lexington N.C.

Metalhead

anyone ever hear of the BBQ fest in lexington north carolina?

That is where my younger sister and I are going today

her husband got sick and couldn't make it so me being a great second choice got asked

I have not been out there yet but I have somewhat less
than high exspectations considering that I just came out of one of the best fest eggsperiences ever

wish me luck

p.s. if this qualifies as a stupid post them march on down and smack me in the side of the head....STanley

dhuffjr

I just did a quick look to see if it is a KCBS event and didn't see a contest. Sounds like a local festivil....tis the time of year for festivals.

My mom is from that area. Ray's road trip book describes some restruants in the area. The Blue Mist outside of Asheboro is a place I ate at as a kid all the time when we went up to visit.

Fidel

It is supposed to be one of the largest BBQ festivals out there. I have never been but saw a special on FoodTV or possibly Travel Channel a few months back.

Prepare for a lot of pulled pork with vinegar sauce and cole slaw.

I hope the weather holds up for you, long drive up there for a day trip to be spoiled by rain.

Desert Filly

you'll be driving within about 10 miles of my folks house. They live in Salisbury. I'll give them a call now and tell them about the festival.
safe driving

Celtic Wolf

Lexington is Western NC Style BBQ. It's Tomato based.

Fidel

Just going from memory on the show I watched, and numerous recipes all over the web, that indicate one of the main ingredients for lexington style BBQ dip is cider vinegar. Most recipes call for 2-3 cups of vinegar to 1/2 cup of ketchup.

Wikipedia states:

"Lexington-style barbecue is made with pork shoulder cooked slowly over a hardwood fire, usually hickory wood. It is basted in a sauce (called "dip" locally) made with vinegar, ketchup, water, salt, pepper and other spices. The actual ingredients will vary from restaurant to restaurant, with each restaurant's recipe being a closely guarded secret. While each is vinegar based, the taste varies widely from tangy to slightly sweet or spicy." emphasis added Citation

Celtic Wolf

Wiki isn't always right..

NC BBQ

More NC BBQ

There is more if you care :laugh:

Fidel

From your own sources:

"Western-NC/Lexington-Style definitely uses a real sauce, of which heavy doses of ketchup are added to the vinegar base universally"

"The big difference between eastern barbecue and western - or Lexington-style, as it's sometimes called - barbecue is that ketchup is commonly added to the sauce"

Just because they add ketchup doesn't make it tomato based.

Celtic Wolf

Western-NC/Lexington-Style definitely uses a real sauce, of which heavy doses of ketchup are added to the vinegar base universally

Trust me dude this is an argument that goes on in my home state all time.

Fidel

They argue this kind of thing in New York?

Kidding Pete, kidding.

I understand your point completely, but tomato based sauce in my world has always been the thick syrupy sweet KC style.

Celtic Wolf

Western NC Sauce is thicker.

Metalhead

well.............I am home...or