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Summertime Barbecuing and
Grilling
The "Barbecue Belt"
The area of the south known as the Barbecue Belt includes North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky and Arkansas.
 Following are some general ideas of what you might find when ordering barbecue in the "Barbecue Belt". Keep in mind, however, that styles overlap and preferences may change at the next barbecue joint down the road.
North Carolina: In the eastern part of the state, sliced or chopped pork is usually cloaked in a peppered vinegar sauce; hush puppies - which are deep-fried little cornmeal breads - and coleslaw are favorite sides. Further west in the state, the pork is often "pulled" into shreds and sides may include bread and Brunswick stew, a hearty chicken and vegetable stew.
South Carolina: South Carolina is best known for its golden mustard-based sauces served up in the central part of the state, but other parts favor vinegar- and tomato-based sauces, or some combination of the three. The sauce is doused on chopped or sliced pork, and sides usually include coleslaw, light bread, and sometimes hash with rice.
Georgia: Sauces vary from mustard-based to fiery orange and sweet red sauces. Brunswick stew is a favorite side, as are barbecued beans.
Tennessee: Most of the prime pits are in the western part of the state, especially in and around Memphis. The classic barbecue sandwich in Memphis consists of pulled pork laced with a sweet tomato sauce containing molasses and pepper. Coleslaw is usually served atop the sandwich, and sides often include cornbread and French fries. The city is also famous for its Memphis-style ribs, which are rubbed with dry spices before barbecuing.
Alabama: Sauces shift from mild or spicy red sauces to thin, vinegary ones. Patrons are often given a choice of moist "inside" meat or crispy "outside" meat. Typical sides may be beans, potato salad, coleslaw, or potato chips.
Arkansas: Sauces vary widely here, from thick and sweet, to spicy hot and vinegary. On the Tennessee side, pork is preferred, while the Texas side favors beef. Side dishes often include baked beans, coleslaw and potato chips or French-fries.
Kentucky: Most of the barbecue business is in the western part of the state, where the meat may be pork or mutton (lamb), and the sauce is often a peppered tomato-and-vinegar mixture. In and around Owensboro, mutton is prevalent, and onion and pickle slices are served with sandwiches in place of slaw. A side dish unique to this area is burgoo, a mutton stew very similar to Brunswick stew.
Texas:Though not officially in the Barbecue Belt, Texas is close to it and can't be left out. This is cattle country, and barbecue means beef - mainly brisket. Sauces are usually brick red, thick, and sweet, but served on the side. Accompaniments include pinto beans, coleslaw, potato salad, sliced onion, pickles, jalapeno peppers, and Texas toast (thick slices of bread, brushed with butter and grilled to perfection).
Kansas City: K.C. is also beyond the perimeter of the Barbecue Belt, but devotees of its melting-pot style consider it to be the mecca of cue. Here you'll find ribs, pork shoulder, brisket, ham, sausage, chicken, turkey, beef, lamb, game, and fish, seasoned with everything from spicy vinegar sauces, to dry rubs, to thick, sweet, tomato-based sauces. Side dishes range just as widely. Some of the city's best pits include Arthur Bryant's, Gate's Bar-B-Q, Rosedale, and Oklahoma Joe's.
Story © Sandra Day
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