Barbecue in the United States

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Barbecue is a tradition often considered a quintessential part of American culture, especially the Southern United States.

First introduced to the lands which would become the United States by the Taíno to Christopher Columbus, and from the Spanish to later North American colonizers, barbecue in America first spread with pit barbecue, where meats were cooked over a trench which contained fires. This form of cooking adds a distinctive smoky taste to the meat. Over the years, American barbecues became centered around conventional backyard grills as well as restaurants. Barbecue's biggest mass adoption by the American public occurred during the 1950s, when grills became inexpensive and commonplace in backyards.^[1][2]

Today, barbecues can be found across the United States, and regional styles can be found across the country. Barbecues are often held on Memorial Day, itself considered the beginning of American summer, and are also held en masse during Independence Day celebrations.^[3][2]

In the South, barbecue is more than just a style of cooking, but a subculture and a form of expressing regional pride with wide variation between regions, and fierce rivalry for titles at barbecue competitions.^[4][5][2] Often the proprietors of Southern-style barbecue establishments in other areas originate from the South. Barbecue sauce, while a common accompaniment, is not required for many styles.^[4]