Barbecue: A Summer Tradition

Take a walk through any Woodstock neighborhood this month and you're bound to be greeted by a familiar smell: piles of charcoal starting to burn. It's the season for barbecue, and in backyards all over this sunny city, amateurs and professionals alike are lighting their fires and pulling out the marinades.

Like most other forms of cooking, heated debate surrounds how best to approach the wonderful world of barbecue, and those who've been doing it for years often think they've found the secret.

"I am pretty arrogant about my grilling," admits David Mitchell, an Atlanta native. While some get caught up in perfecting sauces or proper smoking, for Mitchell, it's all about the tools.

"I like to use a Green Egg, which gives me more temperature control. I’ll heat up an old iron skillet in it to sear a really nice steak. It’s also the best for smoking something like a turkey or pork loin," Mitchell said.

Like many barbecue enthusiasts, he said he believes there's little merit to cooking with gas. In fact, when asked if there was one trick to getting it right, his answer was to avoid propane at all costs.

"Use real wood charcoal without a petroleum starter. There’s nothing less appetizing than a nice cut of meat with a jet fuel aftertaste," Mitchell explained. He also warns newcomers not to begin cooking too quickly, but to let the temperature come up slowly.

For Aly Martinez, grilling is less about the science and more about the heart, even though she's willing to school you on a point or two as well.

"Grilling out brings back childhood memories of family gatherings. I like them now, as an adult, because it's a time for hanging out with friends and family," Martinez said. "Neighbors drop by to say hello. It's a summer tradition."

That isn't to say she doesn't pay just as much attention to the technical side. Her cardinal rules?

"Don't burn the food. Char does not mean the barbecue is good. And a propane grill, in my opinion, is no different than cooking your food over the flame on your gas stove," Martinez said.

As for tips, she suggests a classic herb and simple grilling principles.

"Garlic is a must for almost everything that's cooked on a grill, and using indirect heat not only makes for juicy steaks, but keeps the food warm until serving," Martinez concluded.

Even those who've made a living out of barbecue in Woodstock recognize the value of its tradition. William "Bubba" Latimer, owner and creator of Bub-Ba-Q on Highway 92, sees a world of difference between business and pleasure in this case.

"It's really a focus on the food in the restaurant, that's what people come here for. But the way I look at barbecue [at home], it's the food, sure, but also the camaraderie, hanging out - really making an event out of it," Latimer said.

He's a reliable authority on the topic, as a restauranteur of more than seven years, not to mention a lifetime behind the grill at home.

"I've been a backyard cook for 15, 20 years, and that's all I am, still," Latimer said. "I'm not a chef."

That perspective feeds into his advice for newcomers.

"Keep things simple," Latimer recommends, "This is barbecue. We're not china and crystal and white linens, you don't need a fig glaze for your ribs."

He also advises understanding the components of the flavor profile you want, and personally prefers sweet rubs and sauces, because "it's part of the Southern style."

"If you want to, you can make your own rubs. I mean, it'll be a little more expensive, but it's that heart thing." 

That heart thing is precisely what barbecue is all about for many Southern cooks. It can even be an inspiration. Latimer's store manager, Mike Welch, claims it wasn't until he met Latimer that he ate grilled food.

"I didn't even like barbecue until I started to work here," Welch joked. Latimer commented that Welch now has his own smokers and may even be going out on the road with him for the next competetive tour.

There are as many different opinions on barbecue as there are flavors to explore. Seared onions, chicken breasts with tasty char marks, roasted skewers and spice rubs; just about anything can be thrown on the grill and come out with delicious qualities not present when cooked on the stovetop.

Whether it's your ticket to another trophy or a way to slow down with friends and family and appreciate life's simple pleasures, a little bit of passion for the craft is all you need to get started. And if you need a little help along the way, our Southern city is full of experts more than willing to share their knowledge-as long as you're not asking for their recipes.