Beyond Texas Brisket: 20 Takes On Barbecue From Around The World
Think The Deep South Has The Best BBQ Game?
For as long as humans have been acquainted with fire, we've been cooking pieces of meat on top of it. As such, each and every corner of the earth has its own distinct version of barbecue which it's had millennia to perfect. While tender Texas brisket and sweet Tennessee ribs will always have a place in our hearts, there are countless other kinds of BBQ out there waiting for us to try. In fact, you could wander the world your whole life and still not be able to taste every variation of BBQ, each with its own distinct flavor profile, cooking method, and cultural significance. From tangy Lebanese Shish Tawook to sweet and savory Cantonese Char Siu, here are 20 different takes on barbecue from around the world.
1. Gogigui - Korea
Gogigui usually involves a grill built right into the table on which diners cook the meat themselves, making for an interactive and communal dining experience. Korean BBQ is also known for its flavorful marinades and sauces full of sweet, sour, and umami notes.
2. Yakitori - Japan
One of the defining characteristics of yakitori is that the meat is always skewered, and while other proteins are sometimes used, the primary focus is on various cuts of chicken. The meat is prepared over a charcoal grill which imparts a unique, smoky flavor. Yakitori is either served with only salt or a sweet and savory soy-based glaze called tare.
3. Char Siu - China
Char Siu or Chinese BBQ pork is a Cantonese specialty involving boneless, marinated strips of pork that are skewed and roasted in a covered oven or over an open fire. It has a distinct glossy, red color from the fermented red bean curd that is used in the glaze and a sweet and savory flavor.
4. Khorkhog - Mongolia
Khorkhog is a traditional Mongolian BBQ dish often prepared for special occasions. Meat (usually lamb or goat) is placed into a sealed container with extremely hot stones and a little water which work together to steam and slowly cook the meat evenly from the inside out. When the cooking is finished, the still-warm stones are passed around among the diners who hold and rub them to improve blood circulation and reap the perceived health benefits.
5. Braai - South Africa
In South Africa, barbecue is more than just a dish, it's a cultural and social event. Guests congregate around a fire with one person acting as braai master, and each person typically brings something to cook and something to drink. The open-fire method of cooking imparts a special smokiness that shines through because of the minimal additional flavoring.
6. Tandoori - India
Tandoori style of cooking originated in the Punjab region of India and it's characterized by the use of a special cylindrical clay oven called a tandoor. Meat in the tandoor gets intensely heated from all sides, allowing for quick cooking that retains juiciness. Before being cooked, dishes are typically marinated in a yogurt-based sauce with plenty of spices.
7. Jerk - Jamaica
Jamaican Jerk barbecue's distinct flavor comes from its traditional cooking method and use of aromatic spices. Meat (most commonly chicken or pork) is doused in Jerk seasoning which includes scotch bonnet peppers, pimento, black pepper, and garlic before being cooked over a low, open-air grill called a "jerk pit." The meat has a juicy interior and somewhat charred exterior and is intensely spicy and aromatic with some sweet and savory notes.
8. Barbacoa - Puerto Rico
The most defining characteristic of barbacoa is that it's cooked in an underground pit where a fire is built and stones are heated. The meat (commonly beef cheek or lamb) is often wrapped in agave or banana leaves before being carefully placed on top of the hot stones with a little bit of liquid added. The meat gets slow-cooked in the pit with some dried Ancho or Guajillo chilies until it's irresistibly tender and succulent.
9. Asado - Argentina
Argentina is known for the quality of its beef, and asado, with its minimal seasoning consisting of only coarse salt, and a simple but precise method of cooking, is all about respecting the meat. The cooking takes place on a special grill called a parrilla that uses wood-fired coals and has V-shaped grates that collect fat drippings, preventing flare-ups that can scorch the meat. The result is subtly smoky steak that's crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, often served with fresh and herbaceous chimichurri.
