When a Favorite BBQ Place Goes Up in Smoke…

The initial scene photographed by the neighbor who heard the explosion. Photo by Tim Searchfield in The (Southern Pines, NC) Pilot.

 
A barbecue place on fire captures everyone’s attention and is the top news in a small community. In Carthage, N.C., a town of slightly more than 2,000, the favored Pik-n-Pig was destroyed overnight when a fire broke out early on Sunday, May 30, 2021. 

Firefighters work before dawn to put out the fire. Photo: Carthage Fire & Rescue.

Pik-n-Pig was one of my local favorite spots. (See an initial post here.) It was a place to savor slowly smoked barbecue cooked over hot coals in the traditional way. It was also where I took out-of-town company who wanted to have a real North Carolina barbecue experience. Nothing was more authentic than Pik-n-Pig, even though being located next to an active runway make it seemed like it was a gimmick made for a TV special. 

A photo of the entrance that I took in 2020.

Later in the morning when the fire had been extinguished, the owners posted on the restaurant’s Facebook page how devastating the destruction was. Soon, more than 1,000 people had clicked the “sad” emoji (no one clicked “like), more than 600 shared the post, and over 350 posted comments about how important the restaurant was to them and expressed their sadness. A Go Fund Me page was started by the community with an initial goal of $20,000. When it was quickly reached in a day as donations of up to $1,000 were contributed, the goal was raised to $40,000.

Damage is clearly evident in the early morning light. Photo: Carthage Fire & Rescue.

When barbecue is cooked slowly over hot coals, the risk of unintended consequences is always present: hot grease here, flare-ups there, floating cinders that can ignite anything flammable. Even after the cooking is over, danger can lurk undetected for hours. The Carthage Fire Chief estimated that 75 percent of the restaurant was on fire when the first firefighters arrived at 3:45 a.m. 

The fire caused extensive damage to Pik-n-Pig. Photo: Patrick Priest via WRAL.com.

The restaurant had survived more than a year of the 2020-21 pandemic restrictions. Inside service was suspended for a while, and it relied on takeout orders and later outside seating to stay in business. Now that restaurant limitations have ended in this area, the dedicated local following had been returning there in numbers that seemed greater than before the pandemic. Pik-n-Pig was appreciated that much.

Several hours later, the restaurant's property is secured by the firefighters. Photo: Carthage Fire & Rescue.

When a favorite BBQ place goes up in smoke, the whole community comes together. It tells stories about when they had been there and how important the food was to them, children blow kisses for good luck that the place will reopen, fundraising efforts start to provide seed money for the business to recover — and everyone mourns the loss. 

An aerial view shows that the fire spared little from destruction. Photo: Patrick Priest, Sandhills Sentinel.

Barbecue is more than simply food. It brings people together too.

My barbecue plate with two sides and a corn muffin last year when only outside dining at Pik-n-Pig was available.

Franklin, NC: Finally a Barbecue Cookoff

Teams were well-situated in an attractive setting.

The 2020-21 coronavirus pandemic shut down many activities, barbecue contests included. Traveling to new locations and judging barbecue in scenic locations has been a great hobby, and I was very disappointed when I had to suspend my judging activities. After being fully vaccinated and with contests being held again, I ventured on the road for another barbecue contest after an 18-month gap. The first opportunity to judge was in Franklin, NC. 

Franklin is a small town of fewer than 4,000 residents in western North Carolina that is only a few miles from the border with Georgia. Chartered in 1855, the town was developed on the site of the large Cherokee town of Nikawi after the Cherokee had been forced in 1819 to cede their land in this area to the United States. 

Cooking teams had plenty of space at their scenic sites to set up.

Contest Series 

The cookoff in Franklin is one of 20 events in the Rufus Teague Throwdown series this year. Top cooking teams at each cookoff receive cash prices. In addition, points scored at each contest determine the top winners of the series in two divisions—pro and backyard—which receive additional prizes. The title sponsor is Rufus Teague, a brand of BBQ sauces and meat rubs as well as specialty snacks.

The Rufus Teague brand of sauces is the series sponsor.

All events in the series are held at campgrounds and recreational vehicle parks in the Southeast where the teams are required to stay at least two nights. In Franklin, the event was held at the Great Outdoors RV Resort, which has 63 sites and three cabins built into the side of a hill on the outskirts of town. The resort is in an attractive wooded setting and has scenic mountain views. Its clubhouse served as the location for all judging activities. 

The clubhouse where the judges convened looks over many sites at the resort.

Throwdown in Franklin 

For the cookoff in Franklin, 17 teams completed, although usually at least 30 teams compete in events in this series. The small number of teams required fewer judges than usual, and I was fortunate to be one of them. Most judges seemed to be from North and South Carolina but a few were from Florida and Georgia. The teams also included a few from Tennessee. 

Rooters-N-Tooters, the team on the left, came in second overall in the contest and also placed first in the chicken category.

The contest adhered to the safety protocols of the Kansas City Barbecue Society, which sanctioned the event, and judges were wearing facemasks indoors when they weren’t actively judging meat. They were also separated by twice the “social distance” usually at a contest. 

