By Steven Raichlen, 5-time James Beard Award-winner and Barbecue Hall of Famer While it may not win prestigious culinary competitions or be inducted into hallowed gastronomic halls of fame, one dish stands as an indispensable pillar of any successful barbecue. It is the silent partner, the comforting constant, the element that transforms a simple grill […]

By Steven Raichlen, 5-time James Beard Award-winner and Barbecue Hall of Famer July 31, 2026 It may not grace the winner’s podium of culinary competitions, nor will it find its name etched into the hallowed halls of gastronomic fame. Yet, without it, the quintessential barbecue experience feels undeniably incomplete. This humble, yet essential, element is […]