The International BBQ Cook-off In North Carolina Is Everything You’ll Want To Do

If you consider real ‘BBQ’ to be a pork shoulder cooked over hickory wood, you’re in luck because this week it’s a contest over whose-who is the best of the best. Known as ‘Lexington-Style’ it’s only natural this nationally known concept would host a competition in the area it originated.

International teams will be cookin’-off  at the 5th annual BBQ Capital Cook-Off in Lexington.  The fun starts this Friday at 5PM at 207 East 3rd Ave. and continues into Saturday in which samples, and awards will be given.

How about some live music to accompany your ribs, chicken, and briskets? Darrell Harwood, Eric and the Chill Tones, Shane Pruitt Band, and Trae Pierce and the T-Stone Band will all be playing.

You will be able to sample food from both local and regional eateries, admission is free.

Incase you were wondering, this tasty but fierce competition has a prize purse of $16,100.

So of course, there’s Lexington BBQ, but lets take a walk down memory lane, in which the history of North Carolina BBQ runs so deep…even the law had to get involved.

Wikipedia

North Carolina barbecue is traced back to original settlers and African Americans living on plantations.

Flickr / Chun Yip So

Pig pickins' are an integral, and important part of NC culture. They transformed BBQ into a social gathering.

Flickr / Krista

Called a 'lighthearted' feud from some (wrong) sources, this serious debate has agonized North Carolinians since barbecue's smoky inception.

Flickr / Krista

Lets start with Lexington style. Sometimes called 'piedmont' style, Lexington BBQ is found in the western and piedmont region of the state. Lexington style uses a vinegar-based 'red' sauce and only the 'shoulder' of the pork. Each recipe varies, but is typically seasoned with ketchup, vinegar, and pepper. The 'red' sauce serves a base for coleslaw, 'red slaw' or 'barbecue slaw' depending on what you call it. This red slaw uses the red sauce in place of a mayonnaise base.

Flickr / Krista

Next is the 'Eastern style' barbeque. Known for using the 'whole hog' cept' the squeal, this BBQ is seasoned in a vinegar and pepper based sauce. Lets repeat together, absolutely NO tomato. Mayonnaise ( or whipped salad dressing) almost always makes up the coleslaw base.

In 2006, North Carolina House Bill 21, and North Carolina Senate Bill 47 were introduced igniting the controversy over which style of BBQ would be deemed 'official.' Clearly, both styles wanted reign over the entire state, but us natives know that's never going to happen. Yet, what other state would propose a bill over barbeque? Spoiler alert, in 2007 NC House Bill 433 gave the Lexington Barbecue Festival the title of "Official Food Festival of the Piedmont Triad Region of the State of North Carolina." Yet, this really helped nothing.

Flickr / Southern Food Ways Alliance

While this sounds like something a girl would say to her boyfriend, baby, the BBQ debate gets REAL here. I mean, if congress had to get involved, and no 'official' means were ever met, it's safe to say that the East vs. West battle is here to stay.

Pretty interesting stuff, huh? Don’t forget about the BBQ cook-off  – it is this Friday, 5-10PM, and Saturday, 10AM-7PM.

Now…in the comments, I want you to tell me which side you’re on and WHY it’s better….remember guys, lets be nice…

1,2,3…GO!