Well, we finally made it. National Barbecue Day is just a few days off, and I thought we should pre-plan how and why we celebrate it. May 16 is the day we should all be coming together, if for no other reason than to celebrate family and friends and have a fun day together. Of course, nothing makes a family day better than BBQ. Yep, it’s the beginning of summer, the time of year when backyard pitmasters, BBQ joints, and families across the country fire up the smoker, dig into brisket, a slab of ribs, sausage, turkey, or just about anything you can put on the pit, and enjoy one of America’s oldest culinary traditions… well, next to Thanksgiving of course. Wait, I make brisket on Thanksgiving, so maybe not.
Anyway, here’s a little history on BBQ that you may not have known. The word “barbecue” traces its roots to the Taíno word barabicu, used by Indigenous people in the Caribbean to describe a wooden structure for cooking meat over an open flame, or for sleeping on to stay out of the reach of animals looking for their own meal. The Spanish explorers adapted the word to barbacoa, referring to both the structure and the cooking method. Native American tribes were smoking meat long before European settlers arrived and Spanish records dating back to the 1500s confirm this. When the term made its way into English as “barbecue,” it was used to describe the cooking process itself. In that sense, the word barbecue predates all countries that exsit today in both North and South America.
The Taíno, whose name means “relatives,” were the first Americans encountered by Europeans when Christopher Columbus arrived at Guanahani Island in the Bahamas in 1492. I guess “relatives” in this sense meant that even back then, BBQ was supposed to include family. But I digress. The word barabicu described a stick framework raised above the ground. It served multiple purposes and, as I mentioned above, was used for both sleeping platforms and food preparation. Because they were built high enough to avoid catching fire, these structures allowed meat to be slowly smoked, giving it rich flavor and long preservation. On the island of Hispaniola, the local version of the word became barbakoa.
The technique and its resulting flavor caught on with European explorers. Flavor being the key word, because from there, barbacoa entered the Spanish, Portuguese, and French lexicon, and from that point, it was on. Some of the greatest food in the world came from this one discovery. By 1648, it had spread to the English, and by 1733, the word “barbecue” in English referred not only to a cooking style but also to outdoor gatherings centered around food.
Here in 2025, barbecue refers to a range of outdoor cooking methods including live fire pits, direct heat grilling, and offset smokers that use indirect heat.
A fun debate is the spellings “barbecue” and “barbeque.” Both are accepted, but “barbecue” is considered the formal spelling and is used as the standard in most publications. “Barbeque,” often abbreviated as BBQ, is more common in the South and reflects stronger Spanish and French influences.
Today, barbecue in the United States is deeply regional. From Texas brisket, where using sauce is an insult, to Memphis ribs, to Kansas City’s sweet and sticky sauces, Carolina’s pulled pork, and let’s not forget Big Bob Gibson’s Alabama white sauce. It’s plain to see how barbecue showcases local flavors and traditions unlike any other food category.
Here are some fun facts for you. Texans eat more barbecue than any other state. With more joints and higher beef consumption, it’s no surprise that in Texas, barbecue is less a meal and more a way of life -bordering on a religion. From cook-offs to backyard smokers to high school BBQ teams, it’s a culture that brings people together.
High school barbecue is now a competitive sport. Thanks to organizations like the Texas High School BBQ Association and the National High School BBQ Association, both created by teacher and chef Mike Erickson, students are learning culinary skills while preserving barbecue traditions. These programs also provide scholarship opportunities and teach valuable life skills like discipline, time management, responsibility, and teamwork.
Barbecue pits have gone from luxury to necessity. What once started with cinder blocks and fire pits has grown into an industry offering everything from $30 backyard smokers to $30,000 custom-built rigs.
In 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson hosted the first-ever White House state barbecue. Texas pitmaster Walter Jetton prepared brisket for Mexican President Gustavo Díaz Ordaz. Jetton later served as chairman of the Fifth Annual National Barbecue Month, which was observed from July 1 to 31 in 1967. However, the idea of a National Barbecue Month originated in 1963, when a group called the Barbecue Council filed a proclamation to promote outdoor cooking. Though the council never formally existed, the Barbecue Industry Association took the reins and later merged into what is now the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association.
Over the years, National Barbecue Month has shifted around, largely due to marketing strategies and outdoor sales cycles. First observed in June, moving to July in 1967, and finally landed in May during the 1980s, where it remains today. In recent years, barbecue has grown into a multi-billion dollar industry. In 2019 alone, barbecue grill sales in the U.S. topped $2.5 billion.”
However, with all this talk about Barbecue Month, you’re probably asking yourself, “I thought he was talking about BBQ Day?” Well, here we go.
The day itself, May 16 – was officially registered by Rick McNeely, a radio DJ and television host who created the holiday along with several others. McNeely filed the observance through Namecheap, Inc. coming up with the website, www.nationalbbqday.net . He is also known as “The Holiday Guy,” having registered more than 20 commemorative days, including National Selfie Day, National Brisket Day, and National Video Game Day. His full list of creations is available on his website listed below.
While National Barbecue Day is not officially recognized by the U.S. government, it continues to grow in popularity thanks to enthusiasts, pitmasters, and organizations that celebrate it’s history and evolving traditions of barbecue. I guess we need to petition the President to declare it official. I don’t know about you, but this should certainly be a bipartisan effort.
So, the big question is: how will you celebrate National Barbecue Day, and who will you be laughing and having a good time with? The answer is easy for me. My family.
Sources:
Robert F. Moss, “The Strange Origins of National BBQ Day and National BBQ Month” Bold Journey Magazine – Vocabulary.com – Hearth, Patio & BBQ Association – Grandview Research & Market Wire
