Now everyone stay calm.
A reader, Ty Caston, e-mailed me to say that after a year in Charlotte he's yet to find "a decent place for barbecue."
"I am from Georgia, where there is a BBQ shack on every corner, but in Charlotte I can't even find a place that knows what Brunswick stew is. Any suggestions?"
Oh boy, Ty, you certainly have opened a can of baked beans. People here have very strong opinions about their barbecue.
Let me share my two favorites: Bill Spoon's -- Eastern style -- and Mac's Speedshop -- upscale biker bar. Both on South Boulevard.
I prefer pulled pork to beef brisket. Ribs aren't my thing but I once thoroughly enjoyed them at the famous Dreamland in Tuscaloosa, Ala. I like vinegar sauce if it's not too tart and red sauce so long as it's not cloyingly sweet. And I like to put the slaw on top of the meat.
I asked some colleagues to weigh in. Some did. And some wouldn't -- they are plain tired of the barbecue battle.
Tommy Tomlinson, who's also from Georgia, called Spoon's and Mac's the best in town but "he best in the WORLD is about an hour away to the west (Bridges' in Shelby) and the east (Lexington #1 in Lexington)."
Mark Price shared this:
"Being from Memphis, which is a big pork barbecue place, I've taken much grief over this issue. In Memphis, they had barbecue places all over, like they have hamburger joints in Charlotte. When I first moved to N.C., I lived in Fayetteville, in the eastern part of N.C. and they served this vinegar-soaked slop called barbecue. Tasted more like the innards of a well-roasted scrub pine.
When I criticized the alleged barbecue, I was told that people from Memphis like 'ketchup on their barbecue,' which alluded to the fact that we like sauce you can see and taste, rather than the vinegar-kerosene mixture preferred in Eastern N.C.
Anyway, I find that the barbecue is a little more edible in Charlotte, and I prefer Mac's on South Boulevard to most places. In Lexington, I go to the Bar-b-que Center, where the barbecue is pretty darn good. They also have this red colored slaw, which something we never had in Memphis.
One more big complaint: Here, "baked beans" are warmed over Van Camp's Pork & Beans that settle on your plate like brown sludge. In Memphis, baked beans have barbecue sauce, along with onions, spices and chips of fresh cooked pork. I don't even order beans in this state any more, because it's like something from a Chef Boyardee can."
OK, people, bring it on. What are your barbecue suggestions?
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
No good barbecue? What?!
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42 comments:
My problem lies in the labeling of "eastern style" as just the vinager base sauces. But the entire style of Eastern NC BBQ is different starting with the cooking. Real Eastern NC BBQ uses the entire pig, layed out across the grill or smoker. Not just pork shoulders, as everyone in this area uses. If you want to try true Eastern NC BBQ, try B's Barbecue in Greenville, NC.
Does anyone know any true eastern joints near Charlotte?
Well said, Mr. Price!
I personally appreciate all kinds of BBQ, you just have to like them for they are. Outlaw's in Matthews is good as is the Rock Store in Stallings.
The best Eastern style is when my husband smokes a pig.
As a Georgia girl I can honestly say I've never had good Brunswick stew at any BBQ place in NC.
So go back to GEORGIA if it is sooo much better there!!!!!!
Yeah yous go back to georgia before you ruin our yankee home here in Sharlotte
About an hour and a half west of here is the best Bar-B-Que known to man....Hickory Log Barbeque in Forest City...Anyone else been there?
Having lived down the street from B's bbq in Greenville, i can vouch for that comment. Chaps down in Kinston was great as well.
Never had good eastern BBQ in Charlotte.
Charlotte native Q Fan .......
Eastern NC = whole hog, vinegar based sauce (example includes B's or any of the BBQ joints east of the Triad)
Western NC = typically a picnic (or shoulder), base sauce is vinegar with a touch of ketchup (Lexington BBQ is the prime example)
As far as BBQ in Charlotte, I like several places but for several reasons or dishes in particular.....
Old Hickory House on N. Tryon - more like Texas style Q but they do pork (I think they do brisket as well - thats true Texas style) both have a thick tangy sauce, but the real attractions here are the Brunswick Stew and Baked Beans...quite possibly the best in town.
