Every month, our MSG lectures take on the history and science behind some of your favorite foods. Up this month: barbecue.

Have you ever wondered where the tradition of slow cooking generous hunks of fatty meat came from? From its roots in Spanish barbacoa, to massive Southern meat pits and the modern day backyard cook out, we'll track the barbecue's history.

Then, Soma will tackle the fiercely regional world of barbecue, from the sauces of...

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In my classes about meat, I make a big deal about the differences between particular cuts. Brisket is tough so you need to cook it for a long time to break down the sinewy bits, while you can roast a fatty part of the chuck in the oven without worrying about it drying out. Blah blah blah, etc etc etc. This goes on forever for each and every part of the animal.

I was reading the longwindedly-named Home Production of Quality Meats and...

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