Barbecue has been around since the discovery of fire; it's so popular in the South it's considered a cultural icon. The word "barbecue" (barbeque, Bar-B-Q, B-B-Q) comes from the framework used by Indians in the Caribbean, named "barbacoa" by early Spanish explorers. Over time the word came to mean the method of preparation, and often even the event where it's served.
Some of the states most well-known for their barbecue are North and South Carolina, Kentucky, Arkansas, Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama along with Texas and Missouri, a little farther to the west. Barbecue in the South almost always means pork, with a few exceptions; beef is most often the meat of choice for Texas barbecue and mutton is commonly used in some areas of Kentucky.
Barbecue has been around since the discovery of fire; it's so popular in the South it's considered a cultural icon. The word "barbecue" (barbeque, Bar-B-Q, B-B-Q) comes from the framework used by Indians in the Caribbean, named "barbacoa" by early Spanish explorers. Over time the word came to mean the method of preparation, and often even the event where it's served. 