Barbecue: An American Foodway

Barbecue isn’t just about what’s on the plate—inside these culinary dishes are the stories, rituals, and identities that get smoked into the meats. From backyard cookouts to roadside joints, barbecue has long been a way people connect, compete, and communicate who they are, where they are going, and to support communities.

In this Discourse, award-winning professor Dr. Darrin Griffin explores how barbecue works as a powerful form of communication. A “foodway” is more than what people eat—it's the entire cultural, social, and historical system surrounding food. Why does brisket carry the weight of Texas pride? How can sauce styles divide a state? And what makes a pit a space for cultural exchange? Drawing from his celebrated research and passion of foodways, Dr. Griffin shows how barbecue foodways offer a flavorful entry point into bigger conversations about belonging, heritage, and community.

Dr. Darrin Griffin is a Professor of Communication Studies at The University of Alabama and…