to include Fuller's BBQ in Lumberton. The Q is very "light," like the other white meat, not overwhelmed with vinegar, grease, or red pepper. Personally, I'd like a little more of a smoke flavor, but I really love how clean their Q is, no trash, gristle, fat, etc.

Admittedly, the fact that it is served on a buffet with incredible homemade liver sausage, fry bread, and amazing sides like mac and cheese, greens, cabbage, pole beans, etc. just seals the deal. Not to mention fried shrimp, shrimp scampi, fried scallops, and steamed oysters, too. But this is not a "lifetime achievement" award or a buffet award, this is admission into the Pastor's Porcine Pantheon, along with Moore's and B's on the coastal plain. Kudos to Fuller's. It's aptly named - when I left I was much fuller than when I arrived.

(Besides, Fuller Locklear opened the restaurant in 1986).

BTW, the Eastern Piedmont Pantheon dwellers are the Fire Pit in Wake Forest and Bart's Old North State in Chapel Hill, currently being served at the Rec Room. I have nothing whatsoever against the Lexington style, but I don't include any Q joint in the pantheon until I've eaten their Q TWICE, and on the rare occasions I get to travel West I sample new places. Hursey's in Burlington, Hendrix in Salisbury, Scottie's in Maiden, and College in Salisbury are also under consideration. I recently ate at Duke's BBQ (poor choice of a name, BTW) in Ridgeland, SC. Good mustard-based sauce.

Never any room for all the deserts they put out. And always remember the slaw is with the salad selections. But that's the Fuller's off I95 (I want to say exit 22).

I'd mentioned this before but while heading up to Richmond from Charleston to visit family, we either stop at Fuller's or Ralph's for lunch depending on how far we've gotten.

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--- therabidrev wrote:

to include Fuller's BBQ in Lumberton. The Q is very "light," like the other white meat, not overwhelmed with vinegar, grease, or red pepper. Personally, I'd like a little more of a smoke flavor, but I really love how clean their Q is, no trash, gristle, fat, etc.

Admittedly, the fact that it is served on a buffet with incredible homemade liver sausage, fry bread, and amazing sides like mac and cheese, greens, cabbage, pole beans, etc. just seals the deal. Not to mention fried shrimp, shrimp scampi, fried scallops, and steamed oysters, too. But this is not a "lifetime achievement" award or a buffet award, this is admission into the Pastor's Porcine Pantheon, along with Moore's and B's on the coastal plain. Kudos to Fuller's. It's aptly named - when I left I was much fuller than when I arrived.

(Besides, Fuller Locklear opened the restaurant in 1986).

---------------------------------------------

gasser, iirc. Ate there once a few years ago...seemed
bland and smokeless, but at least it wasn't too dry.

Shorts Sugars in Reidsville.

Make a special trip. You want regret it.

As far as BBQ buffets go it is tough to beat Casey's in Wilmington. If going on BBQ taste and quality IMHO there is none better than Wilber's in Goldsboro.

Does anybody know if Jimmy's BBQ is still open in Sunbury, NC. I used to go there from time to time in the early to mid 80's and it had some great Que.

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--- BBQNut wrote:

gasser, iirc. Ate there once a few years ago...seemed
bland and smokeless, but at least it wasn't too dry.

---------------------------------------------

The overwhelming majority of Q joints east of Lexington are "gassers." That's a shame, but welcome to our world. All of the other places mentioned in my pantheon cook on wood or charcoal for at least part of the cooking time.

I myself, depending on my schedule have been known to make "Pot-Smoker's BBQ" which is cooked for a time in a smoker (Green Egg or Brinkmann) and part of the time in a Crock Pot. You may say that's a crock, but it makes some good, smoky Q, and smoke is the key flavor I usually savor in BBQ.

"Light" BBQ is an abomination. I moved to Lenoir last year and have to make my own smoked pork shoulder BBQ because that homogenized, tastless, colorless, wimpy BBQ is what they sell here. My BBQ has bits of "stuff" in it and while you might not always be too sure what it is - darn it tastes good and my sauce, eastern style, will light you up if you're not careful. That's BBQ!

---------------------------------------------
--- LeeDee wrote:

"Light" BBQ is an abomination. I moved to Lenoir last year and have to make my own smoked pork shoulder BBQ because that homogenized, tastless, colorless, wimpy BBQ is what they sell here. My BBQ has bits of "stuff" in it and while you might not always be too sure what it is - darn it tastes good and my sauce, eastern style, will light you up if you're not careful. That's BBQ!

