Barbecuing the meat was clearly the best option. It was also a great way to make a large amount of food, with little to no effort after setup, which was needed to feed these large communities. Hogs were also relatively cheap to maintain, they could be let out into the wilderness to forage for food when food sources are scarce. That's why many traditionalists say that BBQ is strictly pork, never beef, which you will usually see in Kansas City and Texas.