FOOD + DRINK
LOW‘ N’ SLOW
BBQ HOTSPOTS IN KENT
LOW‘ N’ SLOW: THE ONLY MOTTO ONE NEEDS TO REMEMBER WHEN IT COMES TO GETTING THE MOST TENDER, FLAVOURFUL RESULTS FROM INGREDIENTS COOKED ON THE BARBECUE. WHEN IT COMES TO RUSTLING UP AN ALFRESCO FEAST ON THE GRILL, IT’ S ALL ABOUT TAKING YOUR TIME- COAXING THOSE DELICIOUS FLAVOURS OUT AND ULTIMATELY DELIVERING THE PERFECT FIRED, CHARRED, SMOKED, FALLING-OFF-THE-BONE DISHES; THE KIND EVERYONE IS GOING TO REMEMBER AND WANT TO RETURN FOR.
This month, we’ re taking you on a sizzling journey through some of Kent’ s most irresistible BBQ destinations- woodfired, smoked and all-round flame-grilled mastery- not just meat, but fish and vegetables too. From slow-cooked meats from Texas and America’ s Deep South to western Caribbean notes, flame-kissed steaks and Italian woodfired doughs, fish and more, this round-up highlights where you can find them, taste them, experience them and learn how to achieve these flavours at home. The story of barbecuing is a journey, where each bite tells a story of heat, history and hunger.
A Brief History of the Sizzling Scene
Film and television has often depicted barbecue culture as belonging to the heart of Texas- embracing the cowboy life, riding bareback at rodeos and exploring the famous hillbilly BBQ scene- few know that the tradition of smoking meat has a much deeper and sizzling history. It’ s a story that dates back to ancient times, rooted in indigenous cultures and later adopted by European settlers, long before anything we’ d recognise as‘ modern’ BBQ came into the picture.
SAINT SMOKEY
In fact, North America is where it all began. Originally, smoking wasn’ t about flavour, it was about survival. With no refrigerators or freezers around, people needed a way to preserve meat and smoking it over slow-burning wood or natural materials was the solution. This method dried the meat and stopped it from spoiling. The delicious
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