compare and contrast

            Comparing and Contrasting of American Barbeque.
             The word barbeque originated with Spanish Conquistadors who picked up the word meaning "raised platform," from the Caribbean. Today, American barbeque is highly diverse according to region, and literally has hundreds of different styles. There are big differences in the regional styles of barbeque sauces. These differences are typically based on items that were popular in the region at the time it was settled. There are also similarities in the styles of barbeque, such as the way the meats are cooked and prepared. The most popular styles of barbeque originated out of Kansas City, Texas, and the Carolinas. In this essay we will be examining the similarities and differences of these different styles of barbequing.
             Kansas City, which is considered to be the center of the barbeque universe, and even has its own barbeque society. Kansas City is known for having a thick barbeque sauce made mostly from a tomato and sugar base. Most barbeques start off with a dry rub, which is to enhance the flavor of the meat for the cooking. Barbeque sauces are typically finishing sauces intended to be introduced onto the meat during the last part of cooking to infuse flavor without overpowering the meat itself. Kansas City is also known for their super slow cooking process, which can take up to a couple of hours or all day. This process allows for extremely tender meat and phenomenal flavor. This style is what made Kansas City known for its barbeque.
             Texas barbeque goes back to the German butchers who settled in Central Texas during the mid 1800's. When the settlers arrived they had to use what was available to them, such as oak trees, mesquite, and Mexican vaqueros. The process was similar to that of a Kansas City barbeque, starting off with a dry rub and finishing with the sauce. The dry rub process involved hand rubbing the meat with salt, peppers, and other spices.