Some claim (somewhat implausibly) that “barbecue” comes from the French phrase “barbe a queue”, meaning “from head to tail.” Pointing to the theory of a whole-hog cooking method. We think the word “barbecue” comes from a nineteenth century advertisement for a combination whiskey bar, beer hall, pool establishment and purveyor of roast pig, known as the BAR-BEER-CUE-PIG!
Ad your two cents!