National Barbecue Day is on Sunday, May 16, 2027, and it falls on May 16 every year. It kicks off the grilling season just before Memorial Day weekend. Whether you smoke a brisket all day or grill a few burgers, it counts.
When Is National Barbecue Day?
It’s always May 16. It’s an unofficial food day, and May is often promoted as National Barbecue Month.
Who Started National Barbecue Day?
No founder or start year has been documented.
Background: where barbecue got its name
The word comes from the Taíno people of the Caribbean, NPR reports. They used a wooden frame called a “barabicu” to cook over fire. Spanish colonizers adapted the word to “barbacoa.”
Spanish writer Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo y Valdés is credited with first using “barbacoa” in print in 1526. The Taíno frames had four upright posts with more posts tied across the top, much like a grill rack.
Why Americans Love Barbecue
Barbecue is social food, made for crowds, backyards and long afternoons. It’s tied to Memorial Day, the Fourth of July and Labor Day.
It’s also deeply regional. South Carolina’s mustard-based sauces reflect French and German immigrant influence. Memphis sauces are tomato-based with a touch of sweetness from molasses that came up the Mississippi River.
The day celebrates pitmasters, backyard cooks and every regional style.
How to Celebrate National Barbecue Day
- Try low and slow: smoke pork shoulder or brisket at a steady low heat for hours.
- Taste the regions: make a mustard sauce, a tomato-molasses sauce and a vinegar sauce, and compare.
- Grill vegetables: corn, peppers, zucchini and portobello mushrooms all take on smoky flavor.
- Visit a local barbecue joint: support a pitmaster in your area.
- Host a cookout: keep sides simple, like slaw, beans and cornbread.
- Explore global barbecue: try Jamaican jerk, Korean barbecue or Australian-style grilling.
Grilling Safety Basics
Use a food thermometer, the USDA advises. Cook beef, pork, lamb and veal steaks, chops and roasts to 145°F, then rest them at least three minutes. Ground meats need 160°F, and all poultry needs 165°F.
Marinate in the refrigerator, never on the counter. When smoking, keep the air in the smoker between 225°F and 300°F, and use separate boards for raw and cooked food.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between barbecue and grilling?
Grilling cooks food quickly over high, direct heat. Barbecue usually means slow cooking with low, indirect heat and smoke.
Can I reuse marinade as a sauce?
Only if you set some aside before it touched raw meat, or bring used marinade to a boil first, the USDA says.
Should I thaw meat before smoking it?
Yes. Low smoker temperatures can let bacteria grow before frozen meat reaches a safe temperature.