Bill Spoon's on South Blvd - this is Eastern NC Q in the Queen City
Mac's - when catering a mixed non-NC crowd a safe bet to please all
I personally like Monk's place... Lexington BBQ down business 85 about an hour east of Charlotte, this is pig sandwich nirvana. Also try Bridges BBQ in Shelby.
One of my favorites is Old Hickory House on North Tryon
gotta go to RO's in Gaston County for BBQ Slaw though
Funny how someone from Georgia can complain about bbq which differs from state to state and region to region and it is OK but GOD FORBID if someone else complains that they can't find good pizza or bagels and the southerns freak out. Shows their true colors I guess. Pretty sad that over 200 years later your still living the Civil War. If your not from the south, they don't like you! I don't care what anybody says, they do not like you! Even if they do not know you personally, no matter how nice you are, the minute they hear your voice it is all over. Pretty sad...
Eastern NC barbeque cannot be found west of Wilson, NC. Parkers and Bill's are where Eastern NC BBQ was invented.
Outlaw's in Matthews has awesome ribs, if you count ribs as "barbeque".
Smoked pig with red sauce is just nasty. If you want red sauce, put it on beef.
Civil War anonymous
The Civil War ended about 143 years ago, not over 200.
and I disagree more with Mr. Price then I do with a lot of northern comments in different forums.
Mac's is an overrated Chic BBQ place. The food is good, but it's not a BBQ joint.
Go to Bridges in Shelby and see the stacks of wood outside. Or to Lexington, or Gary's BBQ in China Grove.
Locally, head one exit north of Concord Mills to R&R BBQ off Pitts School Road or go to a company function at Oehler's (pronounced Ay-lers) in Mallard Creek
The Smithfield's Chain in the eastern part of the state is good for Chain BBQ
143 years, 200 years, whatever. It was a long time ago - time to move on.
Anon @ 10:42-
If that comment was directed at me my comment was about Brunswick stew, not BBQ.
Anon @ 6:07
Am I the only one who misses Rogers. Best barbecue, slaw, and corn pones I ever had. Used to have three Charlotte spots. The stuff was great.
y'all need to hit up Greg's BBQ in Matthews.
i always stock up on the BBQ cooked by the boy scouts around town-best you'll get in Charlotte, and they have great brunswick stew.
Wilbur's in Goldsboro - best Eastern NC BBQ hands down
Wilbur's is pretty good but the best bbq is Smithfield's. yes its a small regional bbq chain but that just proves they're doing it right. Country BBQ in Greensboro aint bad either. Locally, it has to be Mac's, though that could be because I havent traveled an hour to eat pulled pork.
Outlaw BBQ Shack in Matthews is AWESOME...truly the real deal!
...ah the timeless BBQ debate. If you are looking for "eastern" style try Elliot's in Matthews - Windsor Square. Mac's is certainly good but doesn't really fit the mold of either style of NC barbecue. If you are near Mac's around lunchtime, go around the corner and try Gone Hog Wild. Very tasty.
I have yet to develop my taste - don't know the difference between eastern and western yet. When we moved here from Texas, it took a long time for us to figure out why all the BBQ places had pictures of pigs on the signs.
Come on people...enough with the civil war...it's over...we lost! Good Q is good Q. and bad Q is simply unacceptable. Want to know who has the best Q...do your own research. That's the fun of it. I've done my esearch...tried them all and Outlaw BBQ Shack in Matthews is the one for me. They do it right. Smoked all night over Hickory. Hand pulled...not chopped into mush...what is with you people wanting mush anyway. Give me some meat! Their ribs are incredible. Real beef brisket. Whoever it was that was writing about Gregs and Elliots you really need to try Outlaw. It's on a whole different level. Also, you all need to look at some of the suggestions. Without naming names some mentioned don't even cook their own. And others don't even use smokers...dare I say they use gas and electric. Get real. If your recommending one of those places you really need to keep that to yourself. As they say, better to keep quiet and let people think your stupid than to speak and remove all doubt.
