NC has the best BBQ!

It's just a fact. Let's see.... Allen & Sons in Chapel Hill and in Chatham, Bullock's in Durham (YUM!!!), the Cue Shack also in Durham, Mama Dip's also in CH, the entire town of Lexington, the list goes on...the best are those little teensy places where you just walk up to a little shack, and they look at you funny cuz you're not a regular, but then they sell you the most heavenly BBQ.......mmmmm.....

the BEST barbcue is the barbecue on MY plate!..and that plate has seen alot of miles!!!!

While I'm inclined to think the best BBQ in the country is found in North Carolina, I have to think that Georgia is in the running.

To date I've dined at 19 of North Carolina barbecue authority Bob Garner's top 25 North Carolina bbq temples. In fact, I've made 2 or more visits to most of them. But, to date, I've only eaten at 8 of Georgia's best. The Georgia places I've visited include world-class wood burners like Harold's (Atlanta), Holcomb's (White Springs) Hot Thomas (Watkinsville), and Zeb's (Danielsville). And there are still many more Georgia places to visit; in Georgia, I've barely scratched the surface.

According to my copy of The Peach State Glove Box Guide to Bar-B-Que, there are 474 barbeque establishments in Georgia. Many will serve pretty fine que, like the ones mentioned above.

I'm leaving consideration of sauces out of this question. They are so much a matter of personal preference and I like many styles.

For me then, I guess the matter of which state has the country's best barbeque is still an unsettled question.

I flat-out don't like the style of sauce I have experienced in NC. Not sure if this is true eveywhere, as I haven't been to more than 5 or 6 of them, but in each of these cases the sauce has been very vinegar-y, not a taste I associate wth good barbeque.

quote:

Originally posted by TJ Jackson

I flat-out don't like the style of sauce I have experienced in NC. Not sure if this is true eveywhere, as I haven't been to more than 5 or 6 of them, but in each of these cases the sauce has been very vinegar-y, not a taste I associate wth good barbeque.

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Sounds like you have just eaten the eastern North Carolina Q. Try "Lexington # 1" in Lexington, "Bridges" in Shelby, or "Stamey's" in Greensboro for the better (IMHO) sauce and meat. Eastern cooks the whole hog and uses the vinegar sauce; western (Lexington) style cooks only shoulders and hams and uses a mixed sauce with a little vinegar, some tomato sauce, lemon, butter, brown sugar and other ingredients (check out the sauce recipe for Lexington (western) style sauce in Bob Garner's book. You also need to have it with some "red slaw" (slaw made with some of the sauce) and hushpuppies to make a real Lexington NC Q meal.

Although a North Carolinian for 58 years, I wouldn't go far out of my way for the easten NC Q, except for "Wilber's" in Goldsboro or "Skylight" in Ayden... But come to think about it, the eastern NC is still better than 99% of what you will find outside the Carolinas. The Lexington style is, without question, the BEST!

I happen to think the best Q is from Texas. So there!

TJ,
The BBQ sauce in NC can vary from town to town. Some vinegar based, some mustard based, some HOT!!! Like anything else you win some and you lose some...that is the joy of trying new places and things. While NC is THE BIRTHPLACE of pork BBQ, Lexington specifically, we agree there is really good Q in other parts of the country.

I feel a war brewing, so I'm getting out before the things really start to flame up.

But I will add this, according to culinary history, the English around Henry the VIII time had already mastered the art of slow cooking meat with fire. They just didn't have the sauce.

Remember Texans don't consider it BBQ unless it's beef!!

No war from me, but I just had to add MY opinion to who makes the best BBQ if someone's gonna state theirs. It's all a matter of taste and VERY subjective. I like Kansas City style BBQ, what's eaten in Arkansas, but I don't like pulled pork. That's just me. Calling Texas style the best as I did earlier was totally tongue in cheek, btw.

For a good read on some of the places in Texas, there's Barbecuing Around Texas, by Richard K. Troxell, as well as Legends of Texas Barbcue by Robb Walsh.

Hey, wars have started over less. LOL I happen to think it is ALL good!!

Yeah, whatever Dendan just said!

here's an on the fence fan of NC pulled pork(eastern) and texas beef brisket. Can't pick a favorite!

No flame/war from me, just a case of my tastes versus someone elses, which is no big deal. :-)

For example: I can't stand nuts of any kind, same with mayonaise. *shrug* I'm sure plenty of other folks like one or the other or both, which is fine :-) If we all liked the same thing, there'd be no variety *shudder*

My last comment was tongue in cheek. However, BBQ is a passionate subject for some.
I for one appreciate the regional and cultural differences.

As for Georgia, I've had some of the best (GA Pig) that state has to offer, and some of the worst (Sonny's).


I've also had great BBQ served up in New Hampshire by a displaced Texan living the Granite State. And Pork was on the menu. That was at the Pig's Ear in Lincoln.

For some reason, I'm put off by chopped Pork BBQ, which seems like the NC style. I prefer my pork pulled, chased by lemonade made with Georgian "Sweet Water".

I still stick with my original statement---NC has the best. But I've had some darn good BBQ in other states too...I guess it depends on personal preference. I think I like the eastern NC style stuff, the vinegary kind. But the Memphis BBQ is pretty awesome too...mmmmmm...so many choices. I'll just say this: without the perfect glass of sweet tea, you can't have the perfect BBQ. So there.

Is anything else Q'ed in the southeast besides Pork? Where do the beef and mutton boundries fall? No sausages? What a waste of good smoke and fire.
One of the appeals of KC cue is it's sheer variety. It's always said that folks there will BBQ anything that moves, and a lot that doesn't, too....

