Another Whole Hog Cookoff in Fuquay-Varina, NC

A whole hog cooked just before the judges inspected it.

Like many small towns in North Carolina, Fuquay-Varina began as a center for tobacco trade and agriculture. As early as 1990, its population was just 4,500. Since then, the population has doubled every decade. It seems that how much Fuquay-Varina appreciates barbecue has grown just as fast.  

The hog after the judges had inspected it.

One of its main community organizations has been the American Legion post, which was founded more than 100 years ago.  Although it took almost that much time for it to organize its first whole hog cookoff, the post has been quite successful in having one annually since 2019.

Teams set up at the American Legion post in Fuquay-Varina.

I was fortunate to return again this year as a judge at the American Legion Whole Hog Cookoff where 11 teams competed for top honors (first-place trophy and $500) as well as the opportunity to be eligible to compete in the Whole Hog Barbecue Championship held at the end of the competition season. 

The winning team takes home the biggest trophy. Photo: American Legion Post 116 via Facebook.

For each site, each judge completed a culinary scoresheet. The criteria include appearance, color, skin crispness, moisture, meat and sauce taste, and completeness of the cooking site. In addition, the judges verify that each pig is fully cooked and the meat can be served to the public.

Some teams added Halloween decorations to their tables.

The cookoff was sanctioned by the N.C. Pork Council and is part of the Whole Hog Barbecue Series. Each year more than 130,000 people attend cooking contests in the series and enjoy the barbecue prepared by the cooking teams. At the Fuquay-Varina cookoff, plates of chopped barbecue were sold to the public for $10 each as a fundraiser after all the judging activities had been completed. Proceeds from the sale are used to fund scholarships for children, aid and assistance to local needy veterans and their families, and financial support for community programs and projects.

Teams chop their barbecue for sale to the public.

Returning to the Fuquay-Varina cookoff was a special privilege. I appreciate being a judge in the Whole Hog Barbecue Series, and seeing the teams in action as they show off their cooking talents is a great way to spend a Saturday morning.

Grady's BBQ in Dudley, NC

Grady's BBQ in Dudley, N.C.

Because the white concrete block building of Grady’s BBQ in the Dudley community of Wayne County, NC, is such a simple, unpretentious exterior, many people wouldn’t believe how good the food being served on the inside is. It’s a place that could easily be passed by except the many cars parked by the doors at noon indicate that something outstanding is inside.

The wood stack outside tells you that the pitmaster is cooking barbecue the old-fashioned way.

My first visit was during the coronavirus pandemic and only a few days after Grady’s had celebrated its 36th anniversary. It had opened on July 4, 1986. I quickly observed that one of the two doors was exit only; the other one was the only entrance. All food was take-out; nothing was being consumed inside. All the tables and chairs were taped off to prevent anyone from sitting at them except for the one closest to the kitchen where a takeout customer could sit to wait instead of standing. The younger the customer, the less likely he or she was to sit to keep the space available for someone older.

The order line always seems to have several customers waiting.

When I arrived, about four customers were standing in a line in front of the order window that had been partitioned with plexiglass (to create the social distancing important during the pandemic). As I stopped to read a handwritten menu on a wall, another customer came in and joined the line, so I moved behind him as I continued to read. About 10 minutes went by before I could step up to the window and order. It was definitely not fast food, but everyone was patient.

The high sanitation rating over the menu board is a tribute to Mrs. Grady's medical experience.

Behind the window in the kitchen were about five staff members, including the matriarch, Mrs. Gerri (short for Geraldine) Grady, who owns and operates the business with her husband Steve, the pitmaster. She wrote down the orders, took payment, and checked to make sure that they were complete before handing them to customers. Just about every order was for hand-chopped pork barbecue, but turkey, chicken, hamburger steak, and more were also available.

My barbecue dinner with collards, butter beans, and hushpuppies.

Because Grady’s is so famous, I ordered what a typical newcomer orders: barbecue. It was perfect — appropriately sauced in the vinegary eastern North Carolina style. I ordered a barbecue dinner so that I could have two sides and hushpuppies. Nine sides — black-eyed peas, boiled potatoes, coleslaw, potato salad, cabbage, collards (also sold by the pound), butter beans, rice and gravy (yes, that’s a vegetable in eastern N.C.), and green beans — were available. (My choices? Collards and butter beans. So homemade, just like a family reunion!)

