Real Pit BBQ

16Adams · 07-31-2021, 06:55 AM

Y’all have all seen the signs advertising “Real” Pit Barbecue. A person asked what does that “Real” mean? When I was growing up that meant a “pit” and a shovel. The pit could be underground or earthen and built up-it could also mean a cinderblock Pit or a smokehouse (that often resembled an outhouse). Regardless of underground, above ground or smokeshack- it always involved a shovel.

Therefore, “Real Pit BBQ” requires a shovel.

Just a presunrise observation as we didn’t smoke-we grilled

Nuco59 · 07-31-2021, 07:06 AM

Is there a shovel involved? maybe - maybe not. Might not even be an axe involved the way things are heading these days. A pile of wood might just be for show.

I'd guess that "real" is used just like "home made"- those words can strike a chord and make you pull in- whereas a sign saying just plain old "bbq" might make you keep on driving.

Moose · 07-31-2021, 08:56 AM

I love the word "pit". It has a primordial ring to it, images of a subterranean chamber of initiation come to mind, where transformation takes place. And that's what happens when paired with the word "barbecue".

Meat that is seasoned is lowered into a subterranean chamber or hole, or, into an above ground structure where the meat is cooked for many hours and is transformed into tender, flavorful, deliciousness. Whether subterranean, or above ground, shovels are often involved.

Certainly a tandoor is a pit, as is an Armenian tonir; a makeshift cinder block or more permanent brick pit also fits the category, as does a drum smoker. In 2007 the Culinary Historians of Southern California recreated an Early California pit barbecue at the Ygnacio Palomares Adobe in Pomona. It required burning hundreds of pounds of oak in the pit over the preceding night, then lowering cloth-wrapped, marinated beef shoulder clod into the resulting pit of coals and covering everything with earth. After cooking all night, participants pronounced the results "incredibly tender, deeply smoky meat."

I was fortunate to have experienced this myself in the hills of southern Orange County when I was around 12 years of age. Rich, smoky pull apart beef was served with tortillas, frijoles charros, and fresh salsa. It was exquisite, an experience I shall not forget, and hope to duplicate one day.

thirdeye · 07-31-2021, 10:07 AM

Open pit barbecue is old school cool, older than photography actually.

My Grandpaw was an open pit man in his younger days, I have a feeling he would have loved a drum smoker.

cowgirl · 07-31-2021, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 16Adams

Y’all have all seen the signs advertising “Real” Pit Barbecue. A person asked what does that “Real” mean? When I was growing up that meant a “pit” and a shovel. The pit could be underground or earthen and built up-it could also mean a cinderblock Pit or a smokehouse (that often resembled an outhouse). Regardless of underground, above ground or smokeshack- it always involved a shovel.

Therefore, “Real Pit BBQ” requires a shovel.

Just a presunrise observation as we didn’t smoke-we grilled

Yep....and a hot coal rake.
Trench pits are still used here... dug by backhoes now.
Rebar is placed across the trench to hold the meat and bean pots above the hot wood coals.
A pit is a pit, a smoker is a smoker, a drum is a drum, a grill is a grill, etc.. lol

Burn · 07-31-2021, 03:36 PM

I almost went and bought a shovel today to try this. Then I remembered I can’t afford to screw up another rack of ribs like I did last night by falling asleep. One day.

Crakaveli · 07-31-2021, 11:17 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXM-9eS8ZKQ

SmokeRingsMatter · 08-01-2021, 01:59 AM

We had a fire pit, we used about 4 layers of chicken wire. It worked great. Doubt it was FDA approved, LOL

We only did pork butts, i think we had 12 on. They turned out great. But lacked smoke flavor. Im not really a fan of pits for that reason.

Titch · 08-01-2021, 03:14 AM

doubled up

Titch · 08-01-2021, 03:17 AM

Real Pit BBQ could very well be called a hangi. fire pit cooking at its best in New Zealand
Doesn,t that happen in hawaii?
https://www.insightvacations.com/blo...ing-art-hangi/

charrederhead · 08-01-2021, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Titch

Real Pit BBQ could very well be called a hangi. fire pit cooking at its best in New Zealand
Doesn,t that happen in hawaii?

Kalua Pig cooked in an imu.

Titch · 08-01-2021, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by charrederhead

Kalua Pig cooked in an imu.

A fire in sand near a beach
A leg of Lamb in foil buried next to it
Dinner is ready after fishing

SmokinAussie · 08-02-2021, 02:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cowgirl

Yep....and a hot coal rake.
Trench pits are still used here... dug by backhoes now.
Rebar is placed across the trench to hold the meat and bean pots above the hot wood coals.
A pit is a pit, a smoker is a smoker, a drum is a drum, a grill is a grill, etc.. lol

You can't get it more "matter of fact" than that!

TwoWheeler · 08-02-2021, 08:06 AM

I love stuff like this - seeing the methods people the world over, through history have come up, with for cooking.

There’s a lot of ingenuity involved, including using tougher cuts of meat and sometimes maximizing the usage of precious fuel.

thirdeye · 08-02-2021, 05:39 PM

I knew I had another open pit photo floating around and the cook happens to be holding the shovel for coals.

07-31-2021, 06:55 AM	#1
16Adams somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 01-16-13 Location: USA	Real Pit BBQ Y’all have all seen the signs advertising “Real” Pit Barbecue. A person asked what does that “Real” mean? When I was growing up that meant a “pit” and a shovel. The pit could be underground or earthen and built up-it could also mean a cinderblock Pit or a smokehouse (that often resembled an outhouse). Regardless of underground, above ground or smokeshack- it always involved a shovel. Therefore, “Real Pit BBQ” requires a shovel. Just a presunrise observation as we didn’t smoke-we grilled __________________ Tiernan SOB34, Primo Oval XL, Oklahoma Joe's Bronco, Oklahoma Joe's Highland, Pit Boss Austin XL, Pit Boss Table Top
	1 members found this post helpful.

