Side

The perfect complement to all types of barbecued ribs is a large bowl of mixed grilled vegetables. The charred highlights of the multicolored dish make it as appealing to look at as it is to eat. Oil makes the colors of the vegetables glisten, while the balsamic vinegar and honey provide a rich, sweet flavor.

Superstition across the southeastern United States holds that eating hog jowls, collard greens, and black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day will make a person healthy, wealthy, and wise. Hog jowl, which is the cheek of a pig, is a flavorful and fatty meat that is usually cured or smoked. Hard to believe a food as rich and fat-laden as hog jowl is linked to health and prosperity. These meager foods have always been a symbol of plenty for people who are often very poor. The “good-luck” traditions of black-eyed peas in the Southern United States date back to the Civil War, when Union troops ravaged Southern lands, destroying crops and taking all livestock. All that was left were black-eyed peas, which were considered to be fodder for horses and other animals; as a result, many Southerners subsisted on this protein-rich and hearty legume.

Traditional Southern potato salads are usually served chilled and contain either a mustard- or mayonnaise-based dressing. Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q first served a mustard-based potato salad, but over the years the recipe has gradually changed to a mayonnaise version. Because of the high ratio of hard-boiled eggs, it can almost be classified as a potato and egg salad.