Caribbean Indians who cooked on a green wood lattice over an open fire. All of the above - no one really knows where the word came from, but claims have been made for all three of these origins. One thing is for certain, man has been barbecuing since the Stone Age. The '49ers didn't hit pay dirt with gold rushing for long, but their love of barbecue foods has lasted since the 1850s. Steak and chicken come up in the second and third slots.
Hot dogs are our fourth favorite barbecue fare.
Mesquite, hickory and even fruit wood chips are gaining popularity as ways to add lots of flavor to barbecued foods. Near the Virginia border, sauces with molasses are served on the side as a condiment. Grilling was most popular, however, during the Carter administration, according to former White Hose chef of 21 years, Henry Haller. South Carolina and much of the Southeast is famous for pig pickin's. Die hard traditionalists use an old water tank or a pit in the ground to roast a whole hog an a spit.