North Carolinians have been making great barbecue for hundreds of years. But before you place your order, there are a few things you need to know about North Carolina’s favorite food.
Any way you spell it, Barbecue still tastes good
There are about as many ways to spell barbecue as there are people who eat it. Although “barbecue” has become fairly standard, you’ll also find it spelled “barbeque,” “bar-be-que, “bar-b-cue,” and abbreviated “BBQ,” as well as variations of those spellings.
Ordering Barbecue
Although “barbecue” can refer to any meat roasted slowly over coals, in North Carolina barbecue means pork. You’ll usually find chicken or maybe beef on the menu, but if you just say “barbecue,” you’re going to get pork.
East Versus West North Carolina Barbecue
In North Carolina, there are two completely different schools when it comes to barbecue: Eastern style and Western style.
In Eastern North Carolina, from Raleigh to the coast, barbecue means a whole hog cooked over the coals and served with a spicy sauce made from vinegar and red pepper pods. In the Piedmont and Western North Carolina mountains, Western style barbecue is king. Western style is pork shoulder, slow-cooked and served with a thin, slightly sweet tomato-based sauce.
No mater how you slice it (or pull it, or chop it...)
Local Barbecue Restaurants
While you won’t find any Eastern style whole hog barbecue in Asheville, there are a number of places to get great barbecue and ribs, Here are just a few:
- 12 Bones Smokehouse has juicy ribs and barbecue cooked over the coals. They’re only open for lunch during the week.
- Barbecue Inn, located at 1341 Patton Ave. has been a local favorite for years.
- Ed Boudreaux's Bayou Bar-B-Que offers pork, ribs and chicken as well as sandwiches and beer on tap.
- Fat Buddies smokes pork, ribs and chicken daily.
- Little Pigs BBQ, located at 384 Mcdowell St. is another local favorite.
- Luella’s offers pork, beef brisket and chicken.
- Ruby's BBQ Shack has two locations for great ribs, pulled pork and chicken.
Also be sure to see our full Barbecue restaurant listings page.
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