If someone says "I'm bringing barbecue..."

[SparklyUnicorn]

"Pork" still wouldn't clear it up for me! Pulled pork? Baby back ribs? Country style ribs? 

 

I'm in the deep south, bayou country, and we grill/bbq all kinds of things. Hamburgers, ribs, steaks, chicken, whatever. "Bringing barbecue" would not be a meaningful phrase to me. 

 

Although pork is good any which way.  But here the local good BBQ joint sells chicken, pork, beef, and even vegetarian.  The food is smoked.  People often mean stuff that is grilled too. 

[Guest]

To me, barbecue is an adjective, and it may mean any of these. (I and my ancestors are in the Mid-Atlamtic.) But to DH, this primarily means pork. If it doesn't mean pork, he would say "barbecue chicken." Or whatever meat he means that's not pork. I think this comes from his Mid-Western roots.

[Desert Strawberry]

I have lived all over, but to me, barbecue is a sauce.

[Guest]

Any of them, but here in TX, most likely beef.

Agree. My first thought is that they would be bringing beef brisket.

[OhanaBee]

I've lived in the South long enough to know that if someone is bringing barbecue, they mean pork.  Otherwise they would say something like, "I'm bringing barbecue and chicken barbecue."

 

But I would totally ask if I were in Pennsylvania!  That's just rude to mock you - how are you supposed to know what they mean up there?!?!

[SproutMamaK]

BBQ to me is just... an adjective for some general kind of meat, nothing more specific than that. BBQ as a noun make me think of the actual appliance, not a specific food. BBQ as an adjective describes a method of preparing food. BBQ as a verb is actually cooking the food. It's a very versatile word, now that I think about it! :lol:

[Laura in CA]

here it could mean any of those, or salmon (yum!!!), or a kebab, or veggies to grill ... Now I'm hungry :)

[redsquirrel]

I'm like Hornblower and would have thought, "You are bringing a barbeque? On a truck? Why would you do that?" Barbeque is an event, an action, or the thing you grill with in the Great White North. ;)

 

FYI: It's spelled barbeque = bbq. No 'c' in the word.  :laugh:

 

That's what I thought, but my spell checker keeps arguing with me and I started to doubt myself.

 

[Wheres Toto]

I'm in NJ and I'd have to ask.

 

I've never heard bbq used to refer to a sloppy joe (the ground beef with sauce mentioned a few times).

[Mbelle]

I would assume pork as that's the most common where I live.  A lot of people do chicken as well.  Your question was fine.

Although I'm guessing around here the answer might have been something like butt, shoulder or ribs. LOL

[Ann.without.an.e]

Where are they from?  In the south, there is only one thing we truly call bbq - pulled pork with sauce.  I was completely unaware that this was just regional until one day (while waitressing at a bbq restaurant in high school) a couple from up north came in and asked what we were barbecuing.  I didn't even know how to respond.  They just kept saying "barbecued what?"  We weren't speaking the same language  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

[Kathryn]

Where I'm from and all around here, barbecue is a noun referring to pulled pork. The verb is grill. If I were elsewhere in the nation I'd ask. The only question around here about barbecue is mustard, tomato, or vinegar (This is mustard region, but we're close enough to the other two that you can't be sure).

[Daria]

The only foods where I'd use BBQ as a noun would be those that involve shredded/pulled meat.  Pork would be my first thought, but pulled chicken or shredded brisket would qualify.  In the original sentence "I'm bringing BBQ", I'd also expect it to arrive already cooked. 

 

If you were putting BBQ on a whole piece of meat, I'd call that "BBQ chicken legs, or BBQ ribs".  If you were bringing it uncooked then I'd say "I'm bringing X for the grill".  

 

A piece of Salmon, or a veggie kabob, or an ear of corn, or a sausage that was cooked on a grill, I'd called "grilled", but wouldn't be surprised if someone else referred to it as "BBQ'ed whatever", but I would be surprise if someone used BBQ as a noun.

 

Someone calling Sloppy Joes BBQ though?  That's just wrong. 

[frogger]

oh & on the west coast, odds are my omni or pescatarian friends would be bringing wild salmon 

 

In our family we smoke and grill Salmon but don't bbq it.  :001_smile:

[KungFuPanda]

I would assume pulled pork if they didn't specify.

[frogger]

Totally rude to mock. I do love seeing how different parts of the country speak a different language though. 

[Lady Marmalade]

I grew up in Wisconsin, and barbecue always meant sloppy joes--at least to my family. Before Wisconsin my parents passed through North Dakota, South Dakota, California, and/or Colorado. 

