Barbecue might just be one of the most debated culinary items in America. With each region taking pride in their own style, you might be surprised at just how different barbecue restaurant specialties are across the states. Here are some of the most popular types of barbecue and what to expect when you order them at a local joint.

5 Popular Types of Barbecue 

1. North Carolina

North Carolina barbecue is typically pork flavored with a mixture of vinegar and spices throughout the cooking process and served with a sauce using ketchup as a base. Lexington-style barbecue uses pork shoulder or ribs, while Eastern-style uses an entire pig.

2. South Carolina

Ordering the special at a barbecue restaurant in South Carolina will bring you a slightly sweet dish made from ham or pork butt. The sauce for South Carolina barbecue is a tangy concoction made of mustard, brown sugar, vinegar, and spices.

3. Texas

Brisket is king in a Texas barbecue restaurant. East Texas style is made with beef and pork, cooked until it falls apart like pot roast, and served between slices of bread with lots of sauce. Central Texas-style barbecue is beef smoked over pecan or oak wood resulting in sumptuous meat that doesn’t share the limelight with sauces or sides.

4. Memphis

Memphis is well-known for pulled pork. Pork ribs are flavored with a dry rub of paprika, garlic, and other spices before being cooked in a large pit. The resulting tender and succulent meat is usually served with a tomato-based sauce that’s thin and tangy.

4. Kansas

As a meatpacking hub, Kansas barbecue can be made with all kinds of meat. Slow-cooked over hickory wood, barbecue from this region is known for burnt ends because of the high fat content. The thick sauce is a mixture of sweet molasses and tomato. 

If you’re looking for an authentic Texas-style barbecue restaurant with catering services around Amelia, OH, Dickey's Barbecue Pit is your best bet. A third generation family-owned and operated restaurant, Dickey’s offers barbecue catering—be it a party, business meeting, or full-service event with meats cut to order. For more information, call (513) 802-2700 or visit their website.