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Barbecue: The History of an American Institution Hardcover – August 20, 2010

by Robert F. Moss (Author)
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The history of barbecue in the United States has until now remained virtually untold. Barbecue has a long, rich history—a history that formerly could be found only through scattered references in old letters, journals, newspapers, diaries, and travel narratives until this book was written.

Americans enjoy reading about barbecue almost as much as they love eating it. Books on the subject cover almost every aspect of the topic: recipes, grilling tips, restaurant guides, pit-building instructions, and catalogs of exotic variants such as Mongolian barbecue and Indian tandoor cooking. Despite this coverage, the history of barbecue in the United States has until now remained virtually untold.

 

Barbecue: The History of an American Institution draws on hundreds of sources to document the evolution of barbecue from its origins among Native Americans to its present status as an icon of American culture. This is the story not just of a dish but of a social institution that helped shape the many regional cultures of the United States. The history begins with British colonists' adoption of barbecuing techniques from Native Americans in the 16th and 17th centuries, moves to barbecue's establishment as the preeminent form of public celebration in the 19th century, and is carried through to barbecue’s iconic status today.

 

From the very beginning, barbecues were powerful social magnets, drawing together people from a wide range of classes and geographic backgrounds. Barbecue played a key role in three centuries of American history, both reflecting and influencing the direction of an evolving society. By tracing the story of barbecue from its origins to today, Barbecue: The History of an American Institution traces the very thread of American social history.
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  1. Print length
    288 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    University Alabama Press
  4. Publication date
    August 20, 2010
  5. Dimensions
    7 x 1 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    081731718X
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0817317188
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

A scholarly though eminently enjoyable treatise on the history of barbecue, thoroughly researched by the South Carolinian author of Raymond Chandler: A Literary Reference (2003). The Caribbean’s Taino Indians named this cooking technique cum social event, with one of the earliest barbecues documented in Jamaica in 1706. Barbecue quickly gained southern fans, most notably as a vehicle for political campaigning. The advent of the Civil War and its aftermath, Reconstruction, witnessed the further growth of this cooking style and its division into specific region types (for instance, North Carolina’s preference for thin, spicy, and vinegar-based sauces versus Texans’ desire for sweet, thick, and tomatoey sauces). Commercial success quickly followed, as sauces, equipment manufacturers, and restaurateurs emphasized the glories of barbecue (yes, that’s how McDonald’s started). California pioneered the home backyard version we first identified as barbecue, and after a brief decline in interest, Americans reembraced barbecue in all shapes and varieties. Sidebars enliven the somewhat pedantic text, from the origins of hash as a side dish to the first-ever barbecue competition (1978 Memphis in May). --Barbara Jacobs

Review

"In recent years, there has been an abundance of books detailing the history of American regional foodstuffs from apple pie to fried chicken, but few writers have tackled one of the most singular American food traditions: barbecue. Author/food historian Moss takes up this challenge in his engaging history of barbecue from its origins in colonial America to the development of regional styles and barbecue restaurant culture. In the early chapters, Moss describes the impact of barbecue on American politics in the South and the Midwest, the role of the Civil War on barbecue and its place in African American food culture, and the rise of "barbecue men" in the late-19th century. The last half of the book details the different regional styles of barbecue that grew out of the barbecue restaurant boom of the mid-20th century and the rebirth of barbecue restaurants today. This is an engaging work suitable for public and academic libraries with large food history collections. Summing Up: Recommended."
—CHOICE

“Moss is a food historian and freelance writer from the Charleston, S.C., area who spent 10 years bringing this book from the roots of its research to press. I'm glad to say that it was time well spent. If you enjoy reading about barbecue history, then this book is a must-read for you. What sets this book apart is what you discover in this book that you don't find in many other places. I really enjoyed the new perspectives that Moss has brought forward. This is a book you'll want to pick up soon.”
—National Barbecue News

?“Moss knows more about the history of barbecue than anyone I’ve yet encountered, and nothing like this book has ever before been published. To his great credit, he treats his subject seriously but not solemnly. Barbecue is simply a lot of fun to read about. At least it is in Moss’s hands. He has some good stories to tell, and he tells them well. I love it that aristocrats of the South Carolina low country established private clubs where gentlemen could eat ‘cue without having to mingle with the hoi polloi. Who knew that barbecue once flourished in New England?”
—John Shelton Reed, coauthor of Holy Smoke: The Big Book of North Carolina Barbecue

“Amazing as it seems, in all the welter of barbecue books extant, there is not a single one that comes close to recording this history. The effort has been long overdue, but here it is, finally, and it fills some huge gaps in the long and colorful story of this food tradition. I venture to guess that if the word gets around that a real social history of barbecue is on the market, it will stir up some genuine interest among the tens of thousands of Americans who love this subject. It’s truly the first comprehensive history of American barbecue.”
—John Egerton, author of Southern Food: At Home, on the Road, in History

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ University Alabama Press; First Edition (August 20, 2010)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 081731718X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0817317188
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.6 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7 x 1 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:

About the author

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Robert F. Moss

Robert F. Moss

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Robert F. Moss writes about food, drink, and travel from his home base in Charleston, South Carolina. He is the Contributing Barbecue Editor for Southern Living. restaurant critic for the Charleston Post & Courier, and a frequent contributor to publications including Serious Eats, Saveur, Early American Life, Garden & Gun, and The Local Palate.

