An east coast BBQ trek

[cdh]

Let me admit that I don't have much of a geographical grasp of the South... I know that Western North Carolina is a good day's drive from Eastern North Carolina, but that's about it.

A friend of mine in Florida has proposed a few days of BBQ trekking along the East coast, driving from one 'cue joint to the next, getting 3 or 4 meals a day along the way and sampling the fine variety of smoked beast.

So, the question is: is there a BBQ pilgrim's trail, or at least a comprehensive list of BBQ joints worth the trip from which an itinerary could be cobbled?

[Fat Guy]

Personally that's not the way I'd do it. If you're going to do a general-overview barbecue trip, your best bet is to do Kansas City, Memphis, Lexington NC, and some places in Eastern NC. It depends on how hardcore you are in your driving ambitions, but it can be done.

[Holly Moore]

Just follow I-95 north and get of at just about every North and South Carolina exit. You'll find BBQ within a few miles. If you have time, turn left on I-85 through to Charlotte or Greenville and then head home cross country. You'll have access to far more BBQ than you can handle. On the bbq section of my site, thanks to the suggestion of someone here, I've included which interstate the Carolina BBQs are closest to.

What FG says is true, though. You'll arrive home with an expert's knowledge of the various Carolina style BBQs, but only Carolina style BBQs.

I don't see at the bad thing. Next year a road trip to Owensboro KY, Memphis and Kansas City. Year after that, eat Texas.

[jhlurie]

Depends on whether you are looking for cow or pig.

[Andrew Fenton]

Chris, I'd say that it all depends on your goal for the trip. If you're trying to edumacate yourself about the different major BBQ types, then driving (from KCMO to TX to KY to TN to NC and SC) is less efficient: I'd say, take a few trips over several years. However, you could probably drive from Owensboro to Memphis to Lexington.

If you want to focus on Carolina BBQ, there are a number of good guides available. Bob Garner has a couple of books (North Carolina Barbecue: Flavored by Time, which is a wonderful, loving description of what it's all about; and Bob Garner's Guide to North Carolina Barbecue, which is a list of his 100 favorite spots.) I also have a book on SC 'cue around somewhere, but it's not at hand at the moment. Just turning into a town and asking isn't a bad way to go, either.

If the idea is mostly the N-S road trip with BBQ thrown in, you can definitely do a good trip as well. There are any number of good 'cue spots, even within spitting distance of I-95, in GA, SC and NC. Holly's website is a useful start for finding those.

[Varmint]

Chris, I'd certainly be happy to steer you in the right direction regarding NC Barbecue. However, you certainly should visit SC if you have the opportunity. You can get a pretty good feel about what NC barbecue is all about by hitting a few Eastern Carolina places, one or two in the dividing line, and then a handful of Western style joints. That can be done pretty easily in two days.

Mitchells, Wilbers, and the Skylight Inn are good Eastern style representatives.

Try Allen and Son just north of Chapel Hill for their desserts and their barbecue.

Lexington #1 (aka Honey Monks), Cooks Barbecue, Bridges in Shelby.

That's a pretty good start.

There are a ton of NC places, and if you read the Garner books, you'll get all the info you need.

[cdh]

Thanks to all for the helpful guidance-- the thought is, indeed, a north-south, (or probably more a south-north) roadtrip over a few days, starting in Florida and ending in Pennsylvania (or vice versa) with any reasonable zig-zagging necessary to have a full and worthwhile BBQ tour. I've lived in Texas and know my way around good brisket and sausage BBQ, and I agree that the KY, MO (maybe Memphis) BBQ traditions deserve a trip of their own...

Holly- Will give your site a thorough inspection with hopes of finding inspiration.

Varmint- Will definitely take your recommendations into account in the plottings and schemings. May have to try to make it down to your pig pickin' too, though have no idea if Columbus Day will work with my schedule yet.

Andrew- If you find that SC BBQ book, do let me know... And since I'd bet you're knowledgable, what can you say about BBQ in GA?