Mrs. Grady keeps everything at the order counter moving.

The sides are numerous for such a limited menu. Can you imagine anyone ordering a vegetable plate at a legendary barbecue place? One day I might have to order one (and take the barbecue home). Mrs. Grady has adapted family recipes to serve on a larger scale. As she told Our State magazine, “I try to cook like her [my mother], my grandmother, and my mother-in-law. They were three good cooks.”

My wife's order of fried chicken, cabbage, potato salad, and hushpuppies.

My wife ordered fried chicken with cabbage and potato salad, also with hushpuppies. All were excellent. Because I was saving room for banana pudding, I was disappointed to find out that all had been sold. I settled for a layer chocolate cake, but never has a second choice been so good. I also took home a whole sweet potato pie. Oh, my. It’s one of the best pies I’ve had. Although I’ll return again for the barbecue, banana pudding will be my first selection when I do.

Open only four days a week, Grady's loads oak and hickory coals early on those mornings in its pit built with bricks that form an eight-inch wall. In the afternoons, the pit is quiet.

Grady’s BBQ is a destination for a lot of people — just about everyone is a local but occasionally someone like myself drives for two hours to taste the best of the best. So many have acknowledged the importance of Grady’s in North Carolina’s barbecue history that finally being there makes it seems like I’ve hit a home run. Not even a pandemic can dampen the enthusiasm for being at a barbecue legacy.

Save room for dessert, or take a whole pie home with you.

Golden Tangy and Sweet — South Carolina Style

Traveling in search of excellent barbecue give you a chance to experience different traditions and savor new flavors. When you stop for BBQ in South Carolina, be prepared to appreciate how a mustard sauce can add a tangy and tart flavor that matches well with the sweet taste of pork barbecue. At Melvin’s Barbecue on James Island in the Charleston area, I enjoyed a mustard sauce that has been celebrated since the 1930s.

Mustard Sauce

A mustard sauce is very prominent in the state’s Midlands region — specifically a belt from Columbia to Charleston — where German immigrants settled in the 18th century and brought their common use of mustard. At Melvin’s, the barbecue’s deep golden color and sharp mustard flavor tell you that the condiment is indispensable in preparing chopped pork that is slowly cooked 24 hours on live-oak coals.

The wood pile outside the entrance tells you that the meat has a smoky flavor.

Melvin Bessinger (a surname that has roots in Bessingen, a town near Hanover, Germany), whose name the restaurant carries, learned to make his family’s golden sauce — now marketed as Melvin’s Original Golden Secret Sauce — when he was 10 years old and he watched his father Joseph (1892-1949) prepare it. Success as a pitmaster led him to open a restaurant in 1939 that served only mustard-sauced barbecue.

Three generations of family traditions are packed in each bottle of Melvin's Original Golden Secret Sauce.

First Family of Mustard-Based Barbecue

After service in World War II, Melvin (1923-2012) joined his five other brothers working for their father in the restaurant business in Holly Hill, S.C., before each left to start his own BBQ business in South Carolina’s lowcounty. Melvin moved to the Charleston area where he worked with brothers J.D. and Thomas in a series of BBQ restaurants. Then in 1978 he ventured on his own and opened Melvin’s (not affiliated with any restaurant owned by other Bessinger family members), which now has two locations. When Melvin was 86 in 2009, his son David took over the business.

The signature chopped pork is moist, tender, lightly smoked, and flavored with Melvin's proprietary mustard sauce. This plate includes two sides (slaw and mac 'n' cheese) and cornbread.

The Bessingers are South Carolina’s first family of mustard-based barbecue. The South Carolina Barbeque Association considers the Bessingers to be the most prominent among the families with German heritage who sell mustard-based sauces and mustard-based barbecue. (The family is not without problems. According to The New York Times, Melvin’s late brother Maurice was widely known for his racist views, which became nationally prominent in a case decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. Melvin publicly disavowed his brother’s political and social views and quit speaking to him.)

