Barbecue is not just a grilling technique, it's a whole philosophy. (And, some women might say, an excuse for men to get out of cooking at any other time of year.) There are arguments over what meats are used, what flavorings, what methods.

In Texas, barbecue means beef. In Memphis, pig, in a tomato-based sauce. And the meat must be pulled, not shredded or minced as they do in North Carolina, where the sauce is vinegar-based. In Kansas City, barbecue means ribs. Whichever type, they all must be slowly cooked on a well-ventilated grill for the meat to be succulent.

For Texas barbecue scene head to Hill Country Barbecue Market, in Penn Quarter at 410 7th St NW, 202 556 2050. The brisket is dry-rubbed. Ribs, chicken, and sausages are all smoked slowly over oak. Upstairs you order your meats by the pound, filling up on collard greens, corn pudding and deviled eggs. For dessert there's bourbon pecan pie or sweet potato bread pudding on the traditional side and downstairs you can sit in the Boot Bar for Texas beers and live music.

If you're barbecuing at home and aren't confident you can produce the right flavor, Red, Hot & Blue's grilling sauce is available from their restaurants. They also run a catering service, so you could 'pig out' at home in large numbers, 703 522 3355.

Carl S. Custer, a Washington Multidisciplinary Microbiologist, passes on some good barbecue pointers: "You actually don't need a well ventilated grill but one that you can restrict the air so you can maintain a 200-250F temperature. Brinkmann vertical or horizontal smokers (sold at Home Depot and Wal-Mart) are excellent but you can also rig a Weber to slow smoke. Tho I come from Texas, I'm familiar with others BBQ techniques. Two excellent local joints for making Texas style BBQ are the Rib Pit, 14th & Randolph Sts NE) and O'Brien's (out in Rockville). The Rib Pit used to have a branch out on R1, near Dakota, but there's a new sign up. Dunno if it's as good but surely they didn't break up that great white-tiled smoker. Oh, the reason I wrote was your mention of Red White & Blue. I tried them twice and both times I noted the meat wasn't pit smoked (no CO ring). The second (and last) time I confirmed they bake their meat then throw it in a pit to "smoke" and dry the sauce. Tsk, tsk. And FWIW, in Texas, look in the yellow pages under B for Barbeque. They're serious about BBQ."

But for the latest barbecue-in-DC update, read Smoke Signals in the Washington Post. 

To read my article in The Washington Post on roasting a whole pig in a Chinese Box, click on http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A46125-2004Jul13.html

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