Barbecue Dictionary

Whether you're a barbecue beginner or just need a quick reference, our dictionary of common barbecue terms will have you speaking like a pit master in no time.

Banana Pudding - A mixture of sweet vanilla custard and slices of banana. This delectable Southern dessert is traditionally topped with homemade whipped cream and vanilla cookie crumbles.

Barbecue Sauce - Could mean a variety of different flavors varying from a hickory-flavored paste to a vinegar-based sauce.

Barbecue - A delicious meat, cooked to a point of tenderness when it falls off the bone. Found in either shredded or chopped form and traditionally served between bread.

Barbecuing - Process of steaming or smoking meat until tender. This method has been passed down by generations of pit masters.

Bark - The crust that forms on the outside of the meat while it's being cooked. This is a collection of proteins and sugars that will make your taste buds holler with delight.

Caramelization - Glazing that occurs on the meat when the sugars turn brown from heat exposure. This is the outer shell of flavor before the meat is separated. Also known as "bark."

Cobbler - A deep dish dessert consisting of fruit layered between either a crust or biscuit. The fruit varies between peach, apple, blackberry, strawberry, cherry and blueberry.

Cole Slaw - A salad made from raw, shredded cabbage tossed with a dressing made from mayonnaise, buttermilk and/or vinegar. It is also commonly referred to simply as "slaw."

Direct Heat - The most effective method of cooking meat. Done by placing the meat directly on the heating source or grill.

Dry - Barbecue meat that will be served with a dry seasoning or rub as opposed to a Southern sauce.

Hash - A common side dish made of a mixture of chopped or diced meat, potatoes and onions for texture and spices that complement Southern barbecue.

Hickory - A type of wood chosen by pit masters to add flavor while smoking their meat.

Indirect Grilling - A method of slow cooking barbecue. Done either on the unlit side of the grill or over a drip pan under the grate of the grill.

Mac & Cheese - Noodles that have been boiled tender and smothered in a cheesy goodness that pairs perfectly with Southern barbecue.

Pork Skins - A snack made from the skin of the pig which has been dried, fried or roasted, and then seasoned. Also known as pork rinds.

Rub - A custom blend of spices that is rolled and rubbed into the barbecue meat before it is cooked.

Smoke Rings - A thin pink layer on the meat located just below the bark. This ring is proof that your meat has been cooked properly the Southern way.

Wet - This could either mean steaming meat until it's cooked or barbecue that has been slow cooked on direct heat and brushed with any variety sauce.

Staff Writer

International Travel

Get Your Free 2021 Vacation Guide

Trip Inspiration

Mountains Region

Midlands Region

Coast Region

SC Tourism Regions

See & Do

Food & Drink

Events

Ideas to Get Started

Barbecue Dictionary

Pit Masters' Guide to Roadside Barbecue

The Birthplace of Barbecue

South Carolina's Four Barbecue Sauces

Barbecue Family Traditions

The World of Competition Barbecue

Henry's Smokehouse

Brown's Bar-B-Q

Bucky's Bar-B-Q

Maurice's Piggie Park BBQ

Shuler's BBQ

Little Pigs Bar-B-Q

Little Pigs Barbecue

Schoolhouse Bar-B-Que

The Pink Pig

Bluffton BBQ

The Spotted Pig

Dickey's Barbecue Pit

Willie Jewell's Old School BBQ

The Smokehouse