---------------------------------------------

Lee, this is why we don't all like the same Q places! And that's OK, God gave us all different palates and preferences. I have lived in both Caldwell and Catawba Counties, and I enjoyed the Q at what was once called Fat Daddy's or Big Daddy's (across from Hickory Speedway), along with Smoky Creek BBQ somewhere near Baton, and Sims BBQ in Dudley Shoals, somewhere vaguely in the vicinity of Greater Metro Granite Falls. Besides, I liked the bluegrass at Sims. ;-)

(pronounced bloo-GRACE)

BTW, though it's a little downhill hike from Lenoir, try Scottie's BBQ in Maiden, just a block off Main Street in the Biggest Little Football Town in the World. They cook with wood, and it tastes great. But if you have a really strong Eastern bias you may not like the sauce. I tend to be somewhat of a BBQ universalist: if my mouth likes it, I don't care where it came from, or whether or not God forbid it might contain a small amount of mustard or ketchup along with the predominant vinegar, as preferred by my Catawba Valley Kraut ancestors.

Like the Frainch say: bony ape-tit, or something like that.

My hobby is motorcycle day trips that often feature lunch at BBQ places few ever heard of. Fact is, just about every town in NC has one or more BBQ joints - that's a lot of BBQ. Sadly to me, the increasing trend is for a finely chopped mound of nothingness that you could just about eat through a straw.

I watched one of those BBQ cook-off tv shows and the eastern carolina BBQ entry came in dead last. IMO, they got what they deserved. I could see what they served was the equivalent of what Coors Light is to beer.

I'll grant different strokes for different folks but in my world a real plate of BBQ can have something hiding in it that's a bit disgusting. It's a good thing.

---------------------------------------------
--- therabidrev wrote:


---------------------------------------------
--- LeeDee wrote:

"Light" BBQ is an abomination. I moved to Lenoir last year and have to make my own smoked pork shoulder BBQ because that homogenized, tastless, colorless, wimpy BBQ is what they sell here. My BBQ has bits of "stuff" in it and while you might not always be too sure what it is - darn it tastes good and my sauce, eastern style, will light you up if you're not careful. That's BBQ!

---------------------------------------------

Lee, this is why we don't all like the same Q places! And that's OK, God gave us all different palates and preferences. I have lived in both Caldwell and Catawba Counties, and I enjoyed the Q at what was once called Fat Daddy's or Big Daddy's (across from Hickory Speedway), along with Smoky Creek BBQ somewhere near Baton, and Sims BBQ in Dudley Shoals, somewhere vaguely in the vicinity of Greater Metro Granite Falls. Besides, I liked the bluegrass at Sims. ;-)

(pronounced bloo-GRACE)

BTW, though it's a little downhill hike from Lenoir, try Scottie's BBQ in Maiden, just a block off Main Street in the Biggest Little Football Town in the World. They cook with wood, and it tastes great. But if you have a really strong Eastern bias you may not like the sauce. I tend to be somewhat of a BBQ universalist: if my mouth likes it, I don't care where it came from, or whether or not God forbid it might contain a small amount of mustard or ketchup along with the predominant vinegar, as preferred by my Catawba Valley Kraut ancestors.

Like the Frainch say: bony ape-tit, or something like that.

---------------------------------------------

ya'll are making me hungry. I sense a trip to New Bern in the next couple days before tax season really gets cranked up.

Rev, you know I loved Fullers!!! When I was at school and worked in Lton, would go there often, had a few friends that worked there too. Worthy addition to your Pantheon!!!

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--- goheelsgo03 wrote:

ya'll are making me hungry. I sense a trip to New Bern in the next couple days before tax season really gets cranked up.

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Moore's!

bullseye, exactly

---------------------------------------------
--- therabidrev wrote:



---------------------------------------------
--- goheelsgo03 wrote:

ya'll are making me hungry. I sense a trip to New Bern in the next couple days before tax season really gets cranked up.

---------------------------------------------

Moore's!

---------------------------------------------

---------------------------------------------
--- LeeDee wrote:

My hobby is motorcycle day trips that often feature lunch at BBQ places few ever heard of. Fact is, just about every town in NC has one or more BBQ joints - that's a lot of BBQ. Sadly to me, the increasing trend is for a finely chopped mound of nothingness that you could just about eat through a straw.

I watched one of those BBQ cook-off tv shows and the eastern carolina BBQ entry came in dead last. IMO, they got what they deserved. I could see what they served was the equivalent of what Coors Light is to beer.

