IT IS a noun, not a verb. You do not barbecue meat; you smoke it until it becomes barbecue. And it is not a meal so much as a meditative process, perched somewhere between science and art, dependent on reserves of judgment. The science lies in building a fire that will smoulder steadily without flaring, and in constructing a vessel that will bathe the meat in smoke without subjecting it to too much heat. The art lies in the butchering and seasoning. The judgment comes in knowing precisely when a cooking process that may last as long as 18 or 24 hours should end. Barbecue is the art of turning tough cuts tender (“Need no teef to eat my beef” is a popular boast among smokemasters). None of these facts brook disagreement, but here the unity ends.
-The Economist