 

This:

http://www.food.com/recipe/my-husband-calls-this-bbq-sloppy-joes-384785

 

This.

 

In my family we always called it sloppy joes, but SO many of our friends simply called it "barbecue".  The school lunch menus frequently had "barbecues" on the menu, and that's what it was.  Some form of ground beef sloppy joe.

 

So if someone said that to me, I would assume sloppy joe meat.  

 

Now, if I were the one bringing a barbecue something, it would most likely be Carolina style pulled pork, and I would specifically say BBQ pork. 

[barnwife]

Midwest. Here if someone said they were bringing barbecue, the first thing I would think of were sloppy joes made with ground beef. Second would be pulled pork, likely to be served on a bun.

This is almost exactly what I was going to say, right down to the region we are in.

[Jan in SC]

Nope. Not here in NC.

 

Barbecue is always a noun and never, ever a verb. Anyone who uses it as a verb . . . well, we know they're from . . . somewhere else. ;)

This is true for SC too. If someone said that, I'd assume they were bringing pork. Most barbecue places have chicken as well, but people eat there for the pork. (I don't eat barbecue.) If someone said that and brought sloppy joes, I'd be shocked.

[KarenNC]

If one is going to a party at which foods are cooked on a grill, it's usually a cookout. If the main food is bbq (as in NC meaning of the word), it may be called a pig picking or a bbq (or even barbecue ;). Proper bbq also requires pit-cooking or smoking, not just grilling. :)

 

For bbq, even if I allow for a different meat, would be expected to have a sauce on it. Grilled things don't have to.

 

For pork, I expect the local thin vinegar, but mustard-based if we go down into SC ;). For chicken or beef, as they are import, I would expect that thick sweet ketchupy sauce, and would specify that it's bbq chicken or bbq beef. Sloppy joes I would call sloppy joes.

 

 

[UCF612]

Pork would be my assumption. My in laws refer to pork as BBQ. I say BBQ is a style of cooking.

[AHASRADA]

To me, this is the same situation as the tour guide being shocked that an American child didn't know how to use a squat toilet.

 

By expressing shock or mocking someone who has a different background or life experience than you, it simply displays a lack of knowledge and experience on the part of the mocker.

 

Obviously this person was ignorant of the fact that BBQ means very different things to different people in different parts of the country.

 

OP should have replied, indignantly, "I don't know where YOU'RE from, but around here, BBQ means X." Put them in their place, lol.

 

FYI, to me, BBQ is an event, a method of cooking, and a sauce. We BBQ beef, chicken and fish on the grill (we don't eat pork). I am aware that it often means pork in the south (though I've never been there.) I've never heard sloppy Joe calling BBQ, but I've never been to the Midwest either (from New England).

[Mama Geek]

I personally have done all three as well as deer meat BBQ, I would ask.

[Guest]

Up here it could mean beef brisket, chicken, salmon, OR pork. So no, asking for clarification was sensible and they should have responded graciously.

[Caroline]

Now I'm hungry for good barbeque. And some Mac and cheese from the bbq place. And beans glorious beans. OMG! I need to get home to GA and have some BBQ.

[SparklyUnicorn]

To me, this is the same situation as the tour guide being shocked that an American child didn't know how to use a squat toilet.

 

By expressing shock or mocking someone who has a different background or life experience than you, it simply displays a lack of knowledge and experience on the part of the mocker.

 

Obviously this person was ignorant of the fact that BBQ means very different things to different people in different parts of the country.

 

OP should have replied, indignantly, "I don't know where YOU'RE from, but around here, BBQ means X." Put them in their place, lol.

 

FYI, to me, BBQ is an event, a method of cooking, and a sauce. We BBQ beef, chicken and fish on the grill (we don't eat pork). I am aware that it often means pork in the south (though I've never been there.) I've never heard sloppy Joe calling BBQ, but I've never been to the Midwest either (from New England).

 

I would be very disappointed with sloppy Joe as BBQ.  LOL

 

But I agree with your message.  I see nothing wrong with asking if someone isn't sure for whatever reason.  I guess we call all agree it involves food.  And if someone offers to bring me food...yes please!! 

[Tammi K]

I was raised in Pennsylvania and I wouldn't know what it means. I would ask.

[ChocolateReignRemix]

I would be very disappointed with sloppy Joe as BBQ.  LOL

 

But I agree with your message.  I see nothing wrong with asking if someone isn't sure for whatever reason.  I guess we call all agree it involves food.  And if someone offers to bring me food...yes please!! 

