As a lifelong fan of Barbecue (the low-and-slow kind), I’ve collected clippings about legendary Central Texas markets, Texas Hill Country roadhouses, and regional variants in Kansas City, St. Louis, Memphis, the Carolinas, Alabama and more.
It’s intellectual curiosity rather than gluttony that fans the flame of this passion. “To barbecue” (the verb) means grilling; “a barbecue” is a backyard gathering where food is grilled; and the food category, “Barbecue,” refers to low-and-slow smoked meats. “Barbecue” came from the Spanish barbacoa, which refers to pit-roasting, slow-cooking meat, a method conquistadores, pirates and cowboys borrowed from indigenous cultures. A few centuries later, it’s morphed into backyard braziers and bags of briquettes treasured by most American families.
In a new national poll naming the 500 Best U.S. Cities for Barbecue (out of 109,000 cities and towns in the country, according to the Census Bureau and U.S. Geological Survey, not counting villages) Boynton Beach ranks #104 !!!
Wow!! That’s a shocker! While Barbecue is considered Southern and mid-Western, most folks don’t think of Florida as a “Barbecue State.” Nevertheless, 32 Florida cities made the top 500, based on accessibility, customer satisfaction, awards, festivals and more. Large metros like Orlando (#24), Jacksonville (#32), Tampa (#46), Daytona (#58) and Miami (#75) may have bested little old Boynton Beach, but we still can boast that we are in the top half percent in the nation!!!!!!
