A&M Grill

[Varmint]

I stopped for lunch today at a barbecue restaurant that I hadn't visited for years, the A&M Grill in Mebane, NC. This is one of the classic "western"-style barbecue restaurants in the state, slow cooking shoulders over wood. It might be 15 years since I've been there, and seeing it's only a couple of miles off of I-85 between Durham and Greensboro, I really couldn't remember why it's been so long since I visited.

I ordered a chopped tray that consists of chopped barbecue, slaw, and hushpuppies. I also ordered the obligatory sweet tea. I was excited, as the wood smell in the parking lot totally overwhelmed any diesel fumes from the passing 18-wheelers.

Well, one look at this barbecue, and I remember why I stopped coming: they oversauce this stuff to death. Yes, the barbecue is wonderful -- tender, moist, and plenty smoky. But for once I've reached an agreement with Steven Shaw, who always complained:

My problem with North Carolina is that it's all about finding the best pig you can find, slowly smoking and roasting it over hardwood coals for hours and hours until it's the best pork you've ever eaten in your entire life, and then basically putting it in a blender with ketchup and making it into a beverage. Why would anybody want to ruin perfectly good barbecue by chopping the #### out of it and mixing it with all that stuff so you can't taste the meat? At most of the places, especially the WNC ones, I can't imagine the customers would notice if boiled pork shoulder (or even Chilean sea bass for that matter) was substituted.

Yup, the sauce completely overwhelmed this pork. So now I'll remember that I will return to the A&M Grill. I will order barbecue, and I may get the chopped plate (they also offer it sliced, which might not be a bad way to go). But I will absolutely, positively and without hesitation tell them to bring the sauce on the side. So why don't you go to the A&M Grill, and just follow my advice!

[BrentKulman]

Well, one look at this barbecue, and I remember why I stopped coming: they oversauce this stuff to death.  Yes, the barbecue is wonderful -- tender, moist, and plenty smoky. 

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You are absolutely right. I was there last week and while the meat was wonderful (I didn't find it over chopped) not only is it over-sauced, but the sauce is terrible. Unlike the classic Lexington dip, the sauce was a combination of a thick, gooey tomato sauce and vinegar. It would make inferior Q inedible.

[Kevin Weeks]

chopped

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Varmint,

Chopping BBQ just ain't right -- it's like praying in a casino -- BBQ should be pulled.

But either way over-saucing has killed more 'Q than any other sin.

Kevin

[Varmint]

chopped

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Varmint,

Chopping BBQ just ain't right -- it's like praying in a casino -- BBQ should be pulled.

But either way over-saucing has killed more 'Q than any other sin.

Kevin

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I won't argue with you on that point other than to say that those who have had really good NC barbecue (including what I served at my pig pickin' in 2003), had no problems with it being chopped.

[Foodie_Penguin]

Thanks for the warning. One of these days I'll get round to making it to the A&M Grill in Mebane.

Foodie Penguin

[wcmckinney]

It should be noted that the allure of the A&M Grill for me has always been their cole slaw which is rather unique....not necessarily delicious but unique. They make sort of a Russian Dressing with mayo and ketchup to mix with the cabbage, carrots, etc.