Why White Bread Is The Simple, Yet Iconic Side Always Paired With Southern BBQ

In the American South, a barbecue plate might look different depending on where you are. In Texas, it's likely to include an iconic beef brisket or beef ribs; in South Carolina, it may be pulled pork. But no matter where you are, if it's at a classic BBQ joint, you're likely to get a slice of plain white bread tucked away among the meat. It may seem like an odd choice of sides, but it's a tradition dating back to at least the late 19th century. It likely started in Central Texas in the region's meat markets, which were the place to go for barbecue before BBQ joints came around.

While there are actually some good reasons for serving white bread with barbecue, the practice may have started due to economics rather than anything culinary. In the old meat markets, they'd toss a slice of white bread and other things like pickles on the plate to bulk up the small portions of meat they served. But the combination of bread and barbecue also seems to have been a fairly common pairing at folk's outdoor barbecues as well. Various newspaper accounts, including one from 1899 in The Fort Worth Record and Register, describe tables laden not only with meat, but with bread as well. Still, traditions aside, there's some practical reasons that white bread has stuck around.

White bread continues to be a go-to Southern barbecue side because it pulls its weight in several ways. While it may seem strange that this custom started in the Lone Star State, which has the least saucy barbecue in the country, white bread does a great job soaking up errant sauce and bits of meat. It's the same reason white bread is the perfect foil for peanut and jelly sandwiches — it's pliable, soft, and quickly takes on the flavors of the barbecue sauce and juices.

In many restaurants, the bread sits on the bottom of the plate to help soak up the sauce, but also to heighten the meat so it takes center stage. Then there's the possibility white bread affords for making an impromptu sandwich with smoked sausage, pulled pork, or other barbecued meats. And finally, white bread can act as an edible napkin when you've been plowing through saucy ribs and need something to clean up with (and then eat). So the next time you're devouring a heaping plate of Southern barbecue, make sure you save room for that slice or two of white bread and thank the stingy Texas meat markets for kicking this tradition off.