,
and American backyard barbecues are often run. What often makes a braai different to
barbeque is that it is the 'go-to' social event for many South Africans, from
Christmas Day, to graduation parties, to birthdays and every day get together,
the braai is used as a means to celebrate. While other cultures may reserve a
barbeque as a special event in its own right.

Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico

The indigenous Native Tano peoples method has involved slowly cooking meat over a wooden mesh of
sticks. In Spanish-speaking islands of the Caribbean, such as Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and
especially Puerto Rico, lechon is a common delicacy. Lechon consists of taking a whole pig, slicing it from
the head to tail along the chest and stomach, and slow-grilling the hog as it is turned on a rod.

East Asia

China
Chuanr are small pieces of meat on skewers roasted over charcoal or, sometimes, electric heat. Chuanr
originated in the Xinjiang province of China and in recent years has spread throughout the rest of the
country, most notably northern China as a popular street food. Chuanr was traditionally made from lamb
which is still the most common, but now, chicken, pork, beef, and various types of seafood can also be
used. In tourism heavy areas, chuanr can also be made with various insects, bugs, birds, and other exotic
animals.

Hong Kong
In Hong Kong, pork barbecue is made with a marinade of honey and soy sauce, and
cooked in long, narrow strips. This form of barbecue is known as char siu.
Outdoor barbecues (usually known simply as BBQ) are popular among local residents on short trips to
the regional parks in the countryside. These are invariably coal-fired, with meat (usually beef, pork,
sausage, or chicken wings) marinated in honey, then cooked using long, hand-held forks. At the same
time, foil-wrapped pieces of corn and sweet potato are placed on the hot coals; these take a long time to
cook so they are usually eaten at the end of the barbecue. Unlike Western barbecues, everyone gathers
around the fire and cooks their own food, so the atmosphere is closer to that of a fondue or a hot pot.

Korea
Bulgogi is thinly sliced beef (and sometimes pork or chicken) marinated in soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic
and chili pepper, and cooked on a grill at the table. It is a main course, and is therefore served with rice
and side dishes such as Kimchi. Bulgogi literally means "fire meat." The more common Korean "BBQ" is
called galbi, which are marinated ribs.

Japan
Barbecuing is very popular in Japan as part of an outdoor activity. Normally, more vegetables and
seafood are incorporated than in the US, and soy sauce or soy based sauces are commonly used.
Occasionally, the Japanese-style fried noodle "Yakisoba" would be cooked as well. In
addition, Jingisukan, Yakiniku, Horumonyaki are famous.
Yakitori is the Japanese version of shish kebab. Spare ribs, chicken, and steak are also grilled and glazed
with teriyaki sauce.

Southeast Asia
Satay is popular in several Southeast Asian countries: Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and the
Philippines. It consists of pieces of meat skewered on bamboo sticks. The meat is marinated in a mixture
of spices similar to a curry mix and pulverized peanut. Most common meats are chicken, lamb and beef,
and in non-Muslim enclaves, you will also find satay made from pork and animal offal. Satay is a mainstay

of most Malaysian, Indonesian and Singaporean barbecues. Traditional uses only chicken thigh meat cut
into strips before they are skewered. Other types of satay include pork, mutton and beef.
After the meat has been cooked over a charcoal flame, it is served with a thick gooey dipping sauce made
from the same mixture as the marinade for the meat, a peanut tasting curry like mixture.
In the mountainous regions of North Borneo, the local Kadazan people's specialties are chicken satay
and snake meat satay; the latter, as of 2007, is only available under exceptional circumstances. Before
1990, it was possible to get satay of animals like tapir, elephants, flying fox, goannas and wild boar.
Unfortunately, these animals are now rare and/or endangered.

Philippines
In the Philippines, Lechon is a centerpiece of the main cultural diet. It is extremely rare for any celebratory
occasion to lack lechon. Philippine lechon is prepared similarly to that of the Spanish-speaking islands of
the Caribbean. The hog is opened from head to tail along the belly, and is slow-grilled turned on a rod
over a fire. Even though the Spanish-speaking islands of the Caribbean and the Philippines do not share
a common everyday spoken language, it is still referred to with the same pronunciation. This may be due
to the fact that both regions were ruled by Spain for several centuries; linguists estimate that some 40% of
each various Philippine languages contain Spanish loanwords).
Barbecue is also the term for skewered pork or chicken, marinated in and basted with a sweetish sauce
made from ketchup, pineapple juice, and/or 7-Up. Chicken barbecue is often served with what is popularly
known as Java sauce. Bananacue, a dish consisting of plantains skewered on a stick similar in style
to shish kebab, is also commonly cooked.

