It is difficult to say exactly who invented barbecue, as the practice of cooking meat over an open fire has been around for thousands of years. Barbecue as we know it today, cooking meat slowly over low heat and using wood smoke for flavor, likely originated in the Caribbean and was brought to the United States by Spanish and Portuguese explorers. In 1731 settlers from the Canary Islands who settled along the San Antonio River influenced both Tex-Mex Cuisine and Texas BBQ. Barbecue was further developed and popularized by African slaves, who were skilled in the art of smoking meat.