Oklahoma barbecue is a mixed-plate tradition: slow-smoked brisket, pork ribs, pulled pork, and thick-sliced smoked sausage served together on butcher paper with white bread, dill pickles, and raw onion. The smoke source is typically hickory or oak, and the cooking time runs 12 to 16 hours at low heat. Sauce is offered on the side rather than applied during cooking, putting the focus on the quality of the smoke ring.
Oklahoma barbecue developed alongside the state's cattle ranching economy in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, drawing on both Texas beef-smoking traditions to the south and Kansas City pork-smoking traditions to the north. The result is a mixed-protein plate culture that predates the regional specialization that defines Texas and Carolina BBQ today.
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