Cookout and barbecue culture boomed in post-war 1950s America

In the 19th century, politicians (particularly in Virginia) hosted large public barbecues to celebrate Independence Day and, of course, boost their own campaigns. When personal grills became common in the 20th century, the tradition moved into backyards and block parties, where it's still going strong today.

Because the technique requires little equipment and can tenderize tough or undesirable cuts of meat like ribs, barbecue took root among impoverished Black Americans in the late 1800s. When these communities moved north during the Great Migration, barbecue followed.

How many ways are there to cook meat over a fire? Tons, it turns out. Every continent, barring Antarctica, has a local version (or versions) of barbecue. For instance, in Japan, it’s meat-laden skewers cooked over Japanese oak charcoal. Head down to Argentina, and you’ll find parillas—open-flame grills that impart a smoky char to the ingredients.

A 2016 Eater poll showed that folks from the South generally prefer "cookout" to describe a backyard event centered around barbecued meat. In fact, that preference extends to much of the country, with 65% of Americans saying they prefer the term.

America is home to several kinds of barbecue, leading one Kansas City food writer to open the world's first museum dedicated to the cuisine. The Museum of BBQ tells the story of the food's evolution through interactive exhibits, a sauce immersion room, and even a barbecue-themed playground.

Returning from World War II, the American cultural landscape saw a vast number of changes. Cuisine, in particular, diversified and modernized thanks to traveled soldiers and wartime innovation. From inventions like powdered cheese to the popularization of instant coffee and Chinese food, explore the changes to the American food industry that continue to influence what we consume today.

Direct heat, called “grilling” in the USA, involves quickly cooking ingredients directly over the heat source. It's usually used for hamburgers or Japanese yakitori skewers. Indirect heat, where the ingredients are placed adjacent to the flames to cook “low and slow,” is associated with American barbecue dishes like smoked brisket.

Modern barbecue originated in the precolonial Caribbean and Americas. The word is thought to come from the Indigenous term for wooden frames used to cook meat high above the fire.

The Saturday Evening Post’s circulation exploded in the early 20th century, due in no small part to Rockwell’s iconic cover illustrations, which often portrayed idyllic portraits of American life from the not-so-distant past. This documentary explores how Rockwell’s covers played on national nostalgia, creating a vision of the country that grew to be associated with the American Dream.

Korean food, and specifically Korean barbecue, jumped across the Pacific to become one of the fastest-growing international cuisines in the United States. In Korean restaurants, dishes like bulgogi (thin slices of marinated beef) are grilled at the table and accompanied by a wide variety of side dishes.

The first US president celebrated laying the cornerstone of the US Capitol by hosting a barbecue, the centerpiece of which was a 500-pound ox. By the 19th century, barbecue was a standard component of public celebrations, including Independence Day and Memorial Day.

Barbecue's distinct flavor starts with an interaction between the heat source and food, which creates a Maillard Reaction—better known to diners as those crunchy, caramelized bits on the outside.

A 1984 New York Times story noted that Americans were eating less red meat than a decade prior, and that, in general, the country was “talking, thinking and worrying about what they eat to a degree unique in the nation's history.” The feature then details foods that were then considered bizarre: whole-grain muffins, hummus, and a variety of vegetarian dishes.

Processed foods had existed since the 19th century, but they began infiltrating the mainstream during World War II, with foods designed to last on the battlefield for days. After the war, food companies saw great potential in the relatively cheap foods aimed at busy households.

James Beard came of age when home cooking revolved around canned and frozen ingredients. Likewise, West Coast cuisine wasn’t on anyone’s radar. Beard’s appreciation of fresh, seasonal ingredients and regional influences provided a foundation for today’s movement toward local, farm-to-table cooking and the foodies who seek it out.

The Midwest city has its own delicious tradition, serving the double-smoked chunks of fatty brisket slathered in the region’s signature thick, sweet-and-spicy sauce.

Food writer Jaya Saxena attributes the mainstreaming of the term to early-aughts TV shows, including “Top Chef” and “No Reservations,” as well as the dawn of social apps like Yelp, which turned everyday diners into critics.

