Hickory North Carolina

[Roosters]

Hey guys. I am heading over to Hickory, NC in about a week and wondered if any of you could recommend a good Q place there.

[lantern]

I was born and raised in Hickory. I hate to break it to ya, but you won't find VERY good BBQ. You will, however find "good enough" BBQ. Strickly my opinion and I apologise to the folks who think this is fantastic stuff.

I grew up eating Shells BBQ, but it's slipped so far I can't suggest it to anyone. So that leaves Mountain View BBQ. NC style BBQ, chopped and vinegar based sauce. It's the only place I'll eat BBQ and pay for it when I'm visiting my relatives.

Mountain View Barbecue

Highway 127, Rt. 8, Box 143
Hickory, N.C. 28602
Phone: 828-294-1914
Open: Mon-Sat 6AM to 9PM


If you go don't forget to give us a review.



If they weren't closed till the 22nd I'd suggest dropping by 12 bones smokehouse in Asheville as you passed through.

[GaryGSF]

Hi there,

I live in England but have spent some time in the US and NC for that matter.
I have eaten at Jimmy's, Speedy's and Tar Heel Q and to be honest with you they are OK. By that I mean :- No burnt ends, no smoke flavour just pulled plain pork in my opinion. You get the usual options - chopped, sliced, fatty, lean, tray, plate etc. But none of it tastes to me like it came from a pit.
I was told by my American friends that this was the best BBq in NC and I honestly believe that they believed it.

Gary.

[lantern]

Well, what you have is what happens when you smoke a whole hog or whole shoulder.

The pigskin keeps the smoke from getting into the meat heavily. Quite a few people enjoy the light smoke and the texture of the meat which is usually pulled from the pit at around 165-170ish before being chopped.

Even being from NC it's not my favorite style of Q(although carolina red style sauce is my fave), but I'll still knock ya down to get a sammich. I'm more of a combination of tradition and the new with butts(true pull at 190ish), white slaw and red vinegar based sauce on the side, but I sure can enjoy it all.



Hey Gary....just to keep you in one piece, don't say that you don't think the Que was cooked in a pit out loud in front of the folks that cooked it. There's been more than one BBQ fist fight started around these parts.

Just kiddin' bud.....kinda, but I know exactly what you mean.




Oh...back on topic. Mountain view will have a light smoke NC style if you're wondering. And no nasty red slaw.

[GaryGSF]

I hear you

[SHELLFISH]

Well I gotta agree with you lantern on this one. I stopped at Hickory cause I heard they had the best Q. I wasn't impressed.
There is good Q in Gastonia at Hillbillies, Shelby had good tasting Q and there is a spot called Interstate BBQ at Lexington. I like the western NC sauce best and think the eastern NC sauce has too much vinegar flavor for my taste. I do know folks who like the venegar taste though. It's all a matter of personal preference!

I don't like cabbage or coleslaw and most places in NC put slaw on a sammich automatic so I always request the sammich be delivered without slaw.

[bigdude]

I watched a tv show awhile back about nc bbq (east and west) and as I understood it, most cooking was done with wood coals from an outside-the-pit fire. I guess that would might explain the lake of smokiness in the meat. I'm a newbie, so please let me know if this thinking is wrong.

[lantern]

That was the Skylight Inn you were watching. There is no real set way for NC style BBQ as a whole. Here's the best way for me to explain how the meat, sauce and slaw work.



WEST..............................................................................................EAST

Butts smoked with hickory,.........Shoulders/hickory..................whole hog
white mayo based slaw.............red vinegar or white slaw.........vinegar slaw
Sweet tomato based sauce........vinegar sauce with ketchup.....vinegar sauce

[lantern]

[SHELLFISH]

I gotta agree with you again on your breakdown of east and west NC Q!
And no, I don't like any kind of cabbage.
I do really enjoy banana pudding thou!

Hillbillies also has some of the best hushpuppies I have had anywhere!
I just like everything about that place and if I am within about 100 miles I will drive over for their Q! Yeah, I like it that much.
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Shellfish, Q and beer! My trilogy!

[SmokeyBear]

http://www.ncbbqsociety.com/trail_map.html
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large Big Green Egg
Sunbeam 340 gasser
Weber 22.5" One Touch Gold
Weber Smokey Joe Platinum
Weber Smokey Joe Silver
Weber Q 120

[POPPASPLATT]

If you have time to run down the road to newton on hwy 16 right when you get into town their is a place called little pigs bar-b-que. They cook with hickory logs in a old brick pit and chop it when you order it . I like it get the large sammy.

[lantern]

You mean Little pigs? My family over there gets their bbq for Christmas dinner. It's not my fave......but I RARELY turn down free bbq.

As a matter of fact, if a place makes BBQ that I won't eat(bitching doesn't count) then they must be reported as soon as possible.