 

Tell me we are having BBQ and then hand me a sloppy joe and there may be a problem.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Tell me we are having BBQ and then hand me a sloppy joe and there may be a problem.

 

yeah I'd probably throw a very ugly temper tantrum :lol:

[umsami]

I would have assumed something like pulled pork, beef brisket, or even chicken w/BBQ sauce.   Didn't know about the sloppy joes.

 

I totally would have asked.  I probably (not sure if it's rude) would have asked if she was bringing cole slaw, too.

[The Girls' Mom]

I am floored that BBQ could mean sloppy joes  :confused1:  :confused1:  :confused1:  I would have been so confused..lol.

Around here it is *usually* a smoked pork butt/shoulder that has been shredded and is served with sauce.  But it could reasonably be chicken cooked the same way.  I certainly wouldn't have thought it odd to be asked what kind of meat.

[Ellie]

I replied "meat," because here in Texas, "barbecue" means meat, usually brisket, although chicken, sausage, ribs and other kinds of meat might be cooked the same way as the brisket.

 

However, in Southeastern Virginia, "barbecue" would mean pulled pork, with just a little spice, and usually in a sandwich.

 

I don't remember anyone in California ever offering to bring barbecue. o_0

[StaceyinLA]

I'd go with any. In our area (south), it is common to bbq chicken, pork and (slightly less often) beef. I probably would've wanted to know which meat if I wanted to bring a different one.

[creekland]

Someone calling Sloppy Joes BBQ though?  That's just wrong. 

 

Where we are in PA, this is what most locals mean.  We were stunned when we first found out - not stunned in a good way either considering I'm not at all fond of Sloppy Joes.  We know if someone is making BBQ, we'll hope there's something else available too!

 

Hubby grew up in eastern NC and BBQ is a noun - pulled pork - vinegar base.  We have some BBQ in our freezer and we often have to travel to his hometown to stock up.  If we say we're eating BBQ, that's what we mean.

 

That said, we've traveled all over and most places (including TX) seem to have pork, beef, ribs, or chicken - diner's choice.  Sauces (or none) vary, but it's always slow cooked meat.  I personally love beef, pork, or ribs, but not chicken.  (I can eat it to be polite, but will never order it somewhere.)

 

We are starting to get some real BBQ restaurants in our area.  I'm thankful!  I still love checking out different areas too - all except those that offer Sloppy Joes!  Grilled meat would be annoying too if I were expecting BBQ, but that's not as offensive as Sloppy Joes.

[gardenmom5]

"Pork" still wouldn't clear it up for me! Pulled pork? Baby back ribs? Country style ribs? 

 

I'm in the deep south, bayou country, and we grill/bbq all kinds of things. Hamburgers, ribs, steaks, chicken, whatever. "Bringing barbecue" would not be a meaningful phrase to me. 

I'd think if it was ribs - they'd say "ribs". (I've also had to learn to specify I want BEEF ribs when I go to a bbq joint.)

 

 

 

FYI, to me, BBQ is an event, a method of cooking, and a sauce. We BBQ beef, chicken and fish on the grill (we don't eat pork). I am aware that it often means pork in the south (though I've never been there.) I've never heard sloppy Joe calling BBQ, but I've never been to the Midwest either (from New England).

 

My mother's family is from the Midwest, and came there from the south east.  I have *never* heard of sloppy joes for bbq. . . . my grandfather bbq'd fish a lot, but I don't remember much else.  but the hams from family hogs. . . .I looked forwards to that dinner every year. I gave dh lessons in what constituted a 'real' ham . . . . (just for starters - it better have a bone.)

 

I want me some texas bbq. . .  an excuse to go visit 2dd  =D.  (I gave dear niece, who is in process of moving to dfw, a texas bbq cookbook.  as a wedding present.  she and her dh met in dfw.  then I bought one for dh.)

I will convince 2ds he wants texas bbq for his birthday dinner.  ;p

[Renthead Mommy]

I said pork, because that was what it was in NC and GA, but also because the husband can't eat beef, so even when we were in Texas, and we went out for BBQ, we still at pork. 

 

But coming from NJ/NYC, when we moved to NC we were often confused in the beginning.  We'd be invited for BBQ, and we'd expect burgers and dogs, chicken legs/thighs with bbq sauce on it and it would instead be shredded meat (pork) with sauces to put on it.  (And in NC cole slaw to put on it if you wish.)

 

We finally figured out if someone said "Come over for bbq" meant come over for shredded meat.  

If they said "Come over for A  bbq, they meant burgers and dogs on the grill.  

 

If my house said something to you about bbq, you are getting burgers, dogs, steaks or something.  If you want shredded meat, we are going to a restaurant! 