Singapore
In the city state of Singapore, barbecue or BBQ, as it is commonly known as, is a common feature in
social gatherings, but a less common feature of a typical Singaporeans daily lifestyle and diet. A majority
of Singaporeans live in government aided apartments or HDB flats. A lack of open spaces at home results
in BBQ gatherings in parks or chalets. The Singapore National Parks rents out barbecue pits that are
placed in popular parks like the East Coast Park. Other parks that offer barbecue pits to the public include
Punggol Park, Pasir Ris Park, West Coast Park, Changi Beach Park, Sembawang Park and Pulau Ubin.
Singapore styled BBQ is mostly charcoal fired and Singaporeans roast a variety of Southeast Asian and
Western food. Besides satay, other BBQ food includes sambal stingray or cuttlefish wrapped in aluminium
foil, grilled meat (chicken, pork, beef) and marinated in BBQ sauce commonly made from soya sauce,
pepper, salt, sugar and oyster sauce. Taiwanese sausages, chicken franks and sausages are also grilled.
Marshmallows skewered using satay sticks is another highlight of a Singaporean barbecue.
The fire starter used is not the typical lighter fluid or charcoal chimney starter used in western grills.
Instead, the fire starter comes in a box of small rolled up briquette of saw wood dust and wax which is lit
and placed under a stack of charcoal briquette.

Central and Southern Asia

Mongolia
Nomadic Mongolians have several barbecue methods, one of which is "Khorkhog". They first heat palmsized stones to a high temperature over the fire and alternate layers of lamb and stone in a pot. The
cooking time depends on the amount of lamb used. It is believed that it is good for your health if you hold
the stone used for cooking.
Another way of cooking is a "boodog" ("boo" means wrap in Mongolian). Usually marmot or goats are
cooked in this way. There is no pot needed for cooking "boodog", after slaughter and dressing, the
innards are put back inside the carcass through a small hole and the whole carcass is cooked over the
fire.
The Mongolian barbecue often found in restaurants is a style of cooking falsely attributed to the mobile
lifestyle of nomadic Mongolians. Originating in Taiwan in the mid to late 20th century, the so-called
"Mongolian barbecue", a popular dish in American and Canadian Chinese restaurants, consists of thinly
sliced lamb, beef, chicken, pork, or other meat, seasonings, vegetables, and noodles, or a combination
thereof, which is quickly cooked over a flat circular metal surface that has been heated.

Pakistan and India

The tandoor is a form of barbecue, particularly focusing on baking, that is common in Afghanistan,
Pakistan and northern India. Grilling is also popular, and uses many spices native to the local land,
especially the many variations of Curry blends.

Europe
Mediterranean
Barbecuing/Smoking is popular in Mediterranean countries. It is influenced by traditional Mediterranean
cuisine. Olive oil is a key part of the Mediterranean barbecue style, as it is in the region's cuisine. The
most common items cooked are chicken, beef steaks, souvlakis/brochettes, halloumi cheese, andpita
bread, and may be grilled, baked, or both. In addition, some dishes combine grilling with braising for more
variety. Often, barbecue meat items are marinated with olive oil and citrus juice mixtures, and then
garnished with various herbs and spices; basic persillade and several variations are often put on top of
the meat.

The Alps
A traditional cooking method of the French and Swiss Alps similar that has recently been commercialized
is pierade or cooking meats on a hot stone, usually communally and directly on the serving table. This
type of cooking is in no way limited to the Alps, but is associated with it and with other rustic or communal
methods of cooking like fondue and raclette.

Germany
Germans are enthusiastic about their version of barbecue, grilling ("Grillen"), especially in the
summertime. It is the one area of traditional home cooking that is a predominantly male activity. Germans
grill over charcoal or, increasingly, gas, and grilled meats include variations of the Bratwurst such as
Thuringian sausage for example as well as steaks (especially marinated pork steaks from the
shoulder), Frikadellen and poultry. Regional festivals feature grilled items ranging from eel to trout, whole
sides of pork or beef, chicken, and duck. Smoking is common practice in German butchering, but pure
smoke-based techniques have not yet entered popular practice. Barbecue variations are also popular
from the United States of America, Turkey, Greece, other Balkan States, and among the Germanspeaking emigrants from the statlar among the immigrant communities in Germany, with notable traditions
of outdoor grilling in Germany developed by immigrants and visitors of the former Soviet Union.

