The concept came from the Natives. How it evolved to what it is know is up for debate.
Did black people invent American BBQ?
- Thread starter Robo Squirrel
- Start date
filial_piety
Banned
Maybe i'm mistaken...i'm not a chef or anything...but isn't barbque just cooking over an open flame in a pit? If it is, how did anyone "invent" that?
Invent is the wrong word, because as I stated in an earlier posts people throughout history have been doing open flame cooking. However, the issue actually goes to who invented the style that we know as American barbque. Some people reference the Native people who the Spanish encountered, but they can not point to any specific period of time that the American slaves brought to the USA by England would have been exposed to that style of cooking by Taino Indians in the Caribbean.
As I pointed most American slaves were brought to the USA directly from Africa between 1720-1780. That practice did not stop until 1807, but by then barbque had been around in America for almost 150 years. So when would they have learned that style of cooking if they were only around other Africans and the English? It should also be stated that American slaves were mostly kept on small plantations of 4 people or less, which was vastly different than the Caribbean and South American slaves that were kept on large plantations with hundreds of slaves. So there was not even an opportunity to spread a lot of knowledge. As I have pointed out though there is ample evidence to support the notion that the Slaves brought that style of cooking with them to the Americas. How else could you explain all of those different slaves on different plantations in different States in the USA that had never met each other but having the same cooking style?
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feelosofer
#ninergang
BBQ's origins are native American. BUT doing it the way everyone knows it, was definitely African in origin and invented and improved upon by slaves who worked in preserving and smoking meat for white people then in turn created techniques used to make food for themselves and their families which then evolved into the BBQ we know of today. So most of the American BBQ came from the homes of African American slaves and their descendants. Because if you notice different regions all have BBQ even though they never met per se.
filial_piety
Banned
I read the literature that you posted...and I'm not necessarily contesting the info...but I also don't believe everything just because it's written on a website.
While I can understand that the etymology of "barbeque" very well had to come from some culture's language--the idea that there is any singular method to the actual cooking style can be described as "American" still doesn't add up to me. What "style" is everyone referring to? Cooking over on open flame in a pit, isn't something that I can see as being absent of any culture at any point in time throughout history. That being said, I don't see how anyone can claim credit for it.
It's sort of like giving someone (or some culture) credit for putting ice in water and calling it "iced water"...haven't people always done that?
I read the literature that you posted...and I'm not necessarily contesting the info...but I also don't believe everything just because it's written on a website.
While I can understand that the etymology of "barbeque" very well had to come from some culture's language--the idea that there is any singular method to the actual cooking style can be described as "American" still doesn't add up to me. What "style" is everyone referring to? Cooking over on open flame in a pit, isn't something that I can see as being absent of any culture at any point in time throughout history. That being said, I don't see how anyone can claim credit for it.
It's sort of like giving someone (or some culture) credit for putting ice in water and calling it "iced water"...haven't people always done that?
But you believe that Taino Indian story because the White man told you? I am not even saying that is not true. I am saying that American style of barbque has ample evidence as coming from the slaves.
I posted articles and pictures as to the style that I am referring too. I even provided information on what a pit master was.
filial_piety
Banned
Did you read my previous post?
As far as I'm concerned, barbque started with a homo hablis or some genus line around 15-20k years ago. The idea that some culture invented the idea of taking meat and putting it on a stick and placing it over a open fire as unique to that culture and that culture only just seems ridiculous.
Black people invented BBQ Sauce too. 
I'm getting bbq today.
I would like to know who invented seasoning their meats? Who invented marinating their meats before cooking it on a grill? Who invented the grill? Who invented the smoker? Who invented indirect heat cooking? Who invented seasoning salt? Garlic salt? Onion salt? Onion power? Garlic powder? Whoever invented garlic pepper seasoning, thank you so much! My favorite seasoning by far!
Who was the first to use Italian dressing as a marinade? Who was the first to mix honey in BBQ sauce and baste it over meat? What about mixing mustard in BBQ sauce?
Who invented BBQ baked beans? Potato salad? Macaroni salad? Who was the first to incorporate Mayo, scallions, eggs, sweet relish, olives, shaved carrots and celery in potato salad? Who was the first to garnish said potato salad with paprika?
Who was the first to witness BBQ meat falling off the bone, eating it then started smacking because the meat was so tender and delicious? Who invented burnt ends? Who was the first to smoke Turkey? Who invented cornbread dressing? What’s the difference between dressing and stuffing? Who was the first to substitute hog maws and fatback with smoked Turkey or Turkey neck in greens? Who was the first to eat greens? Who named greens collard, mustard and turnip? Who was the first to make baked yams? Who was the first to add butter, brown sugar and cinnamon on yams? Who invented macaroni and cheese? Who was the first to bake it in an oven?
Who invented yeast rolls? Who invented cornbread? Who invented hot water cornbread? Who invented biscuits? Who invented grits? Who was the first person to mix shrimp and grits? Who was the first to put butter in grits? Who was the first to out sugar in grits? Who’s was the first to eat scrambled eggs? Who invented pancakes? Who was the first to think of pouring maple syrup on pancakes? Who was the first to mix blueberries in pancakes?
Moral of the story? Obviously, somebody invented or was the first to make, bake and eat all of the aforementioned. To exactly pinpoint who was the first or who invented is arbitrary. All I know is whoever did it, I thank them for their ingenuity and creative mind! I have bad the pleasure of enjoying all of what was mentioned!
Thanks!
Who was the first to use Italian dressing as a marinade? Who was the first to mix honey in BBQ sauce and baste it over meat? What about mixing mustard in BBQ sauce?
Who invented BBQ baked beans? Potato salad? Macaroni salad? Who was the first to incorporate Mayo, scallions, eggs, sweet relish, olives, shaved carrots and celery in potato salad? Who was the first to garnish said potato salad with paprika?
Who was the first to witness BBQ meat falling off the bone, eating it then started smacking because the meat was so tender and delicious? Who invented burnt ends? Who was the first to smoke Turkey? Who invented cornbread dressing? What’s the difference between dressing and stuffing? Who was the first to substitute hog maws and fatback with smoked Turkey or Turkey neck in greens? Who was the first to eat greens? Who named greens collard, mustard and turnip? Who was the first to make baked yams? Who was the first to add butter, brown sugar and cinnamon on yams? Who invented macaroni and cheese? Who was the first to bake it in an oven?
Who invented yeast rolls? Who invented cornbread? Who invented hot water cornbread? Who invented biscuits? Who invented grits? Who was the first person to mix shrimp and grits? Who was the first to put butter in grits? Who was the first to out sugar in grits? Who’s was the first to eat scrambled eggs? Who invented pancakes? Who was the first to think of pouring maple syrup on pancakes? Who was the first to mix blueberries in pancakes?
Moral of the story? Obviously, somebody invented or was the first to make, bake and eat all of the aforementioned. To exactly pinpoint who was the first or who invented is arbitrary. All I know is whoever did it, I thank them for their ingenuity and creative mind! I have bad the pleasure of enjoying all of what was mentioned!
Thanks!
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Black people.
I hope so! They are the ones to take it to the next level! I salute the ancestors!
1 last thing...