Barbecue Meat People Sauce Barbecuing Hot Day Monday

As soon as the weather gets warmer, Americans like to "head" (go) outside to start barbecuing, filling the air with the "scent" (smell) of grilled meat and barbecue sauces. Some people say they barbecue so that they don't heat up the house by using a stove or oven, but other people say there is something "primal" (related to ancient humans, or how people used to live) about cooking over a "flame" (fire) and eating outdoors.

Barbecues are an important part of most "Fourth of July" (Independence Day) celebrations. Friends and family members get together in backyards and parks to grill hot dogs and hamburgers before watching the "fireworks" (colorful light displays in the nighttime sky). Many people also organize barbecues for Memorial Day (the last Monday in May) and Labor Day (the first Monday in September).

Most summer "festivals" and "fairs" have many "vendors" (salespeople) selling barbecued foods like pork "ribs" (bones from the front of a person's or animal's torso (between the neck and stomach), with meat on them), chicken wings, and corn on the cob. Some festivals and fairs are all about barbecuing, with "tasting contests" to see which competitor can make the most delicious foods or the spiciest barbecue sauce.

Barbecue sauces "vary" (are different) by region. Grocery stores usually sell a thick, sweet, and smoky sauce that is a little bit similar to "ketchup" (a tomato-based sauce). But in South Carolina, barbecue sauce "tends to be" (is usually) yellow and has a lot of mustard in it. In Texas, barbecue sauce is brown and has "chunks" (big pieces) of meat "drippings" (drops of thick liquid and fat that come off of meat as it is cooking) and vegetables. In North Carolina, barbecue sauce is "clear" (without color; transparent) with a lot of "cayenne pepper" (a very hot chili) "flakes" (small pieces).