‘Soul food scholar’ Adrian Miller explains the art of BBQ and its place in US history

Summer means grilling season, and let’s face it, many people just throw some chicken wings, sausages, and a hamburger patty on the grill and call it a day. But grilling, particularly barbecuing, is an art that means meticulously tending the cuts of meat for up to hours in front of a hot pit.

Adrian Miller talks about the art of barbequing and how African Americans shaped this American staple. He’s a James Beard Award-winning food historian and “soul food scholar.” His latest book is “Black Smoke: African Americans and the United States of Barbecue.”

More: Good Food: ‘Cooking the Indian way’: The surprising beginnings of American barbecue