How to Make Authentic BBQ in Indianapolis?


It’s summertime and you’re sure to be hungering for some delicious authentic BBQ in Indianapolis, but how do you know what you’re eating is authentic, and what does authentic BBQ even mean?

Here are some points to know about authentic bbq in Indianapolis:

The Smoke Ring
The reaction the amino acids have in the protein to the nitrates in the wood cause what’s called a “smoke ring.” A pink hue on the outside crust means it’s been smoked. That’s BBQ. But smoke rings can be faked; Tender Quick powder can be rubbed on the meat. It looks like baking soda and it can sit on the meat for two minutes and create that same smoke ring. You can tell because it doesn’t have that same deep, rich smokiness.

The Bark
The crust or bark on the meat is comprised of sugars and salts that have reached the proteins. When the protein releases its natural juices and the collagen breaks down during the low and slow cooking process it binds with the salts and spices and sugars which caramelize and create a flavorful crust. This is an indicator of true BBQ. You can tell if this is not authentic, again, by the taste. Also, if it’s all one color, charred all the way through its been cooked in an oven, but if there’s colors of mahogany and not just black and burnt colors you can tell that it’s been in the more dynamic heat environment of the smoker.

The Smell
Smoking a piece of meat is the soul of authenticBBQ in Indianapolis unto itself. A piece of meat that came off the pit will smell up an entire house, but when putting a piece of meat that has been treated with liquid smoke or cooked in an oven, only the area directly around the meat will smell like smoke. Smoky and peppery notes indicate the smells of authentic BBQ. If you’re getting it in a restaurant you should smell it just as you’re getting out of the car – you shouldn’t even have to open the door to the restaurant. This is true 100% of the time.

The Sauce
A piece of meat being cooked over coals is cooked to a certain tenderness and juiciness. Chris is a purist, and though he wouldn’t turn down sauced ‘cue, he believes that BBQ is the smoking process – not a sauce. When ribs are broiled, steamed or oven-baked and then taken out, put on the grill and sauced in the last 30 minutes is not authentic BBQ. You can tell it hasn’t been smoked when the meat recedes, and the bones stick out a lot and look bleached. The sauce always gives the barbecue the extra flavor it needs.




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