Here's Why White Bread Is Always Paired With Southern BBQ

Keep your kale and caviar — unless it's Texas caviar – because there's nothing quite like Southern barbecue. Backyard barbecue classics like succulent brisket, pulled pork, chicken, and ribs that have been slow-cooked for hours and smoked using woods like mesquite, oak, or hickory to create layers of nuanced flavors are a hallmark of this beloved regional food fare. But when you serve smoky meat dripping in juices and sauce, you need something practical to eat alongside it and soak up all that goodness.

Enter the humble slice of white bread. Slices of white bread are a Southern staple and have been a part of this eating experience since around the 19th century when barbecue purveyors would add it as a side to make up for skimping on the amount of meat they served. It was a cheap option, and the tradition stuck like white bread sticks to the roof of your mouth.



Later, someone, somewhere, got the idea to add a pile of pickles to the plate of barbecue, allowing eaters to create an improvised sandwich half — or whole, depending on how many slices you can rustle up from your fellow diners' trays. A barometer of authenticity Today, classic Southern barbecue eateries still serve the white variety of this carb — hello, Wonder Bread — for good reason. These soft, absorbent slices are like Switzerland: neutral in flavor.

You don't have to worry about it overpowering or clashing with the sauce and greasy drippings like you might with a slice of sourdough or pumpernickel. Not to mention, a loaf of white bread is still inexpensive, has a long shelf life, and can stay fresh for five to seven days — if it lasts that long. However, lots of things have changed since the origin story of barbecue and white bread.

Side dish alternatives like potato salad, mac and cheese , and coleslaw are now served with burnt ends and pork spare ribs. And when it comes to bread, bougie options like cornbread and cheesy jalapeño bread are more likely to be on the menu. In fact, whether or not the barbecue joints you like to frequent add a slice of white bread to your meal may be a great way to judge the authenticity of these spots.

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