You don’t have to be a scientist nor an academic to enjoy a good slab of barbecue. But at Texas A&M’s ANSC 117 Texas Barbecue class you can gain an even greater appreciation of barbecue by educating yourself on all the ins and outs of the rich culinary tradition.
People often come to us with questions about where to get the barbecue in Houston. What makes barbecue in Texas different? etc. etc. Normally, we adhere to the proof-is-in-the-pudding method, encouraging them learn about the ways of Texas barbecue at the likes of Killen’s, CorkScrew, or J-Bar-M. Alternatively, you can school yourself on all things barbecue at Texas A&M.
Class is literally in session at Texas A&M, where the university offers a course aptly titled “Texas Barbecue“. Began in 2009, the Texas Barbecue class is now a permanent fixture in Texas A&M’s fall freshman curriculum. With classes up to 25 people, the course delves into topics that include brief history of barbecue, types of fuel (wood coals, charcoal brickettes, charcoal chunks), added flavoring (seasonings, marinades, sauces, and rubs), and cooking whole pigs (cajun, Cuban, Hawaiian).
Other topics covered in ANSC 117 include:
- introduction, expectations, and food safety overview
- cooking methodology (kettles, pits, barrel smokers)
- types of smoke (oak, hickory, mesquite, pecan)
- pork: Hawaiian-inspired pork loin, Southeastern-style pulled pork
- ribs: St. Louis vs. baby back; Kansas City vs. Memphis
- chicken, lamb, and goat
- brisket
- smoking sirloins, ribeyes, shoulder clods, and tenderloins
- South American-style beef-cooking style
- Thanksgiving Turkey (brining, smoking, frying, cooking)