Cuts of meat, such as pork shoulders and briskets, were considered cheaper and less desirable because they are challenging if not cooked properly. Our ancestors discovered that slow-cooking these cuts made them tender and delicious. What began out of necessity has evolved into a distinct style of cooking. Different regions across the United States have developed their smoking styles. We will dive into exploring St. Louis-style and Carolina-style barbecue in this article.
St. Louis Style Barbecue
St. Louis is known for its unique take on spareribs. St. Louis ribs come from the lower rib cage of a pig, and they contain more fat than baby back ribs. Baby back ribs originate from the upper ribcage that is by the backbone. Baby back ribs have more meat and less fat, which makes them poorer candidates for smoking.
Red Hot & Blue smokes our St. Louis-style ribs low-and-slow for 4 – 5 hours over hickory wood. We prefer the St. Louis cut because the fat gives the ribs a tender and juicy flavor. This fat will decrease during the smoking process and melt in your mouth.
Carolina Style Barbecue
Carolina-style barbecue is unique in that it slow roasts the entire hog. This uses every last bit of the hog rather than using specific cuts, such as pork shoulder or brisket. This differs from Memphis-style barbecue, where pit masters will use particular cuts of pork.
Smoking a whole hog is tricky because you have to ensure that all parts of the hog are cooked evenly without drying out. Traditional Carolina-style barbecue sauce is also vinegar and mustard based, although you can deviate from the sauce to personalize it to your specific tastes.
Visit Red Hot & Blue for Authentic Memphis-style Barbecue
With over 33 years in the business of smoking meat, Red Hot & Blue is leading the pack in Memphis-style barbecue. At Red Hot & Blue, you can find Memphis-style pulled pork, Texas brisket, and even St. Louis-style ribs. We offer entrees for the entire family, including sandwiches and salads. Please call our Annapolis location at 410-626-7427 to schedule a reservation for lunch or dinner.