Eastern or Western NC BBQ?

OK I admit I love Eastern NC-style pork barbeque. Western NC-style BBQ and Eastern have always been a point of contention for pork barbeque lovers in NC.
Let me know which do you prefer?
Grant
Cary, NC

Give me some Q that is cooked by a log burner and I don't care whether it is from either side of the state. I just had some great Q this weekend from Bridges in Shelby - outside brown and smoky and in a few weeks, when I am in Greenville, I will swing by Skylight Inn for some wonderful eastern style Q.

I can identify the differences between the two styles but, let's face it, most folks not from this area could tell the difference. It's very subtle if you don't know what you are looking for.

There are only about a dozen or so places in the state that do it the old fashioned way anymore and every one of them deserve our support for their efforts.

I'm partial to western style at Lexington # 1 in Lexington and Alston Bridges in Shelby, but Wilber's (Goldsboro) and Skylight (Ayden) are still better than any outside of North Carolina. I particularly prefer the red slaw and huspuppies served with western style over the slaw and breadsticks they serve down east.

Incidentally, all 4 of these are still wood burners.

I am traveling through NC next week and I can stop anywhere but I prefer to stop at the best. As near as I can ascertain, Honey Monks in Lexington is preferred by most. Is that still correct? How are the sides at Honey Monks?

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

quote:

Originally posted by Sundancer7

I am traveling through NC next week and I can stop anywhere but I prefer to stop at the best. As near as I can ascertain, Honey Monks in Lexington is preferred by most. Is that still correct? How are the sides at Honey Monks?

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

I seldom get any sides, so I really can't say. Just the basic large tray of chopped BBQ (outside brown or lean brown) with slaw, hushpuppies and sweet tea. I usually leave with a few bottles of his sauce. The other 3 places I listed are almost as good, but I just like everything about Honey Monk's. But while the chopped Q is better an Monk's, the sliced Q at Alston Bridges in Shelby is better.

There are just as many advocates for Wilber's and Skylight, and I can understand why. The main sides with the eastern NC Q are brunswick stew, boiled potatoes, corn on the cob and beans. But I still usually stick with outside brown, slaw and breadsticks (or hushpuppies if available) and pass on the sides. I fill up on more Q and hushpuppies if I still have space to fill. The sides you can get anywhere, but the Q is special and unique. But then, I'm Tarheel born and Tarheel bred, and when I die I'll be a Tarheel dead! (even if I have spent little time there for the past 7 years)

ENJOY, Paul. Wish I were in the territory so I could join you. But I'm down here in the culinary wasteland they call New Orleans until November. It's a tough life.

Paul,
Lexington BBQ (which is what the sign says, not Lexington #1, so don't get confused) is very good. So is The BBQ Center in Lexington. You can get a map of Lexington at their visitor's information center that shows 20+ bbq restaurants in and around the town. I'm using one as a guide - I'm going to try all of the bbq places in Lexington (eventually), since I live only about 20 miles from there and can easily go through on my way to/from work.

North Carolina BBQ seems to be an ongoing topic. Not like Waffle House or Cracker Barrel -- the discussion is to the food point. And no Archies, but that's another issue.

Seems that most people traveling through North Carolina are traveling, and don't stop. Except to eat. The I-95 corridor, through eastern NC, has to focus on east Carolina BBQ by default. Lots of discussion on this board already on NC BBQ close to I-95 (use the search function) (active voice, and not "a lot" or "alot").

From the west going east, I-40 going (maybe Statesville, no experience) doesn't offer much until you get to Greensboro, then Stamey's comes into play (west Carolina; very good; use the search function).

I-85, from Charlotte, gives you Lexington (west Carolina; use the search function; I happen to believe that there are places in Lexington as good as or better than Lexington #1, but that's not to say that Lex #1 is not excellent).

I-85 and I-40 join going east just past Greensboro. If you're intent on pushing north (I'm assuming a north trip; it's like golf lessons, when everyone is assumed to be right-handed; the disclaimer is "reverse everything"), take the I-40/I-85 split before Chapel Hill and stay on I-40. On I-40, take the NC-86 exit north toward Hillsborough for about two miles, and you will be at the log-burning Allen & Son. Backtracking is the best way to get back to I-40 and continue the trip north, or vice-versa.

My opinions. And never mind the sides in any place. It's the slaw and hushpuppies that count.

Jumpin Jimminny Cricket, Its all good!Besides its the slaw that makes a difference if you didnt know!

Thanks for the great discussion y'all! The slaw really does make a difference. But if the the hushpuppies are too greazy then it is a bit of a letdown. A little trivia: Know where the term 'hushpuppies' came from? I have it that long ago, when the women were making corn fritters, the hounds sat at their feet and yelped for a taste. The women then told the dogs, "Hushpuppy!"
If you know of different version let everhone in on it.
Cheers
Grant
Cary, NC

Will be driving to Atlanta in 2 weeks, just so I will have an excuse to make my first ever visit to Honey Monks. Can you describe Outside Brown, and what other choices I will have. Thanks.

