Classic American barbecue consists of tender, slow-cooked meat enveloped in a tasty sauce, with sides such as beans, greens, cornbread, or salads. Regional takes on this homestyle cooking will vary, making exploring barbecue a fun hobby. The following will help you understand the unique qualities of North Carolina barbecue.

What Is North Carolina Barbecue?

1. Pit Roasting

Authentic North Carolina barbecue, whether “eastern” or “Lexington” style, involves pit roasting pork over wood coals for several hours. This gives the meat a distinctive  sweet, smoky taste that can’t be replicated with gas or electric cooking.

The eastern style cuisine cooks the whole pig, while the other relies on cuts of meat such as the shoulder or the butt. Pork is the meat of choice in this region overall, compared to Texas-style, which is known for its beef brisket. 

2. Minimal Sauce

North Carolina sauces are minimal, compared with the thick, tomato and molasses-based Kansas City sauces (the type of barbecue sauce most are familiar with) or the Texas spice, beef stock, tomato, and Worcestershire glazes.

In the eastern style, their meat is smoked and basted with a combination of vinegar, cayenne, black pepper, hot sauce, and other peppers. This is thought to be brought from the Caribbean by slaves, who substituted vinegar for their native lemons.

Lexington barbecue also uses vinegar and peppers but incorporates ketchup or tomato sauce as well. This tradition was supposedly started by a group of German immigrants trying to replicate Bavarian homestyle cooking. 

3. Sides

Traditional North Carolina barbecue comes with a side of coleslaw, although it varies depending on the area — it’s a creamy, light-colored slaw on the eastern side and a reddish, mellow mix in Lexington.

You might find cornbread alongside the plate, as well. For comparison, Texas barbecue is often accompanied by onions, pickles, and soft white bread, whereas Kansas City eaters like their sides of potato salad and baked beans to accompany the classic coleslaw.

If you are hungry for authentic North Carolina barbecue, check out Carter Brothers Barbecue Ribs & Catering in two locations in High Point, NC. Their savory menu includes homestyle cooking to please every palate, from barbecue pork to steak and chicken pie, along with a full complement of favorite sides. Call (336) 869-9948 for the North Main location or (336) 841-2241 for Samet Drive to order out or inquire about catering. Visit them online to see a full menu.