Barbecue sauce gives meat flavor.
The word "barbecue" is closely related to the West Indian word "barbacoa," a method of slow-roasting meat over coals. As the method and tools of barbecuing evolved over the centuries, so did barbecue sauces, used for flavoring meat and keeping it moist. Different regions of the United States have their own ways of cooking barbecue, usual meats for barbecuing and different flavors and textures of barbecue sauce.
Kansas City
Kansas City barbecue sauce is tomato-based, thick, sweet and spicy. It generally has a base of ketchup, vinegar and brown sugar and is spiced with garlic, paprika, cayenne and chili powder. Bottled barbecue sauce sold as simply "barbecue sauce," without a regional label, is generally Kansas City-style. As a result, people unfamiliar with different regional barbecue sauces might think Kansas City sauce is all there is to barbecue.
Texas
Texas barbecue sauce is tomato-based like Kansas City sauce, but it is generally thinner and spicier. The Texas sauce stands out because of the addition of Worcestershire sauce and sometimes molasses, as well as spicy elements such as hot sauce and jalapeño peppers. Texas barbecue is also distinctive because it uses beef, rather than the pork that is traditional in most other regional barbecue.
North and South Carolina
The Carolinas are home to two distinct barbecue sauce variations, one west of Raleigh and one east. Western Carolina barbecue sauce is similar to Texas barbecue sauce, as it is tomato-based, thinner than Kansas City barbecue sauce and spicy. The spice comes from red pepper flakes rather than jalapeños, however, and the sauce is generally very sweet. Eastern Carolina barbecue sauce is mustard-based, very different from the more popular tomato-based barbecue sauces.
Other Variations
Other regional barbecue sauces are less well-known. Memphis-style sauce is sort of a cross between eastern Carolina and Texas sauces, because it includes mustard as well as vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Florida barbecue sauce is tomato-based and flavored with citrus juices. Hawaiian barbecue sauce is sweet, sour and fruity. Alabama barbecue sauce is the most unusual variation; sometimes called white barbecue sauce, it includes mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar and spices.
Tags: barbecue sauce, Kansas City, barbecue sauce tomato-based, barbecue sauces, sauce tomato-based, regional barbecue, Texas barbecue