American barbecue hails from four different regions — Memphis, Texas, Carolina and Kansas City — each with their own distinctive style. Callie Crossley, host of Under the Radar, hails from Memphis where, as far as she is concerned, Memphis is the distinctive style.

"For me, it's the layering of flavors. You might start with a rub, which could be as simple as salt and pepper as is done in Texas, or a little bit more complex with paprika and chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, which is done in your hometown of Memphis," said Steven Raichlen, author of "The Barbecue Bible."

"A second layer of flavor might be a mop sauce or might be a spray with with vinegar or wine," he said. "Third layer of flavor might be that barbecue sauce that you brush on right at the end of cooking and then caramelize directly over high heat. Fourth layer of flavor might be a salsa that you would serve, or a chutney. So it's the complexity of flavors that really makes great barbecue, in my opinion."

Barbecue's origins are in the South, but it has also become a summertime staple in the Northeast.

"I took a chance on the Seaport because I knew, when I went down there, what was coming, and it was going to be a vibrant neighborhood that would draw people from all around the world," said Larry Jimerson, owner of Larry J’s BBQ Café.

"I believe that barbecue is the quintessential Americana food. It is the number one thing that people really seek out," he said. "They would get in their car and drive 45 minutes to an hour for what they consider good barbecue... [I was not] able to find really good quality barbecue when I moved here way back in the 90s. Now there's quite a few more places around."

We talk all things barbecue in the latest edition of our summer fun series.

Larry Jimerson, owner of Larry J’s BBQ Café in Boston's Seaport neighborhood

Steven Raichlen, journalist, host of the PBS series, Planet Barbecue, and prolific author of more than 30 books, including "The Barbecue Bible"