All judging activities were held in the resort's clubhouse.

Being in Franklin was more than enjoyable after such as long wait to judge again at a cookoff. Seeing barbecue events slowly return to the schedule is encouraging to judges as well as the cooking teams. Hopefully, as the pandemic becomes less of a public risk, more activities can be held.

Was this sign made for judges, cooking teams, or other campers?

Looking for Smoke and Finding Barbecue

A pulled pork sandwich by pitmaster Joe Kelso.

[Note: This post, prepared originally for Sandhills Magazine and published in its April-May 2021 issue, is hosted on the magazine's website, with excerpts and a link to the website posted here.]

When family members and guests visit from out-of-state and want to taste authentic N.C. barbecue, where do you take them? The choices are more numerous than you may realize. Do you want to impress, go to a casual Sandhills spot, take a short road trip to a legacy location, search for one of the ubiquitous barbecue food trucks, or visit a competitive cookoff? 

The Impressive 

Nothing is more impressive than watching small planes land and take off on an active runway next to where you are enjoying hickory-smoked barbecue slowly cooked over hot coals. Head to Carthage where Pik-n-Pig, located at Gilliam-McConnell Airport, has created a dedicated following for its pulled pork that is smoked for up to 10 hours. Although the meat is served naturally moist, you can enhance the flavor with a homemade hot-spicy (vinegar-based) sauce or a sweet honey sauce (that is tomato-based). The sides are excellent, but make sure to save room for banana pudding. 

Because some out-of-towners want to combine barbecue with a craft beer (or two), Pinehurst Brewing Company in the century-old steam plant building is a favorite destination to impress. Smoked over hickory and oak coals, its pulled pork shoulder pairs well with its signature barbecue sauces, which include a creative blueberry habanero, as well as its distinctive beers.

Continue reading at Sandhills Magazine and also see an earlier post about pitmaster Joe Kelso and Smok'n Joe's BBQ that are mentioned later in this post ...

A Barbecue Food Truck Rolls into a Small NC Town

Up in Smoke BBQ sets up in Southern Pines, NC.

 Barbecue food trucks seem to be multiplying. They serve an increasing number of people wanting their beloved barbecue while the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the restaurant industry are brought under control. Although the restrictions that limit how many customers on-site that restaurants can serve are slowly being lifted, trucks may have found a long-term opportunity to connect with barbecue fans even after the pandemic has ended. 

Trays of pulled pork inside the truck are ready for orders. Photo: Up in Smoke via Facebook.

Up in Smoke BBQ 

In downtown Southern Pines, NC, on the premises of Hatchett Brewery Co., Up in Smoke BBQ set up one weekend to offer good-tasting barbecue to beer fans who otherwise wouldn’t have had anything substantial to eat. Also known as the BBQ Bus (although it’s really a trailer with a bus logo painted on it), Up in Smoke BBQ and other barbecue trucks that locate at a craft brewery have found a good partner, and all can benefit from mutual promotion. The menu varies with each event, but barbecue is always served. 

The menu usually includes ribs but always includes pulled pork.

Although Southern Pines restricts food trucks in its central business district, permits can be obtained in advance with a little thoughtful planning. The restrictions are designed to protect brick-and-mortar restaurants that pay property taxes from competition with trucks that have lower expenses. However, a barbecue food truck isn’t competition for restaurants and bars that generally don’t serve barbecue. If a truck doesn’t roll in, barbecue is not available. 

My pulled pork order with two servings of coleslaw.

Truck Menu

When I was at Up in Smoke BBQ, the truck was continually busy serving customers who were entering and leaving the craft brewery. Most customers probably were more focused on beer than barbecue, but for me, my concentration was totally on the pork. The popular choice was pulled pork, which is what I ordered. It was excellent, and several sauce options were available. 

The BBQ bus logo is very prominent on the trailer of Up in Smoke.

Finding good barbecue on food trucks is no longer a rare experience. Let’s hope that they keep rolling.

Smoking Barbecue on a Food Truck

Smoke coming from the truck is a good sign, not a bad one.

Finding a food truck that serves amazing pulled pork is a special discovery, particularly during a coronavirus pandemic when many people don’t want to eat indoors and are compelled to maintain “social distances” as recommended by public health authorities. 

Barbecue Food Truck 

As I was driving in the Sandhills of North Carolina, the smoke spiraling from a red food truck caught my eye even before I saw a sign with big black letters simply stating, “Bar-B-Que.” It was a place that I had to stop. 

The cooker stays busy for many hours. Source: Smok'n Joe's BBQ via Facebook.

After talking to Joe Kelso for a few moments, I knew that I had unexpectedly met an authentic pitmaster who knew the secrets of slowly smoking pork and who was rightly proud of his work. With an earlier assignment to write an article about local barbecue for Sandhills Magazine, I was in the right place at the right time to collect information for the article. 

Pork shoulders are cooked slowly for a long tie. Source: Smok'n Joe's BBQ via Facebook.