Mac's is pretty good but it can barely be called a biker bar any more, except for bike night. Some of the best I've had comes from the Vol. Fire Depts. but it can be hit or miss. I travel to Texas a good bit and I was really surprised at the difference. Not a bad thing at all. I'm pretty easy to please as far as BBQ goes. I would like to know of a place with good stews and BBQ slaw. I can't stand slaw with mayo except on a hotdog.
On a side note with regards to the N vs S thing. I, my dad, his parents and their parents were born in Charlotte and I have lived within an hour my entire life. I have no problem with you folks from north of the M.D., as long as you are not complaining constantly about the south, which I see more on these blogs than from people I actually know. Some of my best friends are from Pittsburg, Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Green Bay. I'd like to encourage my fellow Southerners to hold off on making any judgements based on someone's accent. I think most of the Northerners I meet are really good people.
pretty narrow-minded and childish to say that only BBQ from some town in Georgia is any good. I love all kinds of BBQ but can honestly say that I have never even heard of Georgia style BBQ, what the hell is it? Eastern NC BBQ uses a vinegar sauce because the flavor of the meat takes care of itself, doesn't need much else. On that note there is no such thing as BBQ in Atlanta, other than Fat Matt's Rib Shack but that's not even pulled pork. As for CLT, it is not the best place but try Bill Spoons, Old Hickory House, or Bubba's.
Spoon's has awesome Brunswick Stew. Can't really say I have had any of the so called "legendary GA stew" but I think it's awesome. Also, try Bubba's off 77,which i think is owned by the late Bill Spoon's brother. Kyle Feltchers in Gastonia is also a great place to get good BBQ and if you are a UNC fan you will love the decor.
I'll second the mention of Bubba's on Sunset. You can't go wrong. They have good hushpuppies too!
its just barbecue, don't put it up on a pedestal like its a supernatural feat. At the end of the day its cooked pig, either good or not good depending on your personal taste. Not "sublime", "transcendent", "divine", or whatever crap adjective you get from a thesaurus.
Also if you're from the general Carolinas/GA region you're going to like what you're used to or what you grew up with. No different than pizza and people that are "from NY so they know good pizza". No, you know what you like. Get over yourself. You move somewhere else, you get used to the local style.
And if you don't like it, don't go home. Stay here. Hows about opening up your own shack and make it better? Or find someone who can. Then maybe you can drive these places that serve "crap" or "slop" out of business, and you won't be forced to eat there anymore.
As far as I am concerned, anything pulled or stewed is for old toothless people, and I'm not there yet.
Can't beat a good sliced brisket or beef rib at Mac's or pork ribs at many other places. Having said all that, probably the best ribs I have had were at Fat Matt's (hole in the wall) Rib Shack in Atlanta.
For those who don't like ribs, remember this - "The closer the bone, the sweeter the meat"!
http://rosbbq.com/whole.htm
R.O.'s Bar-B-Cue
BBQ Slaw and a cherry lemon sundrop YUM!
I would agree with RO's in Gastonia...also, Kyle Fletcher's in Gastonia has the best BBQ I've tasted!
Kyle Fletcher's is really good and if you want something different, they make great cheeseburgers and onion rings.
Bridges barbeque in SHELBY is the best BArbeque that I have tasted in all of North Carolina; Ask from Browns if you like it well done; They are the BBQ kings period. The drive to Shelby is a wonderful nature scene also. After you eat BBQ try Chimney Rock State park for a nice time. BRIDGES BBQ is featured on North Carolina weekends. I just went last weekend.
A New BBQ from Albama is now in Steele Creek and it has a wonderful reputation and can be found on the WEB. JIM and NICKS from Alabama. opening real soon.
To many People not from the South are trying to make BBQ , please cease and desist before People taste the wrong kind of BBQ; Its like defaming the BIBLE when you make BARBEQUE wrong.
FYI At least for the near future, barbecue/barbeque/Bar-B-Que/BBQ/ however you spell it MEANS PORK in the Old North State, and most other states in the southeast.
Its fine and dandy if you like ribs or brisket or even chicken for pete's sake, but those things are spelled out on our menus. When you order barbecue it means pork - pulled, sliced, chopped, minced or otherwise.