Extra sauces are available on a counter in case more is desired.

100-Mile Barbecue

Concerning Melvin’s barbecue, the association endorses it as “100-mile BBQ,” or barbecue so good it’s worth driving 100 miles for, and the hash is “100-mile hash,” too. The recipe for hash — served over rice — is somewhat daunting. (It includes pig hearts, livers and kidneys, jowls, brisket, hams, beef shoulders, a hog’s head, and vegetables such as celery, carrots, corn and potatoes, all layered with black pepper and salt in a huge stainless steel pot.)

Melvin's ribs (on a plate with fries and mac 'n' cheese) have a crunchy crust but are tender inside.

Not limited to pork, Melvin’s also offers brisket, burnt ends, pulled chicken and smoked turkey. All regular plates come with two sides and cornbread. In addition to meat plates, Melvin’s also serves a hash and rice plate.

Ribs (this serving with sweet potato souffle and bread) are as popular as chopped pork.

Having more than a dozen Southern sides often causes a delay at the ordering line while customers contemplate the choices. I had to try the country hash with rice as well as the fresh collard greens. (Smoked ham hocks are Melvin's secret for flavoring the collards.) Other members of my family chose sweet potato souffle, homemade mac & cheese, baked beans and baby butter beans — all were good.

After the food has been served, getting everyone to smile for a picture can be challenging.

Four Sauces

A barbecue fan can actually find that mustard, indispensable for the Bessingers, is just one of four sauces that South Carolina BBQ houses may offer. The others are vinegar and pepper (the most popular style along the coast), light tomato (basically vinegar and pepper with ketchup added for sweetness that is popular in the upper middle and northeast regions), and heavy tomato (sometimes called tomato and sugar sauce that is popular in western and northwestern areas).

Melvin’s is a destination for travelers as much as locals. Its recognition by Travel + Leisure, Southern Living, Food Network, National Geographic, Eater and other foodie publications and groups has extended its renown across the country. When you visit, plan to encounter golden barbecue with a tangy and tart flavor.

Melvin's is popular throughout the day until closing time.

Southern Smoke in Garland, NC

Southern Smoke in Garland, NC, is quickly gaining a following. It’s popular not because it is listed on a historic barbecue trail — it’s been in business only eight years — but because its excellent barbecue is smoked in the traditional way over hardwood coals.

By 1:30 p.m., customers are usually no longer standing in line but late arrivals are disappointed if all the barbecue has been sold.

Opened in 2010 by Matthew and Jessica Register, Southern Smoke has brought new life to the small town of Garland, home to fewer than 700 residents, in Sampson County. It is open only two days, Thursdays and Fridays. Business is brisk when the doors open at 11:30 a.m. (and customers start gathering much earlier). When all the barbecue is sold, the lights are turned off until the next business day. Most people “in the know” plan to arrive at least by 12:30 p.m.

Cut oak and a smoker are all that's needed to make customers happy.

When I stopped on a drive from Wilmington, NC, I didn’t arrive until 1:30 p.m. The pile of cut oak wood (next to the famous smoker Jezebel) on the side of Southern Smoke let me know that I had arrived at an authentic barbecue pit. Arriving that late saved me from having to stand in line as is usual for regular customers. Although I was worried that I was too late, I was still in time for barbecue, but the ribs, beans and pies were already sold out. The mac and cheese, which was still available, was a fine complement on the barbecue tray I ordered (with an additional side of coleslaw), but next time I’ll arrive early enough to enjoy some homemade pie. The sweet cornbread, however, made up for the missing pie. 

The hand-chopped barbecue, with two homemade sauces, goes well with sides and cornbread.

Although Southern Smoke cooks only pork shoulders to make its barbecue, the flavor is true to the tradition of eastern North Carolina with a moist, tangy vinegary-pepper taste. Two sauces — Two Brothers (named for the Registers’ sons), a traditional eastern N.C. sauce, and Sweet Grace (named for their daughter), a Memphis-style sauce — are homemade and let you flavor the barbecue to your preferences.

Matthew Register, the pitmaster (right), takes a break from kitchen duties to pose for a photo. 