07-31-2021, 07:06 AM	#2
Nuco59 Babbling Farker Join Date: 08-18-13 Location: Texas	Is there a shovel involved? maybe - maybe not. Might not even be an axe involved the way things are heading these days. A pile of wood might just be for show. I'd guess that "real" is used just like "home made"- those words can strike a chord and make you pull in- whereas a sign saying just plain old "bbq" might make you keep on driving. __________________ I started out with nothing and I got most of it left.
	1 members found this post helpful.

07-31-2021, 08:56 AM	#3
Moose somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 10-12-08 Location: Gallatin, TN Name/Nickname : Richard	I love the word "pit". It has a primordial ring to it, images of a subterranean chamber of initiation come to mind, where transformation takes place. And that's what happens when paired with the word "barbecue". Meat that is seasoned is lowered into a subterranean chamber or hole, or, into an above ground structure where the meat is cooked for many hours and is transformed into tender, flavorful, deliciousness. Whether subterranean, or above ground, shovels are often involved. Certainly a tandoor is a pit, as is an Armenian tonir; a makeshift cinder block or more permanent brick pit also fits the category, as does a drum smoker. In 2007 the Culinary Historians of Southern California recreated an Early California pit barbecue at the Ygnacio Palomares Adobe in Pomona. It required burning hundreds of pounds of oak in the pit over the preceding night, then lowering cloth-wrapped, marinated beef shoulder clod into the resulting pit of coals and covering everything with earth. After cooking all night, participants pronounced the results "incredibly tender, deeply smoky meat." I was fortunate to have experienced this myself in the hills of southern Orange County when I was around 12 years of age. Rich, smoky pull apart beef was served with tortillas, frijoles charros, and fresh salsa. It was exquisite, an experience I shall not forget, and hope to duplicate one day. __________________ Moose *Showcase Your Cooking in the BBQ Brethren Throwdowns!* 2017's "Mayo Explosion" The 2022 Steak Cooking Controversy: Follow the Science! Check out my blog: www.mooseonfire.com Last edited by Moose; 07-31-2021 at 09:09 AM..

07-31-2021, 10:07 AM	#4
thirdeye somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 01-14-06 Location: At home on the range in Wyoming	Open pit barbecue is old school cool, older than photography actually. My Grandpaw was an open pit man in his younger days, I have a feeling he would have loved a drum smoker. __________________ ~thirdeye~ I Play With Fire and Smoke *Barbecuist ~ Charcuterist ~ KCBS Master Judge & CTC* Big Green Eggs, Big Drum Smokers, Big Chiefs, Weber Smokey Joe "Custom Tall Boy" Oil Patch Horizontal, SnS Deluxe Kettle Visit my Cookin' Site by clicking HERE Barbecue is not rocket surgery “The problem with quotes on the Internet is that it's hard to verify their authenticity” ~ Abraham Lincoln

08-01-2021, 03:14 AM	#9
Titch somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 11-17-12 Location: South East Victoria Australia Name/Nickname : Titch :-)	doubled up __________________ Some people are like a Slinky-not really good for anything, but still , you can't help smiling when you shove them down the stairs.:becky: Last edited by Titch; 08-01-2021 at 03:58 AM..

07-31-2021, 03:36 PM	#6
Burn Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 02-11-18 Location: Austin Name/Nickname : Jimmy	I almost went and bought a shovel today to try this. Then I remembered I can’t afford to screw up another rack of ribs like I did last night by falling asleep. One day.

07-31-2021, 11:17 PM	#7
Crakaveli Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 06-21-10 Location: Hendersonville, TN	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXM-9eS8ZKQ

08-01-2021, 01:59 AM	#8
SmokeRingsMatter is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 01-31-20 Location: Bergen Town Name/Nickname : Poppy Pellet Pooper	We had a fire pit, we used about 4 layers of chicken wire. It worked great. Doubt it was FDA approved, LOL We only did pork butts, i think we had 12 on. They turned out great. But lacked smoke flavor. Im not really a fan of pits for that reason.

08-01-2021, 03:17 AM	#10
Titch somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 11-17-12 Location: South East Victoria Australia Name/Nickname : Titch :-)	Real Pit BBQ could very well be called a hangi. fire pit cooking at its best in New Zealand Doesn,t that happen in hawaii? https://www.insightvacations.com/blo...ing-art-hangi/ __________________ Some people are like a Slinky-not really good for anything, but still , you can't help smiling when you shove them down the stairs.:becky:

08-02-2021, 08:06 AM	#14
TwoWheeler On the road to being a farker Join Date: 05-15-21 Location: Syracuse NY Name/Nickname : David	I love stuff like this - seeing the methods people the world over, through history have come up, with for cooking. There’s a lot of ingenuity involved, including using tougher cuts of meat and sometimes maximizing the usage of precious fuel.

08-02-2021, 05:39 PM	#15
thirdeye somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 01-14-06 Location: At home on the range in Wyoming	I knew I had another open pit photo floating around and the cook happens to be holding the shovel for coals. __________________ ~thirdeye~ I Play With Fire and Smoke *Barbecuist ~ Charcuterist ~ KCBS Master Judge & CTC* Big Green Eggs, Big Drum Smokers, Big Chiefs, Weber Smokey Joe "Custom Tall Boy" Oil Patch Horizontal, SnS Deluxe Kettle Visit my Cookin' Site by clicking HERE Barbecue is not rocket surgery “The problem with quotes on the Internet is that it's hard to verify their authenticity” ~ Abraham Lincoln