all, BBQ didnot originate in Washington, as you can probably guess. Afterall, man has been cooking his meat over an open fire ever sincethe caveman days. However, the cavemen were not loading on theA-1 or Teriyaki either--so where did the BBQ traditions that weare familiar (i.e. backyard, sauce, etc.) with begin?The Origin of BBQ: Where did it begin and what aboutWashington BBQ? The theories are many and varied when itcomes to the origin of BBQ. Some of the theories say thatbarbecue originated in the west, some say that it was in thesouthern United States, and some even claim that it originatedin Europe. My favorite version1 of the origin of BBQ--and one ofthe more believable ones--is the western cowboy version.However, before we 'dig in' to the history (or the legend) weshould probably define what real and true BBQ is:BBQ is the process of slowly cooking meat over w...

...ood or coal. Thewood or coal cannot be too hot (about 200 degrees is perfect)and gas does not count! Those who use gas grills today will haveto face the facts and realize that a gas grill....grills.....itdoes not barbeque, although there are those who insist that itis really the sauce that classifies meat as barbecued meat.Whatever definition you prefer to accept, here is the Westerncowboy origin of BBQ:The Origin of BBQ: Washington BBQ didn't start inWashington In the late 1800's there were many cattle drivesthat took place. Those who drove the cattle were cowboys andthose who were in charge of the cowboys were the cattle barons.The cattle barons, like so many businessmen, scrimped when itcame to paying (or in this case) feeding their employees. Thecattle barons would supply the cowboys with the tough meatportions. These tough meat portions were referred to as brisketand were not exactly appetizing. The cowboys found however thatif the meat was left to cook very slowly over wood or coal thatin 5-7 hours the meat would make a delicious meal. This however,leaves us with the question of where the tradition of sauce camefrom. Washington BBQ with Sauce....Did it Originate in theSouth? As mentioned above, many sources indicate that thetradition of barbecued meat marinated in various saucesoriginated in the southern United States before the civil war.Pigs were abundant at the time and were one of the staples ofthe south. Traditional BBQ made it possible to use every part ofa pig and with sauces make it taste like a delicacy. Barbecuebecame an important part of religious, social and politicalfunctions. Barbecues also seem to be the kind of meal that boththe rich and the poor alike can appreciate.Washington BBQ Restaurants Today Today those who live inWashington and others from around the nation thoroughly enjoy agood old fashioned backyard barbecue. Washington BBQ restaurantshave also become a regular part of Washington fine dining andentertainment. After all, not everybody has the time tobarbecue, but they still want that sweet, smoky irresistibleflavor that people have now enjoyed for decades.http://www.brownielocks.com/bbq.html...