[KarenNC]

To me, sloppy joes mean something like a really thick meat spaghetti sauce on a bun. Do some folks use bbq sauce with the ground beef?

[emmaluv+2more]

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/barbeque

 

This would jive with my definition of barbeque.  I don't know that I've ever heard it referred to as a specific dish and I have definitely never heard of it being sloppy joes.  It could mean any meat cooked in a particular way (or the act of doing the cooking), an event, a cooking apparatus, or a sauce.  

 

If someone told me we were having BBQ, I would definitely ask or wonder what kind of BBQ we were having. 

 

Raised in St. Louis.

[Soror]

That would be like saying "I'm bringing baked."  "I'm bringing boiled."  Seriously, barbecue is a verb, not a noun.  How are you supposed to know.

YES!

[Lady Florida.]

Here in Florida we use the word barbecue incorrectly. :D

 

No one would say they're bringing barbecue, though they might say they're bringing barbecued pork/beef/chicken. Here barbecue is a verb and what it really means is "to cook outside on a grill".

 

So, I would have asked. And they were rude to assume you know or to laugh at you for not knowing.

Edited July 6, 2016 by Lady Florida.

[MotherGoose]

Where I live, bbq is smoked pork. Bbq is also, I guess, a noun or an adjective, not a verb: we are going to have bbq means we are going to have some smoked or roasted pork which is served with a sauce. We are going to grill hamburgers, steaks, whatever, or we are going to grill out, means the equivalent of " we are going to bbq " to other folks. When some northern friends first said "we are going to bbq some wieners " I had to think a minute: " oh, they are going to grill hot dogs. Okay." I will laugh in fun at the differences, and probably said something when this happened. But I certainly wasn't trying to hurt anyone's feelings and I make fun of myself in the same way. I hope the folks who laughed at the OP weren't really trying to be mean. People do bbq other things but it will be bbq beef or bbq chicken, not just bbq.

[Rachel]

To me, sloppy joes mean something like a really thick meat spaghetti sauce on a bun. Do some folks use bbq sauce with the ground beef?

I'm one of the people who mentioned sloppy joes being referred to as BBQ. No one that I know of uses BBQ sauce in it, they are typical sloppy joes.

 

I grew up in SD, I don't ever remember being served actual BBQ unless I visited my TX relatives. I was aware of Kansas City style BBQ being different from TX style BBQ.

[theelfqueen]

From Kansas City originally and barbecue is both a verb and a noun.

 

I'd assume that meant either brisket or pulled pork... ribs are barbecue but would be specified. Other dishes might be grilled or even barbecued but they would not automatically be called barbecue.

 

And no one I've ever known would consider anything made with ground beef 'barbecue'.

[SquirrellyMama]

Now I'm hungry for good barbeque. And some Mac and cheese from the bbq place. And beans glorious beans. OMG! I need to get home to GA and have some BBQ.

We had bbq pulled pork and mac & cheese for dinner tonight :)

[SquirrellyMama]

I use barbeque as a noun and an adjective. We either have bbq or we have bbq beef, chicken, pork...

 

About the spelling, aren't both barbecue and barbeque both correct?

 

Kelly

Edited July 7, 2016 by SquirrellyMama

[lauraw4321]

I'm in the Deep South. Pork is the only option.

[Carrie12345]

I live in PA, I'm from NJ, my family lives in GA.  "Barbecue" means nothing more to any of us than cooking outside.

 

My stepfather does make pulled pork.  He calls it Pulled Pork.

[Pawz4me]

I use barbeque as a noun and an adjective. We either have bbq or we have bbq beef, chicken, pork...

 

About the spelling, aren't both barbecue and barbeque both correct?

 

Kelly

Yes, both are correct. Although most sources list "barbecue" as the first (preferred) spelling.

[marbel]

So fun. Thanks to all for playing!

 

I have lived in NY, CA, OR, and PA, but I married a Georgia boy so I do know that barbeque/cue can be a noun.  We prefer pork, with vinegar sauce - NC style, I believe.

 

But, I don't take anything for granted and I also believe in clear communications, so... when someone asks what food one is bringing, one should be specific!  :-)

 

I have never heard sloppy-Joe-like meat being called barbecue.   Interesting.

 

The other day I cooked a chuck roast with barbecue-ish seasonings and offered it with a ketchup-based sauce. People assumed it was pork. :-)  Since beef is much more expensive than pork, I will save my money next time.

 

I am out of likes!

[RoughCollie]

I live in PA. I'd assume pork (and I'd be correct), but I'd hope for beef ribs!