Barbecue and Baked Beans 

Kelso, who has been cooking barbecue for decades, operates The Rocking Pig, a food truck that features Smok’n Joe’s BBQ. The truck revives the name of a former barbecue place in Maxton, NC, that is now closed. Smok’n Joe’s BBQ gives a special identity to the barbecue made by Kelso and a nod to his genius at the smoker. 

My to-go plate of pulled pork barbecue with baked beans, potato salad, and coleslaw.

The menu of the truck is simple: pulled pork barbecue generously moistened with a vinegar-based sauce. A plate comes with baked beans, coleslaw, and potato salad. The beans deserve special mention because they are heartily enhanced with extra pulled pork. They were so good that I went back to the truck and ordered a large container to take home after enjoying my plate. 

A pot of baked beans is ready for customers. Source: Smok'n Joe's BBQ via Facebook.

Permanent Location 

Unlike most food trucks, The Rocking Pig is stationary and does not move from site to site. It’s always on the west side of US Hwy 1 between Aberdeen and Pinebluff, NC. Kelso says he’s avoiding “the rodeo” of moving from place to place such as breweries and shopping centers so common for other food trucks. 

If the sign says, "Bar-B-Que," perhaps you should stop. Source: Smok'n Joe's BBQ via Facebook.

Don’t be surprised when you find excellent barbecue at a food truck. It all depends on the skill of the pitmaster.

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.

Pik-n-Pig with a Flightline View

Pik-n-Pig in Carthage, NC, is known locally as the place to find excellent barbecue. It has also gained a growing reputation for being the place to fly into for great smoked pork. Not every barbecue restaurant can brag that it serves pilots and their passengers who simply walk over to it after they have landed.

Summer of Cue

My visit to Pik-n-Pig coincided with the Summer of Cue (#SummerofCue) promotion, launched on social media by the N.C. Pork Council to encourage barbecue fans to support BBQ restaurants during the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. Although I visited Pik-n-Pig before I realized that the council had featured it on their blog, reading their comments later made me feel like I was visiting the restaurant again. (At the time of the post, fans had visited more than 50 N.C. barbecue restaurants.)

The order station outside the restaurant while interior dining is closed.

Family-Run Business 

Pik-n-Pig is truly a family-run business from the pitmaster to the servers and others in the kitchen that draws on four decades of smoking experience by three generations of the Sheppard family. They are well known in the Sandhills area for serving great food in an amazing atmosphere. The restaurant is located by the runway of Gilliam-McDonnell Airfield, which is privately owned but open to the public. (If you plan to fly in, be alert to the 75-foot trees that surround the airport.) Whether it’s time for lunch or dinner, you can always count on a few private planes to circle the airport, do touch-and go’s, or land and join the crowd eating barbecue.

My barbecue plate with two sides and a corn muffin.

Barbecue Restaurant 

To make their pulled pork, Boston butts are slowly smoked for up to 10 hours over hickory coals. The meat is always tender and juicy, and two sauces – one spicy, one sweet – were available. My pulled pork plate came with two sides—red slaw and butter beans (brown!) with corn—and a corn muffin. The choices of sides are extensive. The red slaw is unusual for this region of the state; it’s more traditional in western areas. I always order the plate, although I’m usually tempted by the BBQ sundae—pulled pork layered in a jar with baked beans and coleslaw—which has been served at the N.C. State Fair for years.

Normally served in a mug, the banana pudding is in a takeout container (the dishware of the pandemic).

Although Pik-n-Pig is first and foremost a barbecue restaurant, I’m not the only person who also comes for the banana pudding. It’s the perfect complement to a barbecue meal, whether it’s a sandwich, plate, or sundae. If only every barbecue restaurant would serve banana pudding that’s so good! Maybe it’s another reason that people fly here!

My wife's Pie Tin Nachos with pork and cheese.

With the coronavirus pandemic still not under control in this state, the inside dining area was closed. Not a problem for Pik-n-Pig! The covered patio outside is more than adequate and is the best spot to watch planes land and take off, and extra tables are next to it on the lawn. My wife and I usually eat outside anyway on a weekend to enjoy music by a local group, such as The McKenzie Brothers.

A photo taken in 2016 during quieter moments shows the covered patio with windsock and nearby aircraft hangers.

Watching the windsock near the covered patio flap in the breeze is also entertaining and a reminder than the airport has no control tower, so pilots have to be vigilant not only of the wind direction but any local traffic as well. After two planes had parked while we were eating, their pilots and passengers walked over for lunch. What a way to find a place to eat!

Smoking meat for hours over wood coals earns Pik-n-Pig a coveted sport on the N.C. Historic Barbecue Trail.

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve eaten at Pik-n-Pig. In recognition of how Pik-n-Pig cooks using the old-fashioned pit method, it has been added to the N.C. Historic Barbecue Trail of the N.C. Barbecue Society. Visiting it is definitely worth a drive (albeit only a short one for me) or a fly-in.

A daily menu board supplements the regular menu.