Barbecue, that is…or is it barbeque? The history of the word “barbecue” (the preferred proper spelling, according to dictionary sources) goes back to the indigenous people of North and South America. The Spanish word barbacoa was used to describe the slow cooking of meat over an open flame by the Taínos who inhabited Hispaniola, Jamaica and Cuba. But long before barbecue was even a word, it was a part of the culinary landscape. Archaeologists discovered that the diet of whoever built Stonehenge involved copious amounts of barbecue when traces of pork and beef were unearthed nearby. The term evolved from a description of the method of cooking to a word that covered an event where food was cooked outdoors in this way. In 1769, George Washington made mention of attending a “barbecue” in Alexandria, Virginia.
While America has whole-hearted embraced the low and slow manner of cooking, regional styles of barbeque have distinct differences. Because American barbecue first became popular in the South, where barbecue was made exclusively with pork, purists still claim that pork is the only true and authentic barbeque, but Texans disagree with that as strongly as they object to beans in their chili. After the Civil War and into the 20th Century, as Black Americans moved north, they brought the Southern barbecue tradition with them, and its popularity spread like wildfire. By the 1950s, there were Black-owned barbecue restaurants in just about every city in the U.S., and the different styles that emerged have made a smorgasbord of regional favorites.
Since much of the difference is in the sauce, let’s dip a little deeper. Looking back at barbacoa as the origin, the first sauce was very simple. Records indicate that Dominican missionary Père Labat witnessed cooks using lime juice and hot peppers to season barbecued meat when he visited the French West Indies in 1698. In Mrs. Hill’s New Cook Book (1872), Mrs. Annabella Hill, from La Grange, Georgia, published the following barbecue sauce recipe: "Melt half a pound of butter; stir into it a large tablespoon of mustard, half a teaspoonful of red pepper, one of black, salt to taste; add vinegar until the sauce has a strong acid taste.” With instructions to “pour over the meat any sauce that remains” at the end of the cooking.
Nowadays, there are four major regional barbecue styles: Carolina, Memphis, Texas, and Kansas City. North Carolina and Virginia are thought to be where “whole hog” barbecue originated and use a vinegar-based “mop” sauce. In South Carolina, however, the sauce is mustard based. Memphis barbecue is also primarily pork and is known for its tangy thin tomato-based sauce. Kansas City boasts the most popular barbecue sauce, a thick ketchup-based brown sugar-sweetened concoction that is applied to beef, pork, and poultry alike. The regional specialty is their burnt ends. Texas pitmasters generally dry rub their beef ribs and use a thin spicy, mop sauce to baste or marinate the beef brisket for which the state is so well known. We have stingy cattle barons and resourceful cowboys from the late 1800s to thank for the delicacy of slow-cooked brisket: the barons didn’t want to feed cowboys good cuts of meat, so they gave them brisket instead. The cowboys soon figured out if they cooked it for a long time over a low heat, it wasn’t just palatable, it was… awesome.
BBQ Fun Facts
- Everything’s bigger in Texas! The state is the home of the world’s largest BBQ pit. It serves up 8,000lbs of meat, and sold for $350,000 on eBay.
- Kansas City, Missouri is the site of the world’s largest BBQ competition: “The World Series of Barbecue.” More than 500 teams compete, and it draws approximately 70,000 spectators. It is part of the larger American Royal event which spans 2.5 months and includes a parade and a professional rodeo (with a $300,000 prize package).
- Barbecue is science! In New Orleans, one of the foremost experts on the subject of barbecue is Dr. Howard Conyers. This rocket scientist is also a whole hog pitmaster! He’s also the host of the PBS series Nourish, a food show that explores the science behind the foods we eat.
- Entertainer and barbecue enthusiast Smokey Robinson was aptly named. His contract rider includes a request for a platter of barbecued chicken wings for himself, his vocalists, his dancers, his conductor, and his band members.
Passion for BBQ Burns Bright in Brunswick
Pitmaster Judd Foster has been “playing with fire” since he was a kid, making maple syrup in upstate New York. He turned a syrup kettle into a grill, entered a local barbecue competition under the name “Hootenanny’s,” and ended up beating a bunch of pros, fueling a passion and career. Luckily for the residents and visitors to the Golden Isles, Judd has brought that passion and a commitment to quality, consistency, and connection to Historic Downtown Brunswick. Judd and his wife, Kate, serve up craft barbeque and scratch-made regional fare at Hootenanny’s in the Yard.
Hootenannys Woodpile
Judd uprooted his Yankee roots and moved to Georgia, where he met and married Kate in Atlanta. For Kate, this also meant being married into the pitmaster life. They opened a barbecue joint, which won best barbecue accolades from two well-regarded publications, and Judd also taught classes for Big Green Egg. When the COVID years brought that opportunity to a close, good fortune smiled on the Golden Isles, where they relocated with their son, Charlie, and opened South of Heaven BBQ. Located near the College of Coastal Georgia in Brunswick, South of Heaven quickly built an amazing following, but the pressures of a small business led them to take a break in spring 2023.
Judd and Kate are now back at it in downtown Brunswick, across from the historic Glynn County courthouse, offering an authentic barbecue experience in the backyard of a quaint 150-year-old house. Kelly Hnatt, a local real estate developer and owner of BuildWise (buildwisega.com), moved to the neighborhood from St. Simons Island in 2021 with her husband, Brad Randall, a real estate broker, to pursue revitalization of the old courthouse area. BuildWise purchased the run-down home on Ellis Street that had been converted into lawyers’ offices.
Hootenannys in the Yard Brunswick
BuildWise worked with Judd and Kate get the team back in business, leaning in on Judd’s roots with the name Hootenany’s. The doors of the “Hoot House” opened in January 2024. Judd’s smokers are set up in the cute backyard, and the smell of live-fire cooking is quickly warming up this growing neighborhood. Judd and Kate are both inspired by and happy to be a part of the growing food and music scene downtown. They love the authentic and entrepreneurial vibe that flows at this quiet and quaint location, much like the squares in Savannah, or neighborhoods in Charleston and Atlanta.
Hootenanny’s menu is scratch-made to order. Offerings include traditional brisket, pork and chicken sandwiches, but the real crowd pleaser is the Hootenanny smoked brisket tacos. Popular specials are the birria tacos, house smoked pastrami Reuben, and brisket smash burgers. Sunday offers ever-changing brunch items, like hash brown casserole with egg and your choice of meat, and “redneck” biscuits, brisket, egg souffle and gravy. Sundays are also for meatloaf and ribs. All the sides, which include charro beans, esquites-style street corn, mac n’ cheese, smoked potato salad and “nana’s slaw,” are homemade. Hootenanny’s also always offers vegetarian and kids’ options.
Smoker duty starts between 3:00-5:00 a.m. rain or shine, depending on the day’s cook. When asked what music he plays to get the day started, Judd says, “I ‘fire’ it up with music that go anywhere from classics like Ray Charles to Young Jeezy. If I need a little extra boost, I hit the heavy metal!” Judd credits Madison Ruckel, Pitmaster at Mama Jean’s in Roanoke, Virginia and Kyle Stallings, Pitmaster at Rollin” Smoke in Austin, Texas as inspiration for his cooking style that embraces old school but with an innovative twist. He’s leaned into their Tex-Mex influence and creative sides as well as their dedication to using the highest quality product. There’s nothing Judd and Kate love more than taking an old standby and putting a new spin on it, producing dishes like smoked pork belly ramen and brisket stroganoff. They also invite their staff to contribute recipes, and happily riff on what’s available at the produce stand. Smoked honey on rosemary butter biscuits? Yes, please!
Hootenannys Yard
Hootenanny’s has quickly become a family-friendly weekend destination. With the smokers going, live music, picnic tables, firepit for s’mores, backyard games, TVs to watch your favorite teams, and historic courthouse setting, the Hoot House is great place to hang out. Hootenanny’s has a wine and beer license, and offers a broad range of budget friendly options, craft beers, mimosas on Sundays, as well as specialty sodas and non-alcoholic sips. The Shake it Up Milkshake Truck shows up several times a month so you can round out your meal with one of their delicious and decadent frozen treats. What to start with if you’re a first-time visitor? The Fosters answer: “Definitely the smoked brisket tacos!” Try them topped with “taco candy” (Kate’s pickled onions), or go old school with the chopped white onions (Judd’s favorite). With the incredible menu selections offered, you can’t go wrong!
Hootenanny’s also offers catering and custom BBQ experiences, both on and off site. Available menus include BBQ basics, an elevated “taco bar” and other specialty items, such as peach barbecue pork belly skewers. They can even bring a smoker and all the good stuff to your event location. From weddings to family gatherings, football tailgate parties to holiday dinners, they can craft a delicious menu that guests will be raving about long past the party’s end. Barbecue classes are also on the menu this fall, for all the budding pitmasters out there. Bottom line? The Fosters have stoked a fire downtown with their passionate approach to providing excellent food in an inviting and authentic atmosphere and it’s exciting to watch it build and grow. Treat your soul and your belly to some of the warmth that fires provides.
Hootenanny’s in the Yard
1708 Ellis Street, Brunswick
Thursday – Saturday 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