My wife and I were greeted at the counter by Matthew’s parents, who enjoy their role in serving customers as they arrived. Although Matthew took time for a picture, it was obvious he and others on the staff were busy in the kitchen. Most of the business is takeout, and my wife and I were the only ones to eat on site while we were there.

A large chalkboard lists the menu of the day.

The space inside is too limited for any tables and chairs. Although two picnic tables are out front, we ate in the shaded backyard where the South Supper Series is held. While enjoying our lunch, we looked around at the interesting displays and artifacts — including a hollowed-out classic car that serves as a bar.

An antique Ford Fairlane finds a new purpose as a bar.

The following that Southern Smoke has is well-justified, and I now consider myself one of the admirers. Excellent barbecue smoked over oak coals is definitely a reason to drive to Garland. Next time I’ll arrive early and join in the conversation with other customers waiting in line.

The shaded backyard is an inviting place to enjoy barbecue smoked slowly over oak coals.

Signs in downtown Garland help BBQ fans find their destination.

Pulling into Stubbs and Son in Carthage, NC

In a hurry and want chopped pork barbecue prepared in the traditional style of eastern North Carolina? As you pass through Carthage, NC, on U.S. 15-501, look for a small, plain building on the east side of the highway. Unless you’re heading north, you may miss the large sign facing southward that marks the third location of Stubbs and Sons BBQ that opened in 2017.

The third location of Stubbs and Son BBQ opened in Carthage in 2017.

It’s one of the few BBQ places with a drive-through window. You can pull in, order, get your food, and keep traveling in minutes. I ordered from the window inside the small indoor eating area, but most customers use the drive-through window. Since my lunch – like all food served -- was packed to go, taking home leftovers was easy.

An menu board is next to the inside order window.

The server said that the barbecue is prepared off site at the Sanford (Tramway) location, which opened in 2013 (replacing the previous Jackson Brothers). The other location is near Pittsboro and still carries its original name of Allen & Sons, which owner Jimmy Stubbs has managed for almost two decades.

Although I was in central North Carolina, the first bite of my barbecue sandwich carried me several hundred miles east to where the whole hog barbecue tradition of vinegar- and pepper-based sauce (with no tomato or ketchup added) has its roots. Complementing the meat on the sandwich was a sweet and slightly spicy coleslaw, which is made fresh daily, also in the eastern style.

Chopped BBQ on a bun with coleslaw is a favorite.

However, before I ordered my sandwich, I first ordered the homemade banana pudding, and I also tasted it first. It is swe-e-e-e-t with fresh bananas and vanilla wafers softened by the pudding. I alternated bites of it with bites of the sandwich. I’m sure that everyone doesn’t follow this approach, but for today it was a great idea.

The banana pudding is the best dessert.

Larger meat orders come on a plate with two sides (and a choice of bread – instead of a plain roll, pick hushpuppies, which are excellent). In addition to coleslaw, the sides include the usual potato offerings (fries, salad, etc.) but the fries are sliced fresh daily. Other noteworthy sides include deep-fried corn on the cob and fried okra.

While I was at the restaurant, all but one order was for barbecue. The lone exception was a BLT. However, seafood, chicken, Brunswick stew and other sandwiches are also on the menu.

It's a rare moment when the drive-through lane is empty.

Don’t hesitate to pull into the drive-through when you’re hungry for eastern N.C. style barbecue and you’re in the hurry. Just remember where you’re going because soon your state of mind will be in the eastern part of North Carolina.

Still Serving Like It’s the 1950s

When you walk into Parker’s Barbecue in Wilson, NC, you are met as soon as you pass through the front door -- sometimes by a greeter, frequently by two, and often by a whole host of friendly faces, including young men wearing 1950s-style paper hats who as servers will wait on you soon.

Parker's in Wilson, NC, is a destination for barbecue lovers.

Most customers don’t need a menu when they arrive. After all, Parker’s has been in business since 1946, and little has changed since then. Parker’s serves pork barbecue only one way: chopped. There’s little indication that it will ever change its approach. Why change what has worked well for decade?

Servers wait near the cashiers for customers to arrive.

Although Parker’s is also now known for its chicken and seafood, many customers still arrive hungry for only barbecue, which is slowly roasted every day and infused with Parker’s signature vinegar-based sauce. Each week about 150 whole hogs are cooked (only gas, not wood, has been used since the 1950s).

The kitchen is continually busy throughout the day.

Corn sticks or hushpuppies usually accompany a meal; I got both. In addition, I picked slaw, boiled potatoes and Brunswick stew as the sides for my dinner. The slaw has more “zip” than I had expected, but it combines nicely with the barbecue.

The centerpiece of my dinner is chopped barbecue.

The centerpiece, of course, is Parker’s chopped barbecue. When it arrives at the table, it is drier than a visitor might expect. However, on the table are two bottles of sauce -- both vinegar-based and one with more crushed red peppers -- so that the meat can be moistened to match a customer’s preferences.

Most customers arrive at Parker's with barbecue on their minds, although fried chicken is also popular.

In eastern North Carolina, when you mention Parker’s, most people know that you are referring to the original location in Wilson. However, Parker’s has expanded to nearby Greenville, but the first location is still the destination for many barbecue fans. Until 2018, it was listed on the Historic Barbecue Trail of the North Carolina Barbecue Society but was removed when the trail was limited to historic pits that cook with only wood or charcoal (the original listing may still be displayed on the web.)

The takeout counter always has customers waiting.

Stepping into Parker’s is like going back to the 1950s. Little has changed. Thank goodness.

The menu rarely changes -- this one has been used for more than four years.

Curling Whiffs of White Smoke

As you approach the original Little Richard’s Lexington BBQ [now known as Real Q -- see note below] in Winston-Salem, NC, it’s easy to notice the curling whiffs of white smoke spiraling from the smokestacks. It’s a good sign. Barbecue is being cooked in the traditional manner – over hot wood coals.

Spiraling smoke tells you how Little Richard's cooks its pork shoulders.

Little Richard’s takes its name from founder Richard Berrier who got his start in the barbecue business when he was 13. It cooks pork shoulders – the Lexington style, hence the use of Lexington in its name – with hickory wood on an open pit for up to 10 hours. Then they’re hand-chopped as the restaurant’s dip (sauce) is added.

The parking lot fills quickly when Little Richard's opens.

When I arrived for lunch several minutes before noon on a Monday, the restaurant was busy. Only two tables were available. Glancing at the other tables, I saw that most customers had a BBQ tray (a cardboard boat loaded with chopped barbecue and slaw) or a BBQ sandwich. Even a small tray, which also comes with hushpuppies or a roll, was more than enough for lunch.

My tray was packed with adequate servings of slaw and barbecue.

Although the chopped pork was moist and delicious without needing any extra sauce, I was captivated by the tangy flavor of Little Richard’s own house dip and kept adding more and more to my boat as I ate the barbecue. The dip, mixed every morning, is Little Richard’s select combination of vinegar, ketchup, water, spices, and salt. It is thin and vinegary with a consistency similar to sauces in eastern North Carolina.

The dip recipe is a secret, but the ingredients are listed on the bottles.

True to Lexington style, Little Richard’s offers a vinegary red slaw, which gets its characteristic color from ketchup, with its BBQ plates, trays, and sandwiches. The menu lists “slaw,” with no description -- the implicit understanding is that the mayonnaise-based coleslaw of eastern N.C. barbecue traditions isn’t available because it’s not Lexington style.

Soon after I arrived for lunch, every table was occupied.

The original location, a destination on the historic N.C. Barbecue Trail, opened more than 25 years ago (a second location is also available -- surprisingly and somewhat confusing, several other barbecue restaurants in the area are also named Little Richard’s but are not connected).

The wood pile in back is Little Richard's proof that it cooks its pork slowly over hot coals.

By serving delicious barbecue that is cooked slowly with hickory wood, Little Richard’s is easily achieving its goal of “Eat Mo’ Pig.”

"Eat Mo' Pig" is an appropriate motto.

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Note: The name of the restaurant was changed to Real Q in early 2018 to distinguish it from other area restaurants with the name of Little Richard's that are operated by former partners of owner Richard Berrier.