BBQ Terminology

A slow process that requires attention to detail as well as patience, effective barbecuing requires a savvy barbecuer know his stuff. Here's a lesson in barbecue terminology for the novice:

Baby Back Ribs (or Loin Back Ribs) - A cut of ribs from the pork loin, usually weighing around 2 pounds per slab.

Barbecue - To slow cook meats over the heat of hardwood and/or charcoal at a temperature of 200 to 375 degrees.

Barbecue Sauce - A liquid mixture, usually tomato-based, sweet and sour, with spices. Apply to meats during the final minutes of cooking. Can be served on the side as a dipping sauce or condiment.

Burnt Ends - The blackened, somewhat charred pieces of brisket ends that cannot be sliced. A prized menu item from some area restaurants. Also referred to as "brownies."

Glaze - A finishing sauce applied to meats during the final minutes of barbecuing.

Long End Spare Ribs - The first six ribs from the breast bone on back.

Marinade - A liquid mixture (usually an acid, oil, and spices) used to soak meats prior to cooking.

Mop - A cotton mop used to baste meats while cooking.

Pit - The cooking unit used to barbecue. May be a closed container, cement or brick structure, or even a hole dug in the ground.

Rib Tips - The breast bone at the top of a slab of spare ribs.

Rub - A dry marinade; a mixture of dry spices added to meats to impart flavor.

Short End Spare Ribs - The last seven or eight ribs in a slab of spare ribs.

Wood Chips - Small chips of wood, usually fruit wood or hard wood used to impart smoke flavor to barbecued meats. Soak in water before using.

Back To Top