‘cue season warm-up

It’s almost that time of year ~ festivals, concerts, picnics, tailgates, beach trips, cookouts and barbecues! And please, please, PLEASE do not confuse those last two, or we will have some issues.

It may be a few weeks yet before the official start of summer on Memorial Day weekend, but I am already in serious warm-up mode. This is my favorite time of year and I want to make the most of it.

We’ll try to cook most anything on a grill, and love spring and summer patio cookouts. Steaks, burgers and dogs, fish and shrimp, even pizza ~ it’s all good on a grill. And then there’s barbecue – now, repeat after me ~ which does not include any of the previous items and is not cooked on a grill. I come from a serious barbecue eating family, and we’ve done more than our share of butts, shoulders, ribs and whole pigs.

For many. many years my family did a two-day barbecue and cookout event over July 4th for Independence Day. Usually 25 to 30 friends and family coming and going ~ eating and drinking for two days around the patio and pool ~ though one year it topped out over 50 folks and resulted in one cremated hog, but that is a whole other story. Anyway, notice I said “barbecue and cookout” because we did both over the two days. The first day usually included burgers and dogs, maybe some chicken on the grill or even a Low Country Boil ~ WHILE the barbecue was doing its thing low and slow over a pit cooker.

The second day was the main event. Pulled pork, white cottony buns with different sauces always on the side, pounds of potato salad, slaw, corn on the cob, deviled eggs, pickles, chips, cantaloupe, watermelon, cakes, brownies, pies ~ and I have to stop now before I make myself weak from hunger. And you could count on Bluwaterdad at some point to take issue with that “Yankee weatherman on television talking about going to a barbecue and eating a hot dog and chips. That ain’t no damn barbecue. He went to a cookout and doesn’t know the difference!” At which point someone else was sure to add, “Bless his heart.”

So yes, I take my barbecue very seriously. Growing up in South Carolina, there were 3 types of sauces ~ traditional tomato and brown sugar style in the upstate, slightly spicy mustard based in the middle of the state, and vinegar style around the Grand Strand coast up towards North Carolina. I like them all!

We picked up some pulled pork from a local ‘cue shop on the weekend, served it on the traditional white cottony buns with upstate style sauce, slaw ON the sandwich Carolina style, added Bluwatermom’s homemade potato salad, and called it a warm-up for things to come. I promise not to come to your cookout and call it a barbecue, if you promise not to come to my barbecue and call it a cookout. Deal? And if you’re good with my whole minor rant on this topic, because you know and appreciate the difference, we are kindred spirits 🙂

A preview of the taste of summer ~ and so many fun events to come. We are warmed up and ready!! Bring it on ~~~

Buwatergal