Barbecue brings people together. It might be the food itself, because who can deny the allure of burnt ends and sauced ribs. It might be that people just appreciate a meal that has some heart in it. And we all know barbecue is a cuisine you can’t fake – it takes time and dedication. So when a pitmaster puts their all into a whole hog or smoked turkey, it shows. But maybe the reason we’re all drawn to barbecue is because it transports us to a time when life moved a little slower.
For me, barbecue is the childhood obsession I developed way later in life. I may live in Texas, but my allegiance is to smoked meat as a whole. I still get excited with each new smokehouse I visit, especially if I’m traveling to places I’ve never been, visiting people I’ve never met. Recently I traveled to Tennessee, Mississippi, and Alabama for barbecue. And I had one helluva time.