Sam Jones Knows Eastern Carolina BBQ

The chopped pork sandwich is served with slaw on a potato bun. Photo: Sam Jones BBQ.

Any barbecue fan who visits Raleigh, NC, usually asks about Sam Jones BBQ because the owner/pitmaster is so well known in food circles. Jones descends from a family that has prepared whole-hog BBQ the right way — cooked slow over a wood-fueled pit – since grandfather Pete Jones opened a restaurant in 1947 at age 17.

Chopped—not pulled—is the Jones family way. Photo: Sam Jones BBQ.

The grandson of the founder of the legendary Skylight Inn in Ayden, NC, Sam Jones has not fallen far from the family tree, although he has taken his family’s barbecue skills into two other cities — first to Whiteville in 2015 and next to Raleigh in 2021. Even before venturing into these two locations, Jones was named “one of the top pitmasters in the South” by Southern Living magazine back in 2012.

An old auto body shop was transformed into a BBQ destination. Photo: Sam Jones BBQ.

In Raleigh, Jones converted an old auto body shop into a smokehouse and dining room. His team cooks 180-pound hogs in a wood-fired pit for 16 hours every day. The BBQ is seasoned just right, not overly sauced, and chopped (not pulled) with crunchy bits of skin. In addition to chopped pork BBQ, Jones also serves smoked spare ribs, turkey, and chicken.

A traditional Jones family tray of chopped BBQ also comes with a side (here sweet slaw) and cornbread. Photo: Visit Raleigh Insider.

One family tradition that often meets with mixed reviews from first-time customers is the cornbread, which follows the original recipe that dates to 1830 from Skylight Inn. (Some diners skip it and order the sweet potato muffin instead.) Long-term diners consider it an essential part of the full Jones family experience. The cornbread, unsweetened and dense, is made with little more than cornmeal mix and water. A thin slab with crisp edges and a chewy texture, it is a marked contrast to sweeter Southern cornbread that is fluffy or cakey.

The cornbread is unsweetened and dense.

The sides are as good as the BBQ. Sweet slaw, mac ‘n’ cheese, collard greens, and baked beans are popular choices. The best advice is not to leave without trying the banana pudding. Alone, it makes a trip to Sam Jones BBQ worthwhile.

Don't leave without a serving of banana pudding.

A third-generation pitmaster, Jones knows how to serve eastern N.C.-style BBQ. His perfectly smoked, chopped whole hog barbecue continues a time-honored family tradition. chopped pork with slaw on a potato bun.

Sam Jones is a third-generation pitmaster. Photo: Sam Jones BBQ.

Fuller’s During a Pandemic

My takeout order of barbecue with chicken pastry, turnips (greens), and fried cornbread.

The coronavirus pandemic that began during the winter of 2020-2021 has affected so many aspects of everyday life. The restaurant industry, in particular, has been hit very hard. As many favorite barbecue places have struggled to stay open, dedicated and long-time customers show their support by visiting frequently. 

The buffet station at Fuller's still offers many favorites, except now servers assist customers.

To reduce the spread of the virus, in-restaurant dining was initially prohibited before being restricted to a reduced occupancy. Because most restaurants don’t have any outside dining space, the amount of customers that they can serve is very limited. Customers stay the required “social distance” of six feet from others whether standing in line to order or sitting at tables, and they also wear masks (except when they are eating or drinking) as do the servers. In addition, servers regularly disinfect surfaces, including menus, and work behind plexiglass dividers when customers may have close contact such as at a checkout counter or cash register.

Fuller's in Fayetteville, NC, is still a popular destination, although the parking lot is not as full as before the pandemic.

Fortunately, the quality of the food at barbecue restaurants doesn’t seem to be affected by the pandemic. That explains why Fuller’s Old-Fashioned Bar-B-Q in Fayetteville, NC, continues to have a steady stream of customers, albeit much slower than before the pandemic. When I visited its location in the western part of the city on Raeford Road, more than half of the customers ordered takeout rather than dine-in (where trips to the buffet counters have always been unlimited). Although I had decided in advance to take out (until I receive the virus vaccine, I’m avoiding all dining-in situations), I couldn’t help but be envious of the customers who were enjoying their food inside and returning frequently to the buffet station. 

The dessert station is still self-serve but is no longer as plentiful as before.

However, what once were several buffet stations in a central area with an extensive variety of barbecue and other protein, sides, and desserts where customers left with mounds of home-cooked food on their plates is now limited to a small station with fewer choices. Servers wait on customers there and prepare their plates—a change from pre-pandemic procedures when customers served themselves without any help at the bountiful stations. 

