The Outer Banks Guide to BBQ
Use our guide of the best Outer Banks Restaurants serving North Carolina Style BBQ and be the judge of what’s best. Eastern vs. Western Style Barbecue.
What is North Carolina Style Barbeque?
North Carolina BBQ is a pretty important part of the state’s heritage and culture, not to mention can be the subject of a good dose of rivalry. That’s because here in the Cradle of ‘Cue – the Barbecue Capital of the World – there’s more than one way to cook barbecue.
Where to Get the Best BBQ on the Outer Banks
The Great Divide: Eastern vs. Western NC Style BBQ
The N.C. General Assembly even got in on the feud a few years back about which style of barbecue was the “official” Tar Heel version – the Lexington-style (or western) or the Eastern style.
Lawmakers couldn’t agree on the two styles, both which are pork based but the differ in the sauce and preferred cuts of meat.
Lexington-style, also referred to as Piedmont-style, is cooked in a red sauce made up of ketchup, vinegar, and pepper and consists of pork shoulder. It’s served up with red slaw, which includes the same sauce, and hushpuppies. Lexington-style barbecue tends to have a smokier taste compared to its eastern rival.
Over here on the eastern side of the state, we prefer to hold the tomato. Eastern-style barbecue uses just about every edible part of the pig, which is cooked in a vinegar and pepper-based sauce that gives it a distinct spicy tartness.
