Since the beginning of time, man has been using flame to cook food. Cavemen hunted food and then cooked over a fire. However, when it comes to cooking with a flame, there is a difference between barbecue and grilling. Both are great but true barbecue requires sauce added to the direct flame method. Barbecue normally takes five or six hours of basting at a low temperature. Typical temperature for a barbecue is about 200 degrees.

Most people today think barbecue, they think of hamburgers and hot dog. Or you might also think of a big, fat juicy steak. The term barbecue has come to refer to both the food item and the act of cooking it. If you have a get together with family friends and cook food on the barbecue, you might refer to the event itself as a "barbecue". These barbecues are very popular with people all over the country. No matter where you live, it is a great way to get together with friends and family and eat some really great food.

So just where did the idea of the social barbecue come from? Well, there are many different theories about where it originated. The states of Texas, Virginia, North and South Carolina and Georgia all have claims to the barbecue. Now if you look into the history of the barbecue, you will see that each state has a different barbecue method and each unique technique means that each could have their own claim to the original barbecue.

However, every barbecue lover knows that there is nothing like the original Texas BBQ sauce. This famous barbecue sauce has a sweet tomato flavor that is thick and delicious. It also contains special seasonings and dry rub mixtures that are added to the meat before it is barbecued.

Now if you get a southeast barbecue sauce like that found in Georgia, it is slightly different from the Texas BBQ. The sauce is thinner and has more of a vinegar taste. The meat that is used is more commonly pork instead of beef. You also see a lot of barbecues being done in "barbecue pits" or enclosures so that heat and smoke can help cook the meat.

Everyone that barbecues comes up with their own technique, their own "secret formula" and their own favorite barbecue sauce. You may discover your own. Whether you prefer a Midwest or southeast BBQ flavor or even a combination of different ones, you will have fun discovering your own taste and the fun and socialization you get from having a barbecue. So the next time you are at a barbecue or hosting one of your own, spark some conversation by asking people if they know the difference between barbecue and grilling or Texas BBQ sauce and Georgia sauce.

About the Author
Laura Kjer is the owner of Shop Barbecue, Inc. which is a premier source of information about Barbecue. For more information, go to: http://shopbarbecue.com .