What's the difference between a cook out and a BBQ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This reminds me of an editorial cartoon during the 1988 campaign, in which someone was trying to teach Michael Dukakis to say "grits," and he kept saying "oatmeal."
In much of New England, the equivalent of the pig-in-the-ground BBQ would be "clambake."

Whoa. Grits are nothing like oatmeal.

[Anonymous]

Southerner here. We always said "cookout" to mean cooking hamburgers, hot dogs, etc on a grill outside. BBQ meant something with BBQ sauce on it. It took me a little while to get used to people around here calling cookouts BBQs.

[Anonymous]

"and he kept saying "oatmeal."

I remember this cartoon photographically. He actually says "porridge." And I wish I could find a copy of it.

[Anonymous]

$10

[Anonymous]

BBQ makes me think of pulled pork or chicken, so if you're doing hamburgers and hot dogs then it's really a cookout. I think it's a regional thing though?

[Anonymous]

I grew up in Tx. If invited to a bbq I would expect bbq—meat cooked low and slow for hours (usually brisket), and bbq sauce served with it (but sauce is not used by everyone). A cook out is just an outdoor party with food cooked on the grill (hamburgers, hotdogs, whatever).

[Anonymous]

Where I'm from, when you invite someone over for a cookout, it means you'll be eating outside but may eat a variety of foods - sandwiches, fried chicken, pastas, casseroles, fruit, chips, etc. and is usually very potluck.

When invited to a BBQ, it means you'll also be eating outside and will be served grilled meats. Grilled chicken, BBQ, steak, kebobs, burgers, dogs, etc. Usually, at least in my family, when you host a BBQ, you provide all foods on your own. There's no BYO/potluck nature involved.

For example, we had a cookout for Easter. I hosted and provided all drinks, plates, utensils, napkins, cups, a ham, a turkey, and a pinwheel sandwich tray from the grocery store. Other guests brought sides, desserts, chips, fruit, etc.

I'm having a BBQ for Mother's Day, but next Saturday, not on Mother's Day. I'm serving grilled BBQ chicken, kebobs, grilled shrimp, salad, veggies & dip, fruit, some pasta salads, and a cake I've ordered. Guests are only showing up to eat and enjoy each other's company. They don't need to bring anything and those who have asked have been told nothing is needed, just their presence.

[Anonymous]

10 year old thread

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We invite friends over to grill or for BBQ, but some if the nurses where I practice use the term "cook out" - is that a different thing?

Geography

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:10 year old thread

It's never too late to legislate proper usage of English.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:10 year old thread

It's never too late to legislate proper usage of English.

I hope by now we all understand that you can't barbecue chicken

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We invite friends over to grill or for BBQ, but some if the nurses where I practice use the term "cook out" - is that a different thing?

Cook out is burgers and hotdogs and no BBQ. BBQ is just BBQ.

[Anonymous]

Splitting hairs. Grilling/cooking out/bbq I’d expect some sort of food cooked on a grill.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Southerners don't say barbecue unless they mean it. Grilling out is grilling out. If you don't know what it means to barbecue, you have never done it and have probably only grilled out.

Thank you. Or they had a “cook out” or “threw something on the grill”.
Barbecue is a totally different thing.

[Anonymous]

Well, you can’t have a pig-pickin and expect chicken with barbecue sauce on it