Monk: Dr. Dana Hanson of NC State’s Meat Science Department breaks down east versus west barbecue in North Carolina in this video from Our State Magazine.
Description: ’Cue is our state’s signature sustenance, but with two distinct styles — eastern and Lexington — that’s typically where our agreement ends. Luckily, no matter which side of this delicious rivalry you fall on, barbecue is a food that brings people together.
Monk: In more good classic NC barbecue news, Pik-N-Pig, the Carthage barbecue joint located at an airfield, has finally reopened as of last Thursday. It had been closed for repairs due to a fire in May 2021.
According to this article from the Sandhill Sentinel, due to the new floor plan the amount of seating has doubled and the kitchen is nearly three times the size of the previous one. There is now a dedicated smokehouse with three smokers to handle the capacity for their pulled pork, smoked chicken, brisket, and wings.
More FAQs on the restaurant reopening.
Eric Wareheim recently filmed at Jon G’s Barbecue for an upcoming project; Jake Wood of Lawrence Barbecue was also in the house
Speedy’s Barbecue is finally closing due to the Highway 8 widening, but thankfully they are just relocating to Piedmont Drive in Lexington
JD’s Smokehouse gets profiled in Our State Magazine
Cheerwine and Noda Brewing in Charlotte have collaborated on a new beer called Cheerwine Ale
Been enjoying “Poker Face” on Peacock and episode 3 took place at a fictional east Texas barbecue joint
Daniel Vaughn recently published a story on the history of wagyu beef in America
Monk: Back for another year is our annual holiday gift guide. For you or the barbecue-obsessed person in your life, these are some of the best gifts available whether it be sauces or rubs or books or shirts.
Am I missing something? Comment below or email me at barbecuebros@gmail.com
Note: items in bold are personally recommended
Craft Barbecue Seasonings and Hat from Weathersbeef Barbecue (link)
The Original Slow ‘N Sear from SnS Grills (link)
Slow ‘N Sear Grills – products under $50 (link)
Rub and Sauces from Fire of Coals (link)
T-shirts, hoodies, Matt’s Rub, sauces, and gift cards from Midwood Smokehouse (link)
Rub, sauce, gift cards, swag from Sweet Lew’s BBQ (link)
Monk: A fairly wide-ranging state of NC barbecue from News & Observer writer Drew Jackson, who has been very ably covering the barbecue scene in and around Raleigh for the past few years.
Despite the invasive species of brisket coming into the state, there are still a number of places clinging to the NC barbecue tradition, be that eastern whole hog or Lexington-style shoulders (though this story focuses on places east of Durham. Wyatt Dickson, Matt Register, Ronald House (night pitmaster at B’s Barbecue), and Ryan Mitchell are all quoted in the story but of course Sam Jones has the money quote:
“The hard lines that used to exist, that barbecue was either this or it’s not barbecue — that’s over. It used to be, for people in North Carolina, it was either whole hog, or it ain’t (expletive). For 10 million Texans, it’s brisket. As times go on and we’re so much more transient as a society, those lines are blurred.”
Sam Jones
Read more at the link:
Lewis Donald is no longer involved with Dish and will be focusing his efforts on Sweet Lew’s BBQ and the Carolina Barbecue Festival going forward
Axios Raleigh releases their Triangle barbecue list
Barbecue Center in Lexington is closing for a week later this month for some hard earned rest and relaxation, so plan accordingly
Hillsborough’s Hog Day festival is the oldest barbecue festival in Orange County and this year will officially be part of the Whole Hog Barbecue State Championship
Jon G’s makes the Yelp Charlotte Top 25 Places to Eat along with…JD’s Smokehouse in Rutherford College near Morganton?
A behind-the-scenes follow-up to Jeremy Markovich’s story on B’s Barbecue in Our State Magazine from 2016
A couple of recent stories where Adrian Miller was interviewed:
Little Pigs BBQ is on this Eater essential restaurants list for Myrtle Beach
Feges BBQ hosted Premier League champions (ugh) Man City on their pre-season US tour
Barbecue sauce beer? Barbecue sauce beer.