Scandinavia
Barbecue in Scandinavia implements traits of traditional Scandinavian gourmet cuisines. In addition to
more traditional meats such as chicken, beef, lamb, and pork, wild game are common, especially venison.
A sauce made from Juniper berries is often put on top of the meats when served.

Russia
Shashlik is the Russian version of shish kebab, and like all other international variants, is cooked on a
grill. Shashlik is usually made of lamb, but there can also be pork, beef, ground seasoned beef, chicken,
and sturgeon shashliks.

Turkey
Like other Mediterranean countries barbecuing is popular. Kebabs like i kebap, fishes and some
vegetables usually cooked on a mangal.
Mangal is a unique version of barbecue which used in Turkey. It nearly has the same principles with the
classic barbecue.

United Kingdom and Ireland

Barbecuing is a popular al fresco cooking and eating style, common in both the United Kingdom and
Ireland. Many homes in both countries have a barbecue, usually located in the home's back garden. Most
popular are steel-built "kettle" and range-style barbecues, with wheels to facilitate moving the barbecue.
Due to the typically wet weather of the climate of the British Isles, during the autumn and winter, many
British and Irish people store their barbecues in a garden shed or garage, although permanent brick
barbecues are also common.
In recent times, barbecue cook-off competitions are beginning to take place in the United Kingdom and
Ireland, similar to those in the United States. Some of these barbecue competitions also allow teams from
both countries to compete against each other. Similar competitions are also held in Canada, continental
Europe, and Australia.

The most common foods cooked on a British- or Irish-style barbecue are chicken, hamburgers, sausages,
beef steaks, shish kebabs, and vegetarian soya or quorn based products, and can be grilled, baked, or a
combination of both. Such vegetarian products require extra attention due to their lower fat content and
thus tendency to stick, as well as their weaker structure due to the manufacturing process of such foods.
Less common food items include fish, prawns, lobster, halloumi (cheese), corn-on-the-cob, squashes,
potatoes, plantains, asparagus, beetroots, pork fillets, pork patties, and pork or beef ribs. Similar to the
United States, barbecue sauce is sometimes spread onto the meat while it is cooking. All the major
supermarket chains now offer a range of barbecue products, although availability is usually limited to the
duration of the "barbecue season" (late spring to early autumn).
However, as modern British cuisine as a whole is also heavily influenced by its multi-ethnic minority
communities, British barbecue draws on traditions from Continental Western European, Scandinavian,
and Mediterranean cuisines, and to a lesser extent, Middle Eastern, Asian, Oceania, and Oriental
cuisines. For example, the barbecue sauce may contain Juniper berries, and persillade may also be put
on top of the meat as a garnish. Overall, British and Irish barbecue is similar to a mix of American,
Australian, German, Scandinavian, and Mediterranean styles.

Middle East
Arabia and Eastern Mediterranean
Shish Taoouq, the Middle Eastern Kebabs made from beef and lamb, beef steaks, chicken, or nonpork sausages are popular barbecue dishes in the region. Mangal, Arabic for a grill is the act of smoking
meat on coals outdoors and also known as "On the fire" Barbecue is very popular in Israel, especially
on Yom Ha'atzmaut (Israel Independence Day), celebrated with picnics and mangal. The meat is eaten
with pita bread, Tehini paste, Hummus, Arabi salad, Tabouli, and other salads. Al tazaj is a Shish
Taoouq chain throughout the region.

Iran
Persian-style kabob has various types. The main one is koobideh kabob, which is seasoned ground beef
that is skewered and barbecued outside on a charcoal flame. There is also a marinated chicken kabob
called joojeh kabob and a filet mignon steak kabob, called kabob barg. Both are skewered as well. All
three main types of Persian kabob are usually served with Iranian style saffron rice and salad Shirazi, but
can also be eaten with Middle Eastern lavash bread.

North America
United States
Although regional differences in barbecue are influencing one another more, as are many other aspects
of regional culture, some traditions remain. The U.S. has a range of contemporary suburban barbecue
equipment and styles, which often consist of baking, grilling (charbroiling, grid ironing, or griddling),
braising (by putting a broth-filled pot on top of a charbroil-grill or gridiron-grill), or smoking various meats
(depending on the various cuts).

Many Americans in cooler regions have barbecues only throughout the warm seasons, or all year in the
South and California, with barbecue cookouts part of a picnic or the family meal at home. The big holidays
for barbecuing and picnicking are the Memorial Day weekend and the Fourth of July Independence Day
celebration. Americans barbecue meats such as chicken, beef, lamb, and pork, and also fish and
vegetables. In addition, during the fall and winter holidays, people in the southern regions of the country
also tend to barbecue whole turkeys. Barbecue cook-off competitions are very common throughout the
southern half of the country, and more recently have gained exposure in the northern part of the mainland
country and into Hawaii and even Canada and beyond.