America's regional barbecue styles include multiple highly specific sauces. From the tart, acidic vinegar-based sauces of North Carolina, to the thick, sweet-spicy Kansas City variation, American barbecue sauces are as varied as the country’s geography.

In the 1950s, they were marketed as time-saving conveniences for young families, especially those living in the rapidly expanding suburbs, who could easily find them in local supermarkets, making them a seemingly sensible alternative to fresh foods.

Beard’s show, cohosted with Julia Child, debuted in 1946. It was invaluable in setting the stage for today’s massive trove of televised and online cooking content.

Braai—a colloquialism for the Afrikaner word for “grilled meat”—is a South African tradition similar to American cookouts, where communities gather to cook meat over a wood fire.

Barbecue is so big in Texas that Texas Monthly, one of the state's premier magazines, has its own barbecue editor. That man, Daniel Vaughn, is responsible for ranking the top 50 barbecue restaurants every four years. This short documentary profiles three of them, and shows what Vaughn considers when he's making his picks.

From fortified foods to nutrition labels, the legacy of an early financial crisis lives on in kitchens across the United States. Ethnic foods with their (supposedly) hunger-triggering spices were vilified and considered “stimulants” along the lines of caffeine and so, in their stead came prune puddings, canned-meat stews, and dairy-heavy vegetable casseroles featuring America’s first fortified foods. Read more here.

In America, life was transformed by total war: sixteen million service members left civilian life, while massive industrial production demanded labor. Women, minorities, and teens filled factories, fueling boomtown growth and breaking social barriers. Simultaneously, rationing, recycling drives, Victory Gardens, ration stamps, blackout drills, and war bond campaigns permeated daily routines.

Although the 2010s and early 2020s saw fewer people eating red meat, the momentum has now swung in the opposite direction, with vegetarian spots closing and hip new restaurants slinging beef. Food writer Bettina Makalintal makes sense of the sudden shift by unpacking the steakhouse's resurgence.

A generation ago, the average American had never heard of kimchi or bulgogi, but these days, Korean cuisine is booming in the United States. And it’s no accident. This one-minute explainer video from Morning Brew reveals what role the government played in boosting the popularity of Korean food abroad, and what it all has to do with foreign debt and soap operas.

Consumerism emerged from industrial capitalism, promoting the idea that consuming goods was linked to personal success and happiness. Artists, especially pop artists, approached this cultural phenomenon through various perspectives, some supportive of consumerism and others against. Figures like Andy Warhol embraced mass media imagery and mimicked its style, while many artists rejected the “commodification” of things by creating art that couldn’t be sold or focusing on experiences rather than objects.

The cuisine's signature dish is dry-rubbed ribs. Before smoking, the meat gets a spice rub with paprika and chili powder. Some restaurants also offer their ribs “wet” (with sauce) or “muddy” (a mixture of sauce and rub).

For 40 years, being a "foodie" meant possessing knowledge and expertise about ingredients, restaurants, and flavors. Now, the author argues, being a foodie has more to do with documenting aesthetically pleasing meals than critical consumption. She argues for increased attention toward the complex systems that bring food to our tables.

Featuring work from 1915 to 1950, the movement illustrates the country's evolution between World War I and World War II. Artists captured the loss and uncertainty of a post-war, industrialized world.

Follow food writer and barbecue lover Mattie John Bamman as he tries to become a certified barbecue judge. The training is practical and subjective, involving learning the strict Kansas City Barbecue Society standards and the judges’ (literal) tastes.

Once considered a fringe activity, running eventually became an American interest. The trend was spurred in part by the 1966 book "Jogging," which was cowritten by Bill Bowerman, the cofounder of Nike.

The term was coined in 1966, when psychologist Joyce Brothers suggested humans turn to food associated with the feelings of comfort from their childhoods when experiencing emotional distress. Since then, studies have shown that the familiarity, reliability, and convenience of certain foods from one's upbringing can become tied to feelings of nostalgia.

US homes are growing larger and more luxurious, with Census Bureau data revealing a rise in four-bedroom houses equipped with air conditioning. Experts say the trend of elevated home prices is expected to continue.