Happy National BBQ Day! One Of America's Favorite Holidays
Today is National BBQ Day, celebrated every May 16, and if you needed any excuse to fire up the grill this weekend here it is. Barbecue is one of the most deeply rooted traditions in American culture, stretching all the way back to colonial times when no celebration was considered complete without a cookout. After the Revolutionary War, barbecue celebrations erupted across the nation — and the tradition has only grown since. Even George Washington was a fan: his personal diary references a barbecue that lasted three full days. President Lyndon B. Johnson made it a White House tradition by hosting the first-ever presidential barbecue, serving Texas-style wings at the event. Today, 85% of Americans say burgers are their go-to grilling food, and the nation's love of smoked and grilled meat spans every region — from Carolina pulled pork to Kansas City ribs to Texas brisket to Memphis dry rub. The longest barbecue on record was held in Georgia and lasted a staggering 80 hours.
The origins of the word "barbecue" go back even further than America itself. A Spanish explorer first referenced the term "barbacoa" in accounts of the West Indies in 1526, and British buccaneer William Dampier used the word "barbecue" in its modern spelling for the first time in 1697. The concept of cooking meat over open flame, however, goes back even further, all the way to 29,000 B.C., when our ancestors were grilling mammoth meat in four-foot-long cooking pits. Humanity has been perfecting this art for nearly 31,000 years, and we are still at it. Whether you're hosting a backyard cookout, visiting your favorite BBQ joint, or experimenting with a new sauce recipe, today is your day. Fire it up.