Canada
Meats have been cooked over open flames by the Aboriginal peoples of Canada since the beginning of
the human habitation of North America. US-style barbecue culture is a recent import to Canada, having
been introduced only following the Second World War. Its arrival coincided with the commercially-driven
popularization of a type of "domestic masculinity" for middle-class suburban fathers in the 1950s. This
was a sharp break with the Canadian tradition, however, and as late as 1955 an article
in Maclean's called the practise "weird". Therefore "barbecue" (in one sense) cannot said to be a deeplyheld Canadian tradition. Yet by the late 1950s the barbecue, once a fad, had become a permanent part of
Canadian summers.
Canadian barbecue takes many influences from its American neighbor, but also takes influences from
British, Central European, and Euro-Mediterranean barbecue styles. The most common items cooked on
a Canadian barbecue are chicken, burgers, ribs, steaks, sausages, and shish kebabs. Barbecue sauce is
either brushed on when the meats are cooking, or before the meats are served. As in the United States,
barbecue cook-off competitions are quite common. Barbecue cookouts, either pit-smoking, baking, grilling
(charbroiling, grid ironing, or griddling), or braising (by putting a broth-filled pot on top of a charbroil-grill or
gridiron-grill), can also be combined with picnics, again the same as in the United States.
Regional varieties are present between provinces, as well as regionally within provinces. Since mass
consumer society allows once traditional local products to be sold in all regions, these are to be
considered stereotypical examples only. British Columbian barbecues would most likely feature salmon
and chicken cooked indirectly on a cedar plank, a method indigenous to the Pacific coast. Those of
the Prairie Provinces would like feature beef steaks and sausage. Ontario barbecues are more likely to
contain bbq ribs and burgers. Quebec-style barbecue draws closer and greater influences in style from
European and Mediterranean grilling, baking, and braising traditions and Louisiana barbecue, which
likewise is also distinct from the barbecue styles of the rest of the American Deep South due to the
influences of the unique regional cuisines of the state: Cajun cuisine and Louisiana Creole cuisine, which
both descend from French and other Central European and Euro-Mediterranean cuisines. In addition to
rubs and sauces, the meats are marinated in various mixtures containing olive
oil and citrus juices, persillade is often added as a garnish, and meat skewers, called brochettes (French)
or souvlakis (Greek), are also very common.

Mexico
In Mexico the Horno is a traditional earthen barbecue tradition. Carne asada (literally meaning "roasted
meat") consists of marinated cuts of beef rubbed with salt and pepper, and then grilled. Normally, it is
accompanied with tortillas and grilled onions and bell peppers sometimes as well. This dish is now
extremely popular in the entire country; although it is widely believed to have originated in the northern
part of Mexico, it is now found almost everywhere in Mexico and the southwestern U.S. Additionally, there
are several other types of meats that are barbecued in Mexico, depending on the geographic region. In
the northern part of the country, Cabrito is a popular barbecue dish, which consists of an entire kid goat,
minus head, hooves and entrails (except the kidneys), slowly grilled/smoked on an open charcoal grill.
The kidneys release a strong desired flavor as the carcass is slowly cooking over the fire. A somewhat
similar dish popular all over the country is barbacoa, which is sheep meat slowly cooked over an open
flame, or more traditionally, in a fire pit. Also, like in many other places in Latin America, there is a strong
tradition in Mexico of preparing pollo asado (roasted halved chicken) on mesquite charcoal-fired grills
after the chicken meat has been marinated overnight in an often secretly-guarded-recipe adobo sauce.
In addition to carne asada, there are several types of beef, chicken and pork, as well as sausages (such
as (chorizo, moronga, etc.) that are grilled during back yard or picnic-style events, commonly referred to
as "parrilladas". Some types of vegetables may be grilled alongside the meat, most commonly green
onions, bell peppers and chile peppers, commonly referred to in Mexico as chiles toreados, or "bull-fought
chiles". Quesadillas often and tortillas always accompany the consumption of grilled meat at these
events, as well as soft drinks for children and alcoholic beverages for adults.

South America
Asado is a technique for cooking cuts of meat, usually consisting of beef alongside various other meats,
which are cooked on a grill (parrilla) or open fire. It is considered the traditional dish of Argentina,
Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile and southern Brazil.

Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay

In Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay some alternatives are the asado al disco and asado al horno de
barro, especially in the countryside. The recipe doesn't change, only the way of cooking the meat and
offal. In the asado al disco the worn out disc of a plough is used. Being metallic and concave, three or
four metallic legs are welded and with hot coal or lumber below it is easily transformed into a very
effective grill. Meat and offal are put in spiral, in such a way that the fat naturally slips to the centre,
preserving the meat for being fried. Chili peppers and onions are usually put next to the edge, so that they
gradually release their juices on the meat. The asado al horno de barro differs from traditional asado, as
an horno (adobe oven) is used. These primitive ovens are a common view in Argentine estancias, and
their primary function is to bake bread, but they are well suited for roasting meat. Pork suckling and, less
commonly, lamb are served, as they are more unlikely to get dry. Though not technically a grill, it is a very
traditional way of cooking that still requires the great skills of an asador and the gathering of family and
friends, which are the essence of asado. Moreover, the smoky flavour and tenderness of this dish are
much appreciated.

Brazil
The barbecue-style meat known as Churrasco is the cooking style which translates roughly from the
Portuguese for barbecue. Many Brazilian restaurants called Churrascarias in Brazil and abroad serve
churrasco.

Chile
In Chile, the local version of the asado is usually accompanied with pebre, a local condiment made
from pureed herbs, garlic and hot peppers; in many ways similar to chimichurri.

Oceania
South Pacific islands
Barbecuing is popular in the Australasian, Melanesian, Micronesian, and Polynesian islands, and every
country and culture has its own version of earth oven barbecue cuisine. Some of the most legendary and
continuously-practiced examples can be found in South Pacific Oceania.
Tahitians call their earth oven barbecue a Himaa. A thousand miles away in the Marquesas Islands,
theres the Umu. With many tropical islands' styles of barbecue, the meat is marinated, glazed with a
savoury sauce, and adorned with local tropical fruits.

Hawaii
The cooking customs of the indigenous peoples of Polynesia became the traditional Hawaiian barbecue
of Kalua in an underground oven called an Imu, and the Luau, of the Native Hawaiians. It was brought to
international attention by 20th century tourism to the Hawaiian Islands.

Australia
In Australia barbecues are a popular summer pastime. Known colloquially as a 'barby' (plural 'barbies'),
and usually written as BBQ, the traditional meat was lamb chops and beef steak for the adults, and
sausages (colloquially known as 'snags'). Coin-operated or free public gas or electric barbecues are
common in city parks. While Australian barbecue uses similar seasonings to its American counterpart,
smoking or sugary sauces are used less often. Beer is often drizzled over cooking chops and steak during
cooking, the theory being that it adds flavor while making the meat tenderer. Meat is sometimes
marinated for flavor and then is cooked on a hot plate or grill. Australian barbecues tend to be either all
hot-plate or half and half hot-plate/grill. The barbecuing of prawns ("shrimp" in the USA) has become
increasingly popular in Australia but was not popular at the time of the American TV commercial featuring
Australian actor Paul Hogan.
In coastal areas freshly caught fish or shellfish may included. As in New Zealand, South Africa and the
USA, the cooking is the domain of men, with the host or organizer of the barby being in charge of cooking
and the control of the fire. Assistance is only given on his request. While the remaining men gather

around the barby drinking cold beverages, the women are relegated to the kitchen or table preparing
salads, buttering bread and making ready the plates and cutlery. While many desserts are on offer, one
dessert traditionally associated with an Aussie barby is a wine trifle with jelly (jello in the USA) and
custard.
Barbecues are also common in fund raising for schools and local communities, where sausages and
onions are served on white bread with tomato sauce ("ketchup" in the USA) or barbecue sauce. These
are most often referred to as "Sausage Sizzles".

New Zealand
Barbecues are a very popular activity and cuisine in New Zealand. As well as being a common feature in
gardens of New Zealanders, barbecues are also found at most campsites and many beaches throughout
the country. Foods cooked include beef, lamb, pork, fresh fish, crayfish, shellfish, and vegetables.
Sausages are a popular and demanded element of barbecues, and as in Australia "sausage sizzle" is one
of the most common form of fundraiser. New Zealand barbecue is similar to a mix of American, British,
Australian, South African and Pacific Island styles.
New Zealands Maori have the hangi, a type of earth oven cooked on special occasions. Multi-cultural
society in New Zealand has also led to Pakistani/Indian, East Asian, South American and Middle Eastern
cuisines all influencing the flavours and types of food found at a barbecue.