For that matter, what about northern Florida? Any good cue styles/traditions there?

[Andrew Fenton]

The SC BBQ book is from the Glovebox series of guides. Still can't find the damn thing, but as I recall, it's a pretty good locator. I don't know the BBQ scene in SC very well: probably the famousest place (and it is very good) is Bessinger's in Charleston.

GA barbecue is-- to be completely honest, and because Mrs. Fenton, the gal from Savannah, doesn't read this website-- not so exciting; it's not as distinct as Carolina-style. I like Harold's in Atlanta (it's right across the street from the federal prison! you know that's got to be good...) There are a couple of good places in Savannah as well: Papa's (in a strip mall, of all places) and Wall's. Johnny Harris is pretty good as well.

To Varmint's list of eastern NC barbecue, I'll add Parker's in Wilson. Get the fried chicken: it rules.

Edited because I hit "post" too early. D'oh!

Edited June 16, 2003 by Andrew Fenton (log)

[jhlurie]

Yeah, Kansas City, St. Louis, Memphis and some good part of Texas seem like another trip--all somewhat connectable too. Of course, those places have food traditions other than BBQ as well, so that future trip can be varied if you want.

[maf]

North Carolina folks are justifiably proud of their BBQ, but that doesn't mean you have to eat burgers until you reach the State line. You would presumably come up I-95. I've tried a few places in North Florida and haven't found any worth a return trip, but there are some decent options once you enter Georgia. You will notice several choices on the gas/food/lodging intestate signs, but ignore them until you reach US 82 just South of Brunswick, where the Georgia Pig is just a few yards East of I-95. The meat is good and smoky and served in a quirky South Georgia style, smashed and toasted in a large hamburger bun run through a sandwich press. The sides are unexceptional, and for some reason they find it annoying if you ask for fries (they don't have them). Avoid the water, which comes from a sulfur well, but it makes for surprisingly good sweet tea. If you venture into the town of Brunswick, Mack's and Twin Oaks are local favorites.

It's then BBQ wasteland until you reach Savannah. There's nothing on I-95 except Don's in Pooler, which purports to be Lexington, NC, style. It's OK, but I'd wait for North Carolina to have the real thing. Savannah (take I-16 about 15 minutes East to get there) lacks a single place that stands out as great, but there are a few with noteworthy possibilities. Johnny Harris has been around for about 70 years but has far too varied a menu to be considered a BBQ joint. Their pork and stew are edible, but the best thing there is the barbequed lamb (Savannah has a fairly large Greek community). Many people like Walls because it's on an unmarked and unpaved alley (called a lane in Savannah) downtown, so you feel like you've discovered a hidden gem. Unfortunately there's no AC, and the pork is pretty average. The deviled crab (made w/ BBQ sauce) and veggies (collards, mac, red rice), however, are very good. The Rib Hut has good meat, better ribs, and in my opinion the best sauce anywhere (ask for the hot BBQ sauce). Go during daylight; you'll feel safer.

If you venture a few miles across the US 17 bridge and head about 20 minutes towards Hilton Head, you'll find the Pink Pig in Levy, SC. I know many people who consider this the best 'que around, but they are apparently fooled by the choice of three distinct sauces, which at least provides some variety. It recently got written up in Southern Living as one of the two best in SC, so it's always possible that I just don't appreciate it as much as those with more refined tastes.

If you can venture a little further off the I-95 corridor, Vandy's in Statesboro, GA, is worth a trip. The meat is good, the white bread is always Sunbeam (it tears straight down the middle) and the brunswick stew is the best I ever had. Gator's in Estill, SC, is also good, although it is more of a Georgia style (meat smoked, then sauce added after cooking).

Georgia is a huge state, and there are many possibilities if you get away from the coast. In general, the further north you go, the more it gets vinegary, like the stuff from Western Carolina.

