From Barbycu to Barbeque

The origin of barbecue is frequently misunderstood, leading to prevalent myths that obscure its true history. This aims to unveil the actual narrative behind southern barbecuing. It challenges the widely accepted "Caribbean Origins Theory," which suggests that the method of barbecuing in the American South was introduced from the Caribbean. Instead, Haynes presents a compelling argument that the distinctive technique of whole carcass barbecuing, which has become synonymous with American barbecue, evolved through a combination of influences from Native Americans, Europeans, and both free and enslaved Africans during the seventeenth century.