Duncan Day-Myron and Nicole Elsasser

Photos by Rashaad Bhamjee

Canadians love barbecue. Almost anyone who has grown up in Ontario has probably, at some point in their lives, sat around and ate some meat cooked over a fire. It’s a social experience– perhaps the most informal kind of dinner party out there– and one of the best things about the summer.

But no matter where you go, there isn’t a lot of variation in what’s prepared. Burgers, hot dogs, chicken, steaks, potatoes and corn on the cob are the standard fare. While those things are surely delicious, that’s not how it is everywhere.

The southern United States has a whole different idea of what constitutes barbecue than we do up here in Canada. Especially in the Carolinas, Tennessee and Texas, it is often referred to as “real” barbecue, in direct comparison to what Yankees make in their backyards. There are wild variations in sauces and seasonings from state to state but what are typically standard across all regions are smoke, slow cooking, and lots of pork.

After having eaten this kind of “real” barbecue, it’s easy to see why it’s so hugely popular in so many places. It’s also hard to understand why it isn’t a lot more popular around here. While you will see barbecue joints lining the streets down south, there aren’t a lot to find in and around Guelph. So why not bring it your next backyard barbecue? It may not be exactly the same as real “barbecue” is down in Dixie, but it’s a worthwhile endeavor. Once you’ve tried it, you’ll agree.

A lot of restaurants use large, industrial barbecues that make slow cooking and smoking a lot more straightforward. But it’s not impossible to replicate it on a propane barbecue at home. Wood chips for smoking can be purchased in most places that sell barbecue equipment. The seasonal sections of department stores and grocery stores should have something there, and popular options are hickory, mesquite, maple or apple wood. Soak the wood chips in cold water, drain them and put them in a pouch made of tinfoil with some holes cut in it to let the smoke out. Place it underneath the grill on one side of your barbecue. Light it up and set it around 300f. After about 15 minutes, it should be smoking. Whatever you need to smoke should then go on the unlit side of the grill with the lid closed.

You’re now all set to make all kind of barbecue, whether it’s ribs, chicken or, the most popular choice, pulled pork.

Pulled Pork

No matter what state you’re in, pulled pork will likely be on the menu. The meat standard for most areas in the south, pulled pork is often referred to simply as “BBQ” on menus. The method of preparation is the same or similar regionally. What varies is the sauce. Try this pulled pork recipe at your next barbecue, and pair it with a sweeter ketchup based sauce for a Tennessee style, a spicier, thinner barbecue sauce like they do in the western parts of the Carolinas, or a vinegar steeped with lots of dried chilies like they do on the coast. Either way, you won’t be disappointed!

Recipe for Pulled Pork

4 lb pork shoulder with a lot of fat on it

1 tbsp cumin

1 tbsp paprika

1 tbsp chili powder

1 tsp chipotle powder

1 tsp red pepper flakes

salt and pepper to taste

1 can of ginger ale

4 tbsp of your favourite BBQ sauce

Take your pork shoulder out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you’re ready for it so that it can come to room temperature. Pat the pork roast dry with a paper towel. Heat one side of your barbeque to medium high heat. Mix together cumin, paprika, chili powder, chipotle powder, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper in a bowl. Rub your dry spice mixture all over the pork roast, massaging it thoroughly into the skin and making sure that everywhere it coated with the rub. Set the roast, face side up, on the unlit side of the barbeque and close the lid. Make sure the overall temperature of your grill is around 300˚ F. Check periodically to make sure that the temperature is right. Cook for one hour and then transfer to your home oven for four more hours. If you want to cook the pulled pork entirely in your outdoor grill cook for five hours. After five hours of cooking, regardless of your method, baste the pork roast with BBQ sauce and return to the heat for another 30 minutes or until the pork is fully cooked and pulls away easily when scrapped with a fork.

Eat either on its own with BBQ sauce or on a bun topped with BBQ sauce and coleslaw.

Baked Kale Chips

While collard greens are a go-to Southern barbeque side dish in the ‘green things’ category, they are not readily available here in Guelph. What is readily available in Guelph, however, is kale. The bitter, curly green is often considered very similar to collard green in taste and texture. Rather than simply steaming the kale and covering it in butter or olive oil, you can bake the pieces of kale into crispy chips to munch on while you’re waiting on the pulled pork.

Recipe for Baked Kale Chips

1 bunch of kale (any type but curly is the most common)

1 tbsp olive oil (slightly more if needed)

sea salt (to taste)

red pepper flakes (to taste if you like a little heat)

Preheat oven to 300˚ F. Rinse and dry the kale and then remove the leaf from its stem. Rip or cut the leaves into large pieces and coat in a bowl with olive oil, salt, and red pepper flakes if wanted. Arrange the leaves in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until crisp. Allow the chips to cool on the baking rack.

Sweet Tea

Iced tea is a popular choice in a lot of the south. It isn’t the Nestea you’re used to, though. Restaurants will have carafes of tea brewing the same way cafés brew coffee. It’s served typically without lemon or any other flavourings over a lot of ice. The cold, syrupy beverage is simple to make and will be a surprising but welcome change to your menu.

Recipe for Sweet Tea

3 orange pekoe tea bags

4 cups of water

2/3 cup of granulated sugar

mint leaves or lemon wedges if desired

Place the tea bags in a small saucepan with two cups of the water and place on the stovetop over high heat. As the water begins to simmer, add the sugar and stir to help it dissolve. Steep the tea until the water comes to a boil and then remove it from the heat. Remove the tea bags and pour the hot tea into a separate container. Add the rest of the water and some ice and then stir to mix. Enjoy once the tea has cooled either on its own or with lemon or mint leaves. For a grown-up twist, add some bourbon to the cold tea.

Cornbread

A collection of ubiquitous southern barbeque staples simply wouldn’t be complete without a good recipe for skillet cornbread.

Recipe for skillet cornbread

2 tbsp butter

1 ¾ cups cornmeal

2/3 multigrain flour

1 tbsp granulated sugar

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

2 eggs

1 ½ cups milk

1 cup shredded old cheddar cheese

Place butter in 10-inch ovenproof cast-iron skillet. Heat centre of 450 degrees F oven until smoking, about six minutes. Meanwhile, in large bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In separate bowl, beat the eggs until foamy and then whisk in the milk. Pour over the cornmeal mixture. Add half the cheese and stir until just combined. Scrape into the hot pan and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake until golden and firm to the touch, about 20-25 minutes. Let cool in pan on rack for about five minutes. Eat while still hot or allow to cool fully.

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