North Carolina BBQ Help

ObscureDave · Posted: Jun 01 2010 Post subject: North Carolina BBQ Help

Will be traveling to NC soon and want to experience some good smoke in that region. Will be in Wilmington, Wanchese and Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill.

Any suggestions much appreciated!

Dave

slow&low · Posted: Jun 02 2010 Post subject: Re: North Carolina BBQ Help

Altho I live in NC here in Charlotte we have 0 good Q eatery but I really enjoyed this article on NC BBQ joints http://gardenandgun.com/article/southern-roads

Piedmont · Newbie Joined: 08 Apr 2006 Posts: 54 Location: Carolina's

Pit Boss · Posted: Jun 02 2010 Post subject:

You're in bbq heaven. Five places to try in eastern NC.

Greenville - B's BBQ - Get there early for lunch (I think they actually open around 9:30am) as they may run out and close up shop by 1pm.

Ayden - The Skylight Inn (aka: Pete Jones) - For me, the best bbq in the state. I've not been since Mr. Pete passed, but his family has been running the place for him for years and they continue to do so.

Goldsboro - Wilber's - Wilber Shirley still does things the traditional way.

Dudley (outside Goldsboro) - Grady's - Small place with a limited weekly schedule. Know before you go. And around Goldsboro you pronounce Grady like "Graddy".

Chapel Hill - Allen & Son's - Sort of a fusion between eastern & western NC bbq. Eastern sauce and western pork shoulders, but still very fine by most accounts. There are two Allen & Son's in the same "neighborhood". Choose the original on Millhouse Road or you're likely to be disappointed.

North Carolina...especially that in the eastern part of the state...isn't going to dazzle you with sauces & rubs. The flavors tend to be muted from what you might be used to in other locals (Memphis, Kansas City, etc). What you do get in eastern NC is bbq cooked by traditional methods, a VERY light smokey taste, and true pork flavor enhanced only by a splash of vinegar, salt, and pepper. This is bbq as it was 100 years ago...200 years ago. BBQ the way it was meant to be.

Some people don't like NC bbq because it tends to be "plain". Many folks are used to thick, highly flavored sauces and highly seasoned dry rubs on the meat. Alot of people consider the sauce to be what makes bbq, bbq. In NC it's completely opposite...you get pork seasoned with salt if seasoned at all. The sauce, while it IS vinegar, is supposed to be used VERY judiciously. A little goes a long way. Most folks from off, who claim they hate NC bbq, do so because they over sauced their meat. The amount of sauce I see some folks douse their bbq with is ridiculous...and no wonder they leave "with a bad taste in their mouth" for NC bbq. I firmly believe this over use of sauce stems from the habits formed from using that thick red sauce in other regions...where the sauce is the center of attention and many times the more sauce the better. In NC you DO NOT want to use that philosophy. Use NC sauce as a SEASONING and not as a sauce. Use it sparingly just to enhance the pork and you will be rewarded.

I like (love) all types of bbq, but NC gets you back to the essence of what bbq was and what it should be.

Best of luck on your bbq search in God's bbq country...eastern NC!
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Piedmont · Newbie Joined: 08 Apr 2006 Posts: 54 Location: Carolina's

Tombigbeeriverdawg · Posted: Jun 03 2010 Post subject:

Simp's BBQ is the best I have ever had.
Not there anymore.
It was east Of Roper NC on hwy 64.
Anyone else ever eat there?
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ObscureDave · Posted: Jun 04 2010 Post subject:

Thank you all!!! I am taking notes! Keep the suggestions coming. There is a BBQ Tour departing from Raleigh; we may take that.

Have sampled plenty of Texas and K.C. Q. Looking forward to NC. Then on to Memphis some day!

Dave

PS The point about light smoke is consistent with an experience a midwest BBQ expert shared with me.

feldon30 · Posted: Jun 04 2010 Post subject: Re: North Carolina BBQ Help

Pit Boss · Posted: Jun 05 2010 Post subject:

bigdaddy7270 · Newbie Joined: 03 Jan 2010 Posts: 83

Piedmont · Newbie Joined: 08 Apr 2006 Posts: 54 Location: Carolina's

Pit Boss · Posted: Jun 06 2010 Post subject:

Can't do NC bbq on an offset. It's not indirect cooking at all.
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Sauced! · Posted: Jun 29 2010 Post subject: Re: North Carolina BBQ Help

slow&low · Posted: Jul 01 2010 Post subject: Re: North Carolina BBQ Help

Sauced I have to agree 100% been there 4 times and never got a decent meal on the last trip (I didn't pay) I got a pork sandwich and the pork was so dry and lathery that I asked the waitress if she could bring another one and she turns around and says Honey that's not dry at all you just need to put more sauce on it.

feldon30 · Posted: Jul 01 2010 Post subject:

I went to midtown location (South Blvd) today. Had a pulled pork sandwich and it was not dry to my taste. It wasn't the best I've ever had, but I didn't want to return it, or did I need to take huge gulps of my sweet tea to get it down. This was at 1pm. It didn't have as much of a smoke ring as the first time I went to this Mac's location this spring though.

I had ribs over at the Mac's location on S Tryon (49) near 485. They had a good smoke ring, almost fall off the bone. Needed some sauce for them. I think I went around 2pm.

It will never touch BBQ from home, but either I have been unusually lucky when going there, or I'm going at the right time, or my standards are awfully low.
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