In South Carolina, you'll want to try the unusual, slightly sweet yellow mustard sauce, which as far as I know is unique to that state. Probably the most famous place for this is Maurice's Piggy Park off I-26 near Columbia, SC (Maurice once ran for governor). Closer to I-95, however, is Sweatman's in Holly Hill (Thursday through Saturday only, I believe). It's quite good, and it's served buffet style (often a negative, but OK here). You can also sample that SC concoction known as hash, which to a Georgian appears to be pureed Brunswick stew served over rice. The South Carolinians appear quite fond of it. You only get one trip through the line, however, so you'll notice the locals using the ribs as some sort of superstructure to get more on their plate. There's also fried pork rind, which is both uncommon and better than you think.

Once you're further north than that, I'll leave to to the locals for advice.

[Varmint]

Thanks for the info, maf. And welcome!! We look forward to more great information such as this.

[=Mark]

You can check out Dave Linebacks NC BBQ Joint Reviews.

[Varmint]

You can check out Dave Linebacks NC BBQ Joint Reviews.

Thanks, Mark. Dave's information could use a bit of updating, however!

[cdh]

Excellent! Thanks for the South Carolina pointers!

[mjshuz]

Skipper Forsyth's Bar-B-Que

2362 N. Garnett St.

Henderson, NC

252-438-5228 (off of I-85south) exit 36

this is the best carolina style que that i have had and my family is in northern NC. but i refer to the sandwiches only: which are not worth a hill of beans without the house made coles slaw.(please no substitutes) 20 miles south of Clarksville, Va.

p.s. if you can find a PIG PICKEN you will not regret it.

[Varmint]

mj-

Please tell us more about this joint in Henderson. Do they cook with wood? What sides (other than the slaw) do they serve?

[Rail Paul]

In South Carolina, you'll want to try the unusual, slightly sweet yellow mustard sauce, which as far as I know is unique to that state. Probably the most famous place for this is Maurice's Piggy Park off I-26 near Columbia, SC (Maurice once ran for governor).

Thanks for the pointers, MAF, and welcome to eGullet.

Maurice Bessinger is a controversial character, and while he makes fine 'cue, some folks wuld have very strong feelings about spending a dime in his shop. His support of segregationist policies, his defense of the Confederate battle flag, and other issues hasn't endeared him to many African-American and other folks. HIs campaign for governor was based partly on appeals to positions on race, on gender rights, and many folks were happy to see the voters turn down his 19th century platform.

For people who are looking for his location in Columbia, just look for the enormous flag pole flying the biggest Confederate flag you'll ever see.

[Varmint]

Paul, the politics of barbecue is often what makes it such an interesting sociological study. Whereas you'll find segregationist places such as Maurice's, you'll often find barbecue joints to be the greatest examples of integration in the South. You'll find your rednecks, your businessmen, black, white, Indian, Latino, men, women and everything else right there in most of the places I frequent. I like the towns that have at least 2 joints where one is the "White Republican" establishment and the other is for the "Black Democrats."

Disagree with proprietors' politics, boycott the places if you want, but keep the stories coming. And, apparently, Maurice found religion and doesn't see his customers as being black or white. I think he just focuses on the green of their money.

[Rail Paul]

Disagree with proprietors' politics, boycott the places if you want, but keep the stories coming.  And, apparently, Maurice found religion and doesn't see his customers as being black or white.  I think he just focuses on the green of their money.

You're absolutely right on that. Only color that matters is green.

I have no principles, I've been to the Piggy Park twice. Great 'cue, but I didn't see any African-American customers either time. Not a one.

I'd just be very unhappy if an African-American or a white person with more principles than me read that review, drove 100 miles, and decided he wasn't gonna walk under a rebel flag. Gotta have a plan B for other 'cue in Columbia, so where is it?

[maf]

Didn't mean to offend. I didn't know anything about Maurice's politics, I just saw the picture of him on the horse when he was campaigning. For an alternative, although the 'que isn't as good, Millendear's is nearby and worth eating.

[Varmint]

Heck, you have no idea what it takes to offend folks here!!! Don't worry about it and keep up the posts!