While other regional styles have gone on to become more famous, some people, like Virginia-based food historian Joe Haynes, contend that Virginia barbecue is the original. Haynes argues that barbecue evolved from the cooking techniques of Powhatan Indians, indigenous to an area that's now part of Virginia, who slow roasted food over hot coals. Today, pork is the main event, and the style leans heavily on its sauces.

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