North Carolina Barbeque

North Carolina Barbeque

Pork is the mainstay of the states culinary culture and North Carolina Barbeque it's most renowned invention. Let's begin our travel down the 'The Barbeque Belt' in the eastern part of the state and the simple and firey Eastern Carolina Barbeque. Here the pork shoulder is pulled and dressed with a vinegar based sauce and a some variation of secret seasonings. All include liberal use of pepper. Any combination of cayanne pepper, black pepper or even Tabasco Sauce are the common choices. Sugar, white or brown, may be added perhaps with a pinch of salt. The sauce is thin and lightly colored, the taste unique.

Our Favorite Eastern Carolina Barbeque places are:

•Murray's Bar–B–Q – 4700 Old Poole Road – Raleigh NC – (919) 231–6258

•Wilber's Barbeque – 4172 U.S. 70 East – Goldsboro NC – (919) 778–5218

•Bills Barbeque – 3007 Downing Street SW – Wilson NC – (919) 237–4372

•Murphy House Barbecue – 106 S Bickett Blvd – Louisburg NC – (919) 496–6054

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As we move west across the state, around Durham, Tomato gets added to the recipe. Tomatoes weren't even considered edible when eastern Carolina was settled by colonist from the Tidewater area of Virginia. The settlers of western areas, many of German descent from the northern colonies, softened the sauce of their new neighbors by adding tomato. Today you can simply add a half cup of Ketchup to the Basic Eastern BBQ Sauce and maybe lighten up on the peppers and you're on your way to a classic Western Carolina Barbeque.

Our Favorite Western Carolina Barbeque places are:

•Lexington#1 – 10 Highway 29–70S – Lexington NC – (336) 249–9814

•Mountain Smokehouse – 20 South Spruce St – Asheville NC – (704) 253–4871

•Jimmy's Barbeque – 1703 Cotton Grove Road – Lexington NC – (704) 352–2311

•Blue Mist Barbeque – Highway 64 east of Asheboro NC – (919) 625–3980

•Bullock's Bar B Cue –3330 Wortham– Durham NC – (919) 383–6202

The classic sidedishes to Barbeque in North Carolina are Cole Slaw, Brunswick Stew and Hush Puppies. A point of interest is how the relationship between the Slaw and Barbeque sauce changes as you cross the state. In the east a cool, sweet Slaw offsets the fire in the sauce. The Western Carolina Barbeque tradition; particularly around Lexington, offers a Cole Slaw that is hot and vinegary siding a milder barbeque sauce.