Smokehouse at Pinehurst Brewery

Most barbecue restaurants I visit are usually historic or legendary. However, for the Smokehouse at Pinehurst Brewery, I wanted to visit before it opened and earned its reputation.

The new brewery occupies the historic steam plant building.

A few days before it opened to the public, I had an opportunity to have lunch as well as take a tour. Beer lovers will appreciate the 10-barrel microbrewery, the focal point of the taproom. More interesting to barbecue fans will be the smokehouse for the restaurant.

The brewery combines old and new architectual features.

Meats -- pork shoulder, beef brisket, chicken, and sausage -- smoked on site with local oak, hickory, and pecan woods are the primary menu items to be enjoyed as sandwiches or plates. They are complemented by four signature sauces: eastern N.C. (spicy vinegar and pepper), western N.C. (sweet and tangy), S.C. mustard, and blackberry habanero. Smoked mashed potatoes, baked beans, coleslaw, mac ‘n’ cheese, and collard greens are among the sides.

A plate of ribs comes with cornbread and two sides (collards and mac 'n' cheese were my choices).

For the Smokehouse at Pinehurst Brewery, another reason to visit is to see its facilities, which occupy the old steam plant for the Village of Pinehurst. Built in 1895, it was decommissioned in 1998 after providing power and heat for homes, businesses and hotels of the village for decades.

Four sauces are available to add flavor to the smoked meats.

The building was fully renovated, but the original brick, façade and steel windows have been kept. Old piping and other artifacts reclaimed in 2016 by Black Dog Savage, an architectural salvage company, are displayed as artwork.

Black Dog Savage saves original features of the steam plant in 2016.

Having another barbecue restaurant that cooks meat slow and low over wood is much appreciated. Even though it’s brand new, it will soon become a destination. The smoked barbecue by itself is reason to visit, but the craft beer and scenic setting are additional enticements.

Original fixtures of the steam plant add to the interior decor.

The smokehouse uses oak, hickory, and pecan wood.

A new smokehouse was built next to the brewery, which occupies the old steam plant building.

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.