10. Dibi Hausa - West Africa
Dibi Hausa is a form of barbecue synonymous with West African street food, usually using lamb or beef. It's characterized by the spice blend with includes ground peanuts and cayenne or chili powder. The meat is sliced thin, coated generously in the dry spice mix, skewered, and cooked over hot charcoal.
11. Mangal - Afghanistan
Mangal is a style of BBQ associated with Afghanistan and other Middle Eastern countries. It involves cooking skewered meats on a simple, rectangular charcoal grill without a lid for an intense, smoky char. Sometimes, marinades made with yogurt, tomato, or red pepper paste are used, and meats are often accompanied by fresh salads and flatbreads.
12. Kalua - Hawaii
Kalua is a type of barbecue that cooks a whole pig or large cuts of pork wrapped in banana leaves and covered in a wet burlap sack in an underground oven called an Imu. The meat gets gently cooked in the steamy environment for over six hours until it's delectably tender, and the hot earth imparts an earthy flavor.
Neil Conway from Oakland, USA on Wikimedia
13. Churrasco - Brazil
Churrasco is similar to Argentinian asado except that it's cooked on a special grill called a churrasqueira, designed to hold large skewers of meat which are cooked rotisserie-style to achieve even caramelization and a juicy interior. Just like in Asado, the emphasis is on the flavor of the meat, so, simple seasonings like coarse salt or maybe an occasional subtle marinade is all that's used.
14. Carne Asada - Mexico
Carne Asada translates directly to "grilled meat," but it's not just any grilled meat. The style is special for the thinness of the cuts, the citrusy marinades, and the quick grilling technique over high heat. This kind of BBQ is rarely eaten on its own and is typically served inside burritos, tacos, or quesadillas.
15. Mookata - Thailand
Mookata is an interactive dining experience similar to Korean Gogigui but on a distinct dome-shaped grill bordered by a trough filled with broth so you can both simmer and grill on the same apparatus. A variety of sliced meats and seafood that have been marinated in a soy sauce-based blend are brought to the table along with sweet and savory dipping sauces, and as patrons cook the meat, the broth catches all the juices, and a wonderful soup is made.
16. Thit Nuong - Vietnam
What makes Thit Nuong special isn't so much the meat itself as the delectable marinade which is a perfect marriage of sweet, savory, and umami flavors. After marinading overnight, the meat which is almost always pork, is cooked quickly over hot charcoal, the marinade caramelizing on the outside while the inside stays juicy and moist.
17. Lechon - The Philippines
Lechon is found all over Latin America, but it's the Philippines that perfected the dish and made it their own. Here, a whole pig is skewered and roasted over an open bed of charcoal for around seven hours, allowing for even cooking and creating a legendary crispy, golden skin. The dish, which makes for a spectacular centerpiece, is typically served on special occasions.
18. Shish Tawook - Lebanon
Shish Tawook is a type of barbecue popular in Lebanon, Turkey, and other parts of the Levant. It's characterized by its use of a lemon and yogurt or dairy-based marinade with tons of garlic. The meat (usually chicken) is marinated for several hours, then skewered and grilled quickly over hot charcoal, achieving a charred outer layer and exceptionally juicy interior with a vibrant and fresh tanginess from the marinade.
19. Barbie - Australia
"Barbie" in Australia is less about the cooking method and more about the social experience of gathering around grilling, a practice that's synonymous with Australian culture. Snags (sausages) and prawns (shrimp) are just some of the staples you might find at an Aussie Barbie, but also lamb chops, steaks, and even kangaroo steaks. The meat is typically cooked quickly over high heat, resulting in a good amount of char and caramelization.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office on Wikimedia
20. Kebab - Turkey
Kebab simply means "roasted meat" in Turkish, so the word encapsulates many different dishes including Adana, Doner, and Urfa kebabs, but they all have some things in common including fresh, high-quality meat, and the use of spices like cumin, paprika, and black pepper. The meat is quickly cooked on a mangal over direct, intense heat, the coals collecting the meat drippings as it cooks, infusing it with a smoky flavor.
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