I'll stand by what Bill just said

Originally posted by JimInKy

While I'm inclined to think the best BBQ in the country is found in North Carolina, I have to think that Georgia is in the running.

To date I've dined at 19 of North Carolina barbecue authority Bob Garner's top 25 North Carolina bbq temples. In fact, I've made 2 or more visits to most of them. But, to date, I've only eaten at 8 of Georgia's best. The Georgia places I've visited include world-class wood burners like Harold's (Atlanta), Holcomb's (White Springs) Hot Thomas (Watkinsville), and Zeb's (Danielsville). And there are still many more Georgia places to visit; in Georgia, I've barely scratched the surface.

According to my copy of The Peach State Glove Box Guide to Bar-B-Que, there are 474 barbeque establishments in Georgia. Many will serve pretty fine que, like the ones mentioned above.

I'm leaving consideration of sauces out of this question. They are so much a matter of personal preference and I like many styles.

For me then, I guess the matter of which state has the country's best barbeque is still an unsettled question.


Jim,
Holcomb's is on GA. 15 in White Plains. That's the original location: it used to be a chicken house! - They have an "in-town" location on U. S. 278 on the west edge of Greensboro that is a recycled Sinclair HC gas station! The two places are less than 10 miles apart.
The area northeast of Athens... Hart, Elbert, Franklin, Madison, and Stephens Counties... has given rise to several very nice places you had ought to mosey down and try. I think I've posted elsewhere here in the fora regards my roadtripping in those parts.
My favorite sauce is mustard-based, but NOT Maurice's! - use brown mustard, or else quit trying! I also go for vinegar-based sauce WITHOUT added sugar, unless it's just a twinkling. Barbecue sauce doesn't need added sugar. Although Georgia usually uses the tomatoey stuff, I'm not a fan of tomatoes in my barbecue sauce.
If you head down this way, I'll be glad to give you some specifics.
Have a good Thanksgiving.
Best, Ort. Carlton in Athens, Georgia.

Now, what about BBQ in Charlotte NC? I'm heading that way next spring.

(...and I agree that the best BBQ is the one I'm eating at the moment!)

I cannot say where's the best barbecue (depends mostly on what I HAVEN'T had in too long), but Tennessee needs to be in the running, from the eastern mountains to Memphis. I can say with certainty that the worst barbecue I ever ate was in New York City, at a couple of places that purported to serve it "southern style." But then, I don't expect a great pastrami sandwich in Tuscaloosa, either.

Right about now (4:38am EST), I could really use a B'Abe bbq pork sandwich (Clarksdale, MS):

The best bbq I get is the q I make . Aside from that, the best commercial q depends on what type of meat you want. For pulled pork, the Lexinton #1 in Lexingtom NC is hard to beat. If it's beef you're after, the Salt Lick in Driftwood Texas sw of Austin is the place. I've had fabulous and lousy ribs all over the country, so I can't make up my mind except when I make them myself heheh.
YMMV.
That's a good look'in sammich above BTW

The reasons Texans like beef BBQ as opposed to pork is that it is too hard to steal a pig and ride a horse at the same time. That said, true bbq lovers (and I consider myself as one) like BBQ wherever as long as it's done properly, and with the myriad of sauces, methods, etc. there is no BEST, per se, it's all good! As dendan said above and as the picture above shows, I don't care where you're from, that looks like good BBQ to me. Remember BBQ is like sex, there is no bad BBQ or sex, some is just a little better than some others.

YAHOO!!! Sex and BBQ...Now is that at the SAME time?

I like both beef and pork. I always prefer pit over smoked. I think the reason is that I got some smoked before where they apparently used a self starting charcoal which left a terrible petrolem after taste.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

quote:

Originally posted by oneiron339

The reasons Texans like beef BBQ as opposed to pork is that it is too hard to steal a pig and ride a horse at the same time. That said, true bbq lovers (and I consider myself as one) like BBQ wherever as long as it's done properly, and with the myriad of sauces, methods, etc. there is no BEST, per se, it's all good! As dendan said above and as the picture above shows, I don't care where you're from, that looks like good BBQ to me. Remember BBQ is like sex, there is no bad BBQ or sex, some is just a little better than some others.

AMEN!!!!!!!!

Great photo of Abe's barbecue.There's just something about cruising the back roads of the Delta with a couple of Abe's sandwiches as you only companion.

I grew up in NONBarbecue country---New England---beleive me---in the 50,s and 60,s there was no barbecue in Neew England---oh there was what i now politely call "Burnt Bird"---i like it but grilling is NOT bbq!But i think that this puts me in a enviable position---ALL bbq is my Favorite!I didnt have q instilled in me by what ever local tastes where prevelent when i developed an appreciation of smoke!! after eating tons of blackened raw meat, even a mediocore q---buy this groups standards--was and is wonderfull---besides--my italian grandmother taught me to enjoy REGIONAL foods--REAL foods---influenced by the people and soil and climate where they are cooked. But i understand the dedication to "YOUR" style---Texans to beef(Okies too!) Eatern NC to vinegar---and that stuff that goe BAAAAAAAAHHHHHH---i do understand---to me Clam chowder is NEVER red!!!! it is a good soup though!As i said early in this thread--for ME the best q is the next q!

Oh lord, is there cheese on that sandwich?

quote:

Originally posted by TJ Jackson

Oh lord, is there cheese on that sandwich?

I dont know if theres cheese or not but it sure looks good!!!