Origin of the word BBQ: Caribbean Pirates were more correctly known as Buccaneers. The mid 17th century term was used originally denoting European hunters in the Caribbean. from French boucanier, from boucan ‘a frame on which to cook or cure meat’.
The French learned how to smoke from the native population. After the Spanish banished the French settlers, many of them took to the seas and raided the Spanish ships.So now you know why we pitmasters love our big, sharp knives and our rum!
Barbacoa (About this sound[barβaˈkoa] (help·info)) is a form of cooking meat that originated in the Caribbean with the Taíno people, from which the term "barbecue" derives.[1] In contemporary Mexico, it generally refers to meats or whole sheep or whole goats slow-cooked over an open fire or, more traditionally, in a hole dug in the ground covered with maguey leaves, although the interpretation is loose, and in the present day (and in some cases) may refer to meat steamed until tender. This meat is known for its high fat content and strong flavor, often accompanied with onions and cilantro. Most likely, even Barbacoa is rooted in the French style of smoking, but today the barbacoa style is quite different than what we consider American BBQ.