Or depending on where you come from, that might need to be spelled Barbeque.  In my culinary ramblings, watching the Food Channel, and reading various books I have been amazed at the differences, however subtle in smoked meats.

If you come from Kansas City and are talking about bbq you are talking about meat that has a thick, and sweet tomato based sauce on it.  Most of the sauces in the grocery store mimic a Kansas City style of sauce.

If you are a Texan, then you are talking about meat that has been dry rubbed, and any sauce you might use is on the side.  Texas sauce is thinner than Kansas City sauce, and spicier.

North Carolinans are confused.  In the West their sauce is vinegar based, but with some ketchup in it to take away some of the vinegar taste and to give it a pinkish color.  The Eastern side of North Carolina likes their sauce to be bolder and spicier than the west, and use no sugar whatsoever in it.  Sauce from Eastern Carolina is sprinkled on pulled pork or beef when being eaten.

South Carolina uses mustard as the base, and then adds sugar and spices to liven it up.  Honey and molasses is often used in South Carolina sauce.

So there you have it.  Try to sort that all out and figure which one you like the best.  Me?  I am working my way through North Carolina style right now.  I have been slow cooking pork butt, shoulder, and loin and making various sauces to see what I think of each one.  So far no mistakes have been made.  Or very few at the most.  Cooking is nothing but one experiment after another, now isn’t it?