The "front end" of Fuller's during the pandemic isn't used.

Watching customers mingle at the stations and take their time as they decided on what to take was part of the enjoyment of eating at Fuller’s before the pandemic changed so much. The atmosphere now in the restaurant seems so lifeless as customers waiting for their take-out orders stand quietly and avoid any social contact. There is no spontaneous banter among the servers and customers, so unusual for Fuller’s, which has been family-owned for more than 30 years. Its “regulars” always seemed to know each other and share special greetings. 

Let’s hope the pandemic ends soon and everyone, whether a server or a customer, can enjoy each other’s company. Let’s also hope that our favorite barbecue places can survive and continue to serve all the barbecue and sides that we want.

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.

Opening Day and a Dream Come True for a Pitmaster

Eating at a new restaurant on its opening day can be disappointing – what will go wrong, will the food be good? However, at the new barbecue restaurant of Jerry Stephenson Jr., being there on opening day was worth the drive – finding pulled pork and ribs that have garnered awards on a very competitive barbecue circuit.

The Redneck BBQ Lab is the dream come true for Jerry Stephenson Jr. after years of catering and competitive barbecue cooking.

Stephenson has achieved his fair share of fame as the pitmaster for Redneck Scientific, a competitive cooking team that has won repeatedly at cookoffs sponsored by Kansas City Barbeque Society. In five years, Stephenson’s team has won 16 grand championships, 6 reserve grand championships, and 6 perfect scores (of 180), a rare achievement. It has also placed in the top ten more than 250 times for the individual categories of chicken, pork, ribs, and briskets at these contests.

Trophies and awards won by Stephenson's cooking team on the competitive barbecue circuit are proudly displayed above the serving area.

Located in space previously occupied by a Dairy Queen in a building anchored by a gas station in McGee’s Crossroads, NC, just off I-40, Stephenson’s restaurant will soon be attracting barbecue fans traveling on the interstate as well as expanding his local followers developed during the past few years by his catering business. The new restaurant should also bring more barbecue fans into McGee’s Crossroads, where historic Stephenson’s BBQ has been in business for more than 50 years (and operated by a different Stephenson family – no relationship to Jerry).

Stephenson relaxes between conversations with customers on opening day.

When I arrived, a steady line of customers was waiting to place their orders – not bad for the first day. I recognized several customers -- barbecue judges and pitmasters -- from KCBS contests. “That’s the biggest compliment that I can receive,” Stephenson said when I asked him about how many KCBS members had come to opening day -- some as far away as the Charlotte area to the west and Jacksonville to the east (which made my 70-mile trip seem short).

Order a sandwich or take home a pound (or more).

For lunch, I ordered a pulled pork sandwich, which comes topped with slaw, but without sauce. On the tables is a vinegar sauce, traditional in eastern North Carolina, that seemed to be the choice of local customers. Also on the tables is a thicker, sweeter, tomato-based sauce that Stephenson uses at KCBS cookoffs and has been indispensable for his high contest scores and multiple awards. I alternated between the two as I ate the sandwich but clearly preferred Stephenson’s competition-style sauce.

A sandwich with perfectly cooked pulled pork piled high and topped with slaw makes the trip worthwhile.

For supper, I took home a half rack of ribs (with cornbread). As excellent as the pulled pork was, the ribs were even better. They were moist, tender, and perfectly prepared. When I ate them later that night, they reminded me of the best ribs found at KCBS cookoffs. In fact, I was glad that I was not judging at an event so that I could eat more than one rib. (At a contest, a judge receives only one rib from a cooking team and usually can take only two or three bites of the sample to have room to taste other entries – although ribs this good are saved and eaten, if not after the category has been judged, soon after the contest has ended.)

Ribs (with cornbread) taken home for supper were moist, tender, and perfectly prepared.

The restaurant doesn’t serve hushpuppies -- a minor disappointment, although I somewhat agree with the reason that Stephenson gave me: “We don’t need hushpuppies -- all you need is barbecue.” He also said, “Hushpuppies don’t go with collards -- cornbread does," and his cornbread is excellent. (Collards is one of the sides available daily on the menu.)

Although the draw to the restaurant is competition-winning barbecue, the restaurant offers several sides: collards baked beans, green beans, BBQ potatoes, jalapeno mac and cheese, and slaw.