Of course eastern style... but WILL eat western style if the sauce isn't too red.


Dennis in Cary

Ya know, I lived in Greensboro for almost 4 years and was told where to go eat BBQ from just about everyone who ate BBQ, which is a lot of folks. And I tried nearly all of them, including Stamey's which was just down the road from our apartment.

I went to Lexington BBQ festivals and tried many samples, I went to visit friends in Raleigh and had eastern BBQ, and had BBQ in Statesville, Winston, Charlotte, Reidsville, Hickory, Ashville, Concord, Wilson, Fayetteville, Goldsboro, Kannapolis, Robbinsville, Greenville, and more. But when it was all said and done, my favorite BBQ was in Thomasville, at a place called Jed's.

I was passing through and they has a drive through, yes, a drive through BBQ window.
And wow! great BBQ and fantastic hush puppies.

A company I worked with used to have a catered event for all their clients. To my suprise they served Jed's BBQ, and it again was the best BBQ I had in NC.

I'm no longer a resident of NC, and I still have a $5 gift certificate to Jed's which I now keep as a memoir to my NC days and the many Friday dinners I enjoyed from Jed's.

It's off of Old I-85 on route 68 (national highway) in Thomasville.

Give it try. You'll like it.

Scorereader -

I've never heard of Jed's before but I'm always willing to try a new BBQ place.

Do you know how they cook their BBQ? Wood or gas?

quote:

Originally posted by signman

Will be driving to Atlanta in 2 weeks, just so I will have an excuse to make my first ever visit to Honey Monks. Can you describe Outside Brown, and what other choices I will have. Thanks.

Signman, I think the outside brown is the bark which is the Mayors's favorite. It is the chewy outside. I like the pork belly which has more fat.

I got the bark at Hays Smokehouse in Lexington, TN and it was wonderful. Makes a great thing to enjoy with your evening libation.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Paul's right about the Bark, I love it. Outside Brown is mainly that portion...chopped up and mixes with sauce. I love BBQ in almost every form and style...but I prefer my Pork in CHUNKS more like Mexican Carnitas with a container(bowl) of sauce alongside for dipping. I think this is why I like the Moonlite BBQ in Owensboro and Mr Hays place in Tennessee so much. They will give me a plate of larger than bit-sized pieces of meat, mainly well browned and a bit chewy and some sauce to play with. Then under all circumstances keep the slaw in a side dish and off my 'Que ! I like slaw with my 'Que BUT not on it.

ADD--- Please- Put the sauce on the side, other than a basting sauce that cooks into the meat. If I wanted a Sloppy Joe I would order it, I like my 'Que dip-able. In the same breath...Please don't chop the meat into sawdust sized pieces. I want to CHEW something meatie, not have it roll down the throat like BBQ Sauce flavored Jello. Carolina Que isn't always soaked in a bucket of sauce and ground to nothing...but it is served that way in many places I look for the places where you can identify the meat and 'sample' the sauce as a two-stage activity!

Brent,

Jed's is a gasser. Their hushpuppies are good as is their barbecue style roast pork. But if you're that close to Lexington, why bother?

Jim

I have to disagree with your allegience to Lexington, Jim.
I didn't find the BBQ there any better than Jed's.

But, I've had better BBQ than NC, so it's not like I'm making special trips to NC just for that.

Eastern NC bbq is whole hog, weatern NC bbq is whole shoulder. It's all good!

It's interesting. I grew up eating eastern NC style BBQ - minced fine with vinger and red peppers - but I have developed a taste for vaious kinds. I'm not sure what style Buzz&Ned, Pierce's or Padow's here in Virginia fall into but that's the type I like best now.

Cathy

While we're on this subject...

The boyfriend and I will be making a trip to SC/NC in mid-September. We’re flying into Atlanta, staying in Clemson for the Miami-Clemson game, and then staying for two more nights near Andrews, NC, in the Nantahala National Forest. After that, we head back to Atlanta (by way of Dahlonega, to stop at the Smith House). Any ideas for good Q in the area without having to go too much out of the way?

Go to Greenville, Augusta RD, Smoking Stokes. Try the BBQ potato with Cheerwine sauce and Cheerwine to drink!

Isn't Jack's BBQ in South Carolina?

I'll look it up. Jack's BBQ has won the MBA International Festival in the past and many many regional competitions.

My recollection is that it's in the middle of nowhere and was a long drive from Greenville, SC.
I'll repost the address when I find it.

Oops.
Forget that.
Jack's Old South is in Vienna, GA.

My recollection is WAY off. We drove from Atlanta. And it was a haul!

sorry.

Coming through NC youhave to be careful to find the wood burners for Q

Both th Bridges(I'm sorry bur I'm basically typing in the drk) Stameys in g'boro, Lex #1, ah the devil w/ it I can't see

OK it's daylight now. Stamey's(Greensboro), Lex #1, BBQ center (both in Lexington), Skylight Inn (Ayden, NC), Bridges, there are two and both are great (Shelby, NC), Wilber's (Goldsboro, NC) and Henry's Smokehouse (Greenville, SC) are some of the greats.