It’s now passover, but I can’t seem to pass over any barbecue…
And that has led me to conclude: a barbecue plate fills in nicely for the Passover seder plate. Once you get past that kosher thing, that is.
The seder plate (courtesy of Sam Felder)
What the barbecue plate lacks in tradition(!), it more than makes up for in taste. And it’s not hopeless on the symbolism front, either.
First off–the barbecue (or pork, for you heathens). You can’t tell me that some finely chopped N.C. barbecue doesn’t look a little like haroset, the apple-walnut-wine concoction meant to symbolize the mortar used to build the pyramids. Barbecue can play that role.
I’m willing to accept either slaw or fried okra as the karpas, symbolizing springtime and renewal. Best of all, you won’t have to dip the okra into salt water (representing the tears of our ancestral slaves in Egypt) because it’ll already be salty as heck. Meanwhile, collards can serve as the bitter herbs. Although they’ll probably have been boiled with enough pork to eliminate all bitterness and kosherness.
the barbecue plate (courtesy of Alaina B.)
Hush puppies don’t really work with the whole not using flour modus operandi, unfortunately. While matzah meal hush puppies would be wrong on many levels, they might be worth asking for just to enjoy the blank stares.
For beverages, a glass of Cheerwine would substitute nicely for that tired old Manischewitz wine. And don’t forget to enjoy 4 cups, as we’re commanded!
On a final note: Good luck finding anything resembling a shank bone (in place of the lamb shank), or any kind of bone, for that matter, at a N.C. barbecue joint.
Happy Passover, y’all. Enjoy your “seder.”
Filed under: 'Cue Culture, Barbejews | Tagged: High holidays |
BBQ Jew 
Dear BBQ Jew,
I pray that you will have a blessed Passover celebration.
Perhaps a fifth question should be added to your revised Haggadah:
“Why is this night different from all other nights?”
“Well, there’s ‘cue on the menu.”
I think Moses would have approved, had he been introduced to NC barbecue.
For Eastern Orthodox Christians, our pesach is still one week away. But there will be ‘cue on that menu, as well (after 6 weeks of lenten abstinence from swine!).
A friend of mine and fellow NC barbecue addict is an Eastern-style bigot who happens to also be a Roman Catholic. I find the irony poetic that in the world of ‘cue he is subscribes to the Eastern “orthodoxy” and calls me a western heretic because I have succumbed to the Lexingtonian innovation.
Who knew barbecue could be so spiritual?
Le-Shanah Haba’ah B’Yerushalayim! Next year in Jerusalem! (If, of course, they will permit the importation of ‘cue.)
Yours,
BBQ Dave
Thanks, Dave.
Actually, that is one of the existing 4 questions–it’d just be a different, tastier answer.
I’m impressed that you’ll be having a seder and with your abstinence. Makes 8 days without bread look easy. Very easy.
May the spirit of the ‘cue be with you.