# Why is the BBQ Pit called that? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [April 27, 2020, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-bbq-pit-called-that/852697 "2020-04-27T22:59:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2020, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-bbq-pit-called-that/852697/1 "2020-04-27T22:59:06Z")
I have been at this board for almost 11 years (I had lurked some years before), but this question makes me feel like a noob. The Pit, I understand. But what stands BBQ for? Surely not grilling? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2020, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-bbq-pit-called-that/852697/2 "2020-04-27T23:03:34Z")
For flaming people and things. _adds more lighter fluid to glowing coals_ ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2020, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-bbq-pit-called-that/852697/3 "2020-04-27T23:03:59Z")
You’ve heard of “flaming” people? Here it’s done n the BBQ Pit. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2020, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-bbq-pit-called-that/852697/4 "2020-04-27T23:17:18Z")
Burn, baby, burn. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2020, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-bbq-pit-called-that/852697/5 "2020-04-27T23:39:31Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > But what stands BBQ for? Surely not grilling? [Barbeque](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbecue) (also spelled barbecue). Standard shorthand in the US for cooking over hot coals, which traditionally might be placed in a pit in the ground. > [@](#): > > In American English usage, grilling refers to a fast process over high heat while barbecuing refers to a slow process using indirect heat or hot smoke, similar to some forms of roasting. In a typical U.S. home grill, food is cooked on a grate directly over hot charcoal, while in a U.S. barbecue the coals are dispersed to the sides or at a significant distance from the grate. In British usage, barbecuing refers to a fast cooking process done directly over high heat, while grilling refers to cooking under a source of direct, moderate-to-high heat—known in the United States as broiling. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2020, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-bbq-pit-called-that/852697/6 "2020-04-27T23:51:16Z")
I knew what BBQ is in real life, but I hadn’t thought about flaming (as in burning) people! You’re all sadists! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2020, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-bbq-pit-called-that/852697/7 "2020-04-27T23:59:48Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > You’re all sadists! 😃 Negative comments about us should go in the Pit. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2020, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-bbq-pit-called-that/852697/8 "2020-04-28T00:26:47Z")
> [@Kent\_Clark](#): > > Negative comments about us should go in the Pit. 😉 How is “sadists” negative? ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2020, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-bbq-pit-called-that/852697/9 "2020-04-28T00:48:29Z")
I’ve always thought of it as “We so badass, we flaming people”… but to be honest, it’s not that bad in the Pit. So “grilling” is more appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2020, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-bbq-pit-called-that/852697/10 "2020-04-28T01:38:24Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > I knew what BBQ is in real life, but I hadn’t thought about flaming (as in burning) people! You’re all sadists! 😃 Back in the early days of the internet, when two people or more got into an out of control argument/rage-fest it was called a flame war. The term seems to have dropped out of use, but that’s the origin of the BBQ pit name. A place where people could have flame wars. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2020, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-bbq-pit-called-that/852697/11 "2020-04-28T02:27:11Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > How is “sadists” negative? It implies we’re all wimps. Otherwise we’d be sado-masochists. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2020, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-bbq-pit-called-that/852697/12 "2020-04-28T07:03:14Z")
It’s a cookbook! ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2020, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-bbq-pit-called-that/852697/13 "2020-04-28T18:30:31Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > It’s a cookbook! How to Serve Straight Dopers? ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2020, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-bbq-pit-called-that/852697/14 "2020-04-28T19:10:54Z")
I always took the forum name to mean “roasting people,” as in hurling invective at them. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2020, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-bbq-pit-called-that/852697/15 "2020-04-28T20:34:05Z")
Just to put things beyond the Valley of the Shadow of Doubt: flame (noun) 6 : an angry, hostile, or abusive electronic message flame (verb) 2 a : to burst or break out violently or passionately flaming with indignation b : to send an angry, hostile, or abusive electronic message ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2020, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-bbq-pit-called-that/852697/16 "2020-04-28T21:29:04Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Just to put things beyond the Valley of the Shadow of Doubt: > > flame (noun) > > 6 : an angry, hostile, or abusive electronic message > > flame (verb) > > 2 a : to burst or break out violently or passionately flaming with indignation > b : to send an angry, hostile, or abusive electronic message Indeed, Wikipedia has a whole [article on Flaming](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flaming_(Internet)). [And the SDMB used to have its own unofficial “Page O’ Flames.”](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=820913)