| Barbecue sauces have a uniquely Southern and | | | | credited with spawning the original barbecue sauce |
| Western U.S. history. Most experts agree that the | | | | styles. First and foremost, there are the various |
| practice of adding sauce and spices to meat and fish | | | | Carolina barbecue sauces. The most widely known |
| began early in our history, with Native Americans | | | | are East Carolina, Piedmont, and South Carolina |
| teaching the art to early European settlers. The natives | | | | varieties. East Carolina barbecue sauce consists of |
| probably developed the process as part of an attempt | | | | vinegar, salt, black pepper, and crushed or ground |
| to keep meats and fish from spoiling quickly. Salt | | | | cayenne peppers. Its a very simple sauce that |
| played a major role in those early barbecue sauces, | | | | penetrates the meat nicely for a deep flavor. Piedmont |
| and salt is a well-known preservative in the meat | | | | barbecue sauce only varies from East Carolina in that |
| curing process. | | | | it often includes molasses or Worcestershire sauce |
| Because the nations first European arrivals lived on the | | | | and thus clings to the meat more. |
| East Coast of America, that part of the country is | | | | |