Robert's most recent book, The Lost Southern Chefs: A History of Commercial Dining in the Nineteenth-Century South was published by the University of Georgia Press in February 2022. A revised and expanded second edition of Barbecue: The History of an American Institution (2020), the authoritative history of barbecue in the United States, was published in October 2020. He is also the author of Southern Spirits: Four Hundred Years of Drinking in the American South, With Recipes (2016); Going Lardcore: Adventures in New Southern Dining (2012), a collection of essays about dining in the modern South; and, The Barbecue Lover's Carolinas (2015), a guide to barbecue restaurants, recipes, and traditions in North and South Carolina.

A native of Greenville, South Carolina, Robert attended Furman University and received a Ph.D. in English from the University of South Carolina.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
32 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Michael Sokoly
5.0 out of 5 stars I have read close to 40 books now on all things 'Que and this one had great information and still managed to keep my ADHD at ...
Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2017
Verified Purchase
One of the most comprehensive books on Barbecue that I have ever read. I have read close to 40 books now on all things 'Que and this one had great information and still managed to keep my ADHD at bay. Great history of barbecue. Made me feel connected as a Tidewater Resident. Buy it for you favorite "meathead".
One person found this helpful
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G. Bruno
5.0 out of 5 stars A hunger-inducing book
Reviewed in the United States on March 31, 2018
Verified Purchase
Well-written, enjoyable to read. An in-depth look that will leave you looking for the nearest BBQ place you can find. Made me want to try barbecued squirrel.
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Richard G. Schagrin
4.0 out of 5 stars Great History
Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2013
Verified Purchase
Great history and background of Barbecue, Great addition to my library of over 2,000 books including over 150 BBQ books,
2 people found this helpful
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Laura L. Quinn
5.0 out of 5 stars Beyond just recipes!
Reviewed in the United States on July 31, 2013
Verified Purchase
This was a gift for a true barbecue enthusiast who has spent a lifetime (50+ years) studying the art of barbecue. He LOVED IT! A great book for those who already know much of the "how to" and lust for the full story of its origins, stories, characters and cultural role in the U.S.
3 people found this helpful
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ynkhlwto
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on January 10, 2018
Verified Purchase
Very thorough but an easy read. If you are a fan of BBQ it is a must-read
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Kingtutts...
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book
Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2018
Verified Purchase
Great book
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Randi Shafton
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on July 20, 2017
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good stuff
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DarrenIngram_dot_com
4.0 out of 5 stars Will Hold Your Interest
Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2013
Many countries claim the barbecue as their own particular speciality. Think Australians and their beach barbies; think Americans and their massive barbecue grills; think Britons and their washed-out, rainy burnt sausages. OK, cancel the latter, but you get the picture.
Here the author has taken the barbecue crown for the Americans. Straight from the title: the history of an AMERICAN institution. The book's cover blurb sets the scene perfectly: "Americans enjoy reading about barbecue almost as much as they love eating it. Books on the subject cover almost every aspect of the topic: recipes, grilling tips, restaurant guides, pit-building instruction and catalogues of exotic variants such as Mongolian barbecue and Indian tandoor cooking. Despite this coverage, the history of barbecue in the United States has until now remained virtually untold."
Yet for a subject so dear to the heart of so many, the barbecue has hardly featured in the printed word over time, with the exception of recipe books - of which there are plenty - in more recent times. The author noted that very, very little appeared in print prior to 1900 and what little that had appeared was quite fragmentary in nature. So to construct this work the author has been forced to undertake a lot of painstaking detective work.
Barbecue cooking has, the author notes, been intertwined with American society over time, tracking each change and development in the country's relative short history. Combine this with regional tastes and styles of food with their local ingredient influences and you really have quite a broad subject that is focussed around a common element - the humble barbecue fire or pit. Nowadays, of course, there are many different types of barbecue too and each type attracts so many different opinions. Many swear by one type. Others swear at it.
The fruits of the author's labours are split into nine key chapters and their titles are worthy of reproduction as they clearly crystallise the barbecue's timeline: barbecue in Colonial America; barbecue and the early republic; the barbecue comes of age; barbecue and the Civil War; Barbecue, reconstruction and the gilded age; the rise of barbecue restaurants; barbecue finds the backyard; the golden age of barbecue and the decline and rebirth of American barbecue.
The book was an interesting, compelling read that did not feel like an academic work thanks to its accessible, easy-going nature. There is a very large series of notes and references at the end of the book for clarification and further reading, along with various further reading suggestions and a comprehensive index. Unfortunately the price tag might price it out of the reach of many, yet hopefully a local public library could acquire a copy should that be the case. Whether you are a foodie, a barbecue nut or just someone who likes to read about history and society, this book will surely hold your interest, inform and educate at the same time.
7 people found this helpful
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