I'm sorry to have to break it to you, but this fact will not change quickly. Its several hundred years in the making.
Oh, and the reason you hear about these places that cook electric or gas is because of city code. Inside our fair city's limits, restaurants are governed by code that restricts cooking methods. It can still be good. Of course the smart ones cook it off premises.
The Brunswick Stew at Mac's in Charlotte is fantastic in my opinion... The BBQ is good and at times I thought it was great but over time either I have eaten it too much or it isn't as good as it was. The buns are often rock hard on the sandwich, how can they not notice this when they plate them up? Yeah I know this was suppose to be about the food but if some of the servers, yes you are pretty and all, but if you didn't treat us like hey if you leave there will be another customer in 2 minutes then maybe we would come more often... We do bring our out of town friends there though and they all love it.
-T
Howdy fellas and ladies. I really like my cue. I like Hannahs bbq if your headed up to lenoir. I had the Q-shack in the ballantyne area and it wasn't half bad. Elliots will feel you up and the hospitality is great. and it hurts me to say but for some reason i kind of like sticky fingers. i know its a chain and all but pretty decent que that you dont have to worry about being clean. oh and the boys from the rock shop are great guys.
Eastern style is definitely best. Tomato and mustard-based sauces mask the flavor of the BBQ. The best I've had, and probably the best hush puppies too, is a place called Moore's on Hwy 17 in New Bern. It's the real deal. People say Wilbur's is good, but I don't get it, it seemed like all gristle to me. And I can do without the Brunswick stew. It's too heavy to compliment the BBQ as a side. What's in there anyway, all the scraps? All you need is the BBQ, hush puppies, and some good slaw.
I grew up in Shelby, and had barbecue from one of the Bridges (Alston on NC 18 and "Red" on US 74) about once a week. They both learned from Warner Stamey from Lexington. For me, the red slaw is as important as whatever you do to the meat. These days I usually eat at Alston's when I go back.
I like Stamey's in Tyro, Stamey's in Greensboro (owned by a Mrs. Bridges), Lexington Barbecue, and the transitional style with unique red slaw at Whispering Pines in Albemarle. I currently live near Kyle Fletcher's, and eat there fairly often if I didn't eat barbecue in Shelby that week.
The best Brunswick stew in NC is cooked on winter weekends by churches in Rockingham and Caswell Counties. They use big black wash pots and cook all night. It's worth the trip up there.
Last year I took a barbecue-eating tour of the Kansas City area courtesy of a friend with whom I used to explore Carolina barbecues before he moved back to Kansas. It was all great, too.
Oh, and if you can't decide what style of barbecue you like, try Butts on the Creek in Maggie Valley. They have good food and all kinds of barbecue sauces. Be sure to get fried corn on the cob. No, I'm not making that up.
The problem with all of you people that have commented is that you have NEVER had real BarbeQue like we have in the Barbeque Capital of the WORLD..Lexington, NC. Just ask the several 200,000 people that grace our streets yearly for the BBQ Festival. Eastern NC Barbeque can never hold up to ours..Chjeck it out..We're on I-85 midway between Salisbury and High Point
Re: Outlaw BBQ Shack....I Ate there today - it was OK; wasn't impressed. The slaw was nothing more that store bought...horrible! They do have a great concept - the BBQ "sundae" - an 8 oz cup layered with baked beans, BBQ, and slaw (which I promptly removed). It amazes me that some BBQ joints mainly focus on the meat and not the sides. The slaw is an important factor - especially when on sandwiches. Nothing beats the good ole red style BBQ slaw that is homemade!! When you go to a restaurant - you want all of it to be good, not just 1 item! EB's in Indian Trail slaw is store bought as well as Rock Store BBQ! Go to Bubba's or Spoons where it is all homemade and all good!
We gotta disagree Auggie. We started out with Outlaw's Sampler Pack..a bit of everything, ribs, bbq, brisket, chicken w/ sides. While we didn't have cole slaw, the baked beans, potato salad and macaronia salad definately tasted homemade. As a matter of fact, my son said it was the best potato salad he has ever had. We frequent Outlaw at least twice a week and are HOOKED!!! LOVE IT....five stars!
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