I'll grant different strokes for different folks but in my world a real plate of BBQ can have something hiding in it that's a bit disgusting. It's a good thing.

---------------------------------------------
--- therabidrev wrote:


---------------------------------------------
--- LeeDee wrote:

"Light" BBQ is an abomination. I moved to Lenoir last year and have to make my own smoked pork shoulder BBQ because that homogenized, tastless, colorless, wimpy BBQ is what they sell here. My BBQ has bits of "stuff" in it and while you might not always be too sure what it is - darn it tastes good and my sauce, eastern style, will light you up if you're not careful. That's BBQ!

---------------------------------------------

Lee, this is why we don't all like the same Q places! And that's OK, God gave us all different palates and preferences. I have lived in both Caldwell and Catawba Counties, and I enjoyed the Q at what was once called Fat Daddy's or Big Daddy's (across from Hickory Speedway), along with Smoky Creek BBQ somewhere near Baton, and Sims BBQ in Dudley Shoals, somewhere vaguely in the vicinity of Greater Metro Granite Falls. Besides, I liked the bluegrass at Sims. ;-)

(pronounced bloo-GRACE)

BTW, though it's a little downhill hike from Lenoir, try Scottie's BBQ in Maiden, just a block off Main Street in the Biggest Little Football Town in the World. They cook with wood, and it tastes great. But if you have a really strong Eastern bias you may not like the sauce. I tend to be somewhat of a BBQ universalist: if my mouth likes it, I don't care where it came from, or whether or not God forbid it might contain a small amount of mustard or ketchup along with the predominant vinegar, as preferred by my Catawba Valley Kraut ancestors.

Like the Frainch say: bony ape-tit, or something like that.

---------------------------------------------

---------------------------------------------

Lee, my wife and I also love to hop on my big Honda 1800 VTX and go on BBQ bike cruises. In our neck of the woods, that'd be Durham, Louisburg, Butner, Wake Forest, Rolesville, Chapel Hill, Knightdale, etc.

Going to be in Greensboro this week in a trade show at the Coliseum. Will have to hit Stamey's at least once!

McCalls barbecue and buffet.

---------------------------------------------
--- therabidrev wrote:


---------------------------------------------
--- LeeDee wrote:

My hobby is motorcycle day trips that often feature lunch at BBQ places few ever heard of.

---------------------------------------------

Lee, my wife and I also love to hop on my big Honda 1800 VTX and go on BBQ bike cruises. In our neck of the woods, that'd be Durham, Louisburg, Butner, Wake Forest, Rolesville, Chapel Hill, Knightdale, etc.

---------------------------------------------


Nice to see fellow bikers. I just sold my '02 Heritage (with 102K), bit the bullet and bought a '13 Road Glide Custom. When we left the dealership we went to Wilbur's and let that smokey goodness ease the pangs from my aching wallet, lol. We DID have to sit with our backs to that disgusting moo mascot on the wall so we could keep the Q down, BTW.

Just an FYI.... the Roxboro location of Hog Heaven got padlocked by the landlord last week. One less place for me to eat during my current consulting gig in Timberlake, doggoneit..

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--- planneral wrote:

McCalls barbecue and buffet.

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They have good food, but they also advertise on the Wolpfack sports network, maybe trying to one-up their neighbors at Wilber's.

Has anyone tried Pik-N-Pig in Carthage?

As much as I despise Durham I have to say Bullocks makes some good smoked BBQ.

Just saw a story on N.C. weekend about Cherries in Elm City . Does anyone know anything about them?

Any thoughts on the BBQ in the mountains? 12 Bones is excellent!

..... and that is enough for me to not give them the business.
GTH NCSC!!!!

---------------------------------------------
--- therabidrev wrote:



---------------------------------------------
--- planneral wrote:

McCalls barbecue and buffet.

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They have good food, but they also advertise on the Wolpfack sports network, maybe trying to one-up their neighbors at Wilber's.

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My understanding is one owner is a Carolina fan and the other is an aggie fan.

I agree with Fuller's. Grew up in St. Pauls so ate there more than a few time.

Went to an event yesterday that was catered by a place called Prissy Polly's in Kernersville. What was interesting is that they offered both eastern and Lexington style Q, as well as both red and white cole slaw. Don't know of any other place that gives you a choice. I live in the mountains where eastern style is not available, so I had that. Not the best I've ever had, but it was decent. Don't know what the actual restaurant is like, but it's nice to know there is such a place available if you are with a divided group.