For opening day, Stephenson told Raleigh food writer Andrea Weigl that he would be smoking 450 pounds of meat. In addition to pulled pork and ribs, the restaurant also serves chicken and brisket (although it had sold out of the brisket when I arrived). After I got my takeout order, ribs were also sold out, at least for a few hours until more could be prepared.

On the wall is Stephenson's definition of "redneck," which names his restaurant and cooking team.

Stephenson is living a pitmaster’s dream -- opening his own restaurant and having a dedicated group of followers show up on opening day. It’s a dream that will continue to make many customers very happy.

Fair warning: Don't show up too late or the "sold out" sign might be on.

The Capital of ‘Cue

The drive to Ayden, NC, had been a journey I wanted to take for some time. I initially became aware of the small town in rural Pitt County because it’s the home of the official N.C. Collard Festival, a four-day extravaganza in August. The town of fewer than 5,000 expands with several more thousands who line the streets to watch the annual parade and participate in other festival events.

The silver dome marks "the Capital of Barbecue."

Throughout the rest of the year, the historic Skylight Inn attracts almost the same large crowds. It boasts that it’s “The Capital of Barbecue” and even proudly tops its building with a dome replica of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC. Some of Skylight’s bragging rights date to the 1980s when founder Pete Jones went to the Washington, DC, and defeated a team from South Carolina in a barbecue cooking contest. In addition, National Geographic has proclaimed that Skylight Inn is the “capital of ‘cue,” and the N.C. BBQ Society starts its barbecue trail at Skylight.

Chop, chop, chop are the sounds you hear when you enter the Skylight Inn.

The signature chopped whole hog (with the crisp skin mixed in) is seasoned with a little salt, pepper, vinegar and hot sauce and nothing else. When you walk in, you hear the constant rhythmic sounds of chop, chop, chop. As you stand in front of the counter, you watch as a huge pile of pork barbecue is chopped by a member of the kitchen staff. The chopping board is part of the spectacle of Skylight Inn, but it also conveys a message, just like the “Hot Now” light at Krispy Kreme. Whole hogs cooked had been cooked all night (for about 16 hours) in open brick pits heated by scoops of hot coals.

A historic family recipe is used to make the skillet cornbread.

The skillet cornbread tastes just like the mid-1800s because Skylight Inn uses a family recipe that dates to 1830 and the initial creation of Skilten Dennis, an early ancestor who began cooking whole hogs in the area. Made with drippings from barbecued hogs, the dense bread is somewhat greasy, soft on the inside but has a crust on the outside.

A tray of barbecue includes cornbread and cole slaw -- everything made according to family traditions.

Often referred to as “Jones’ Barbecue” in deference to Pete Jones, who began the restaurant (as well as the other Joneses who have followed him), Skylight Inn is unpretentious -- except for the big dome on top. The menu still reflects his character and offers a choice of a BBQ sandwich or tray. Money is also handled in an old-fashioned way – piled on the back counter rather than being placed in a cash register. Having not changed since 1947, Skylight Inn, named by Pete Jones after his experience of flying small airplanes from the airstrip behind the restaurant, remains authentic to its traditions.

Bruce Jones (left) introduced himself to me as the "father of Samuel ... and son of Pete."

When Pete (born Walter B. Jones but always known by his nickname) died in 2006, his son Bruce embraced the challenge of continuing the family’s barbecue traditions. Now the notoriety has been passed to his son Samuel, who in an interview with A Chef's Life said, "If the sign says BBQ and you don't see any smoke, you probably ought to keep on driving. In fact, when I met Bruce Jones, he introduced himself as the “father of Samuel, the young one featured on the cooking shows, and son of Pete.”

Skylight Inn is one of the few American restaurants that displays a James Beard award.

Even with the expanded recognition, the display wall of mementos near the counter doesn’t seem to have been updated since the early 1980s. On a far wall is displayed with little fanfare a medal from the James Beard Foundation, which celebrates and honors the nation’s diverse culinary heritage. The foundation selects the most beloved regional restaurant each year by bestowing the America’s Classic designation, which Skylight received in 2003. The award recognizes timeless appeal and quality food served at a locally owned and modestly priced restaurant that reflects the character of its community.

The letter from N.C. Gov. Hunt proclaims Skylight Inn as the "king" after winning the contest in Washington, D.C.

The visit to Skylight Inn is like a journey back in time. It is an American classic that earns its high praise for good reason.

The woodpile in the back is
proof of traditional cooking.

Coals are made in the fireplaces.

The line of customers frequently
extends out the door.

The pit is where good cooking happens.