About this episode
The episode explores the efforts of restaurateurs in Europe to adapt American barbecue techniques and recipes.
In “American Barbecue’s European Adventure,” Gravy reporter Eve Troeh takes us to meet restaurateurs in Prague, Czech Republic (Big Smokers) and Berlin, Germany (Big Stuff Smoked BBQ) who have gone to great lengths to import the techniques and equipment needed to bring American barbecue to their communities. Along with developing their own recipes, working closely with suppliers to select the right breeds and cuts of meat, and perfecting their overnight smoking process, they have also had to cultivate an understanding of and appreciation for BBQ among their customers. While “low and slow” smoked barbecue may seem ubiquitous in the United States, it takes some translating when it crosses the pond into an entirely different culinary context. Adrian Miller, author of the book Black Smoke, which chronicles Black contributions to American barbecue, helps explain what makes American barbecue unique—and even unexpected—in other parts of the world. And while Czech and German immigrants contributed to the early formation of barbecue in central Texas and other Southern enclaves, the reception of American barbecue abroad today shows that its history is not a straight line from the 1800s to…
People in this episode
Host: Eve Troeh
Topics covered
- American barbecue
- European cuisine
- cultural exchange
- culinary techniques
- food history
Keywords
- American barbecue
- European cuisine
- smoking process
- culinary techniques
- food history
- Prague
- Berlin
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Southern Foodways Alliance, Big Smokers, Big Stuff Smoked BBQ
Books & works: Black Smoke
Places: Prague, Czech Republic, Berlin, Germany
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