Bark. The darkened exterior of smoked meats, favored by lovers of smoke and big flavors. Because of greater exposure to heat, bark is drier than the interior meat.
Burgoo. An "everything by the kitchen sink" rich stew made with several meats and vegetables... found at barbecue joints in Kentucky.
Rick. A measurement of firewood stacked four feet tall by eight feet long. Kentuckians use the term loosely to name a goodly sized stack of wood.
Sassafras. A North American hardwood tree with aromatic leaves, bark, and branches. Used as a smoking wood, sassafras imparts a bold smoke flavor and dark coloration to meats.
Smoke ring. The pinkish hue imparted to smoked meats (a very good thing).
St. Louis-style ribs. The whole rib with the bony end piece (the sternum bone, cartilage, and rib tips) removed. Removing the tips can aid in uniformity of cooking, since the tips can dry out and get tough quicker than the rest of the rib.
Texas crutch. A derogatory term to describe the wrapping of beef briskets in foil to steam and tenderize them.
excerpted from:
by Wes Berry
The University Press of Kentucky, 2013
Artwork: St. Louis-style ribsGuidebooks and How-To Titles
Outrider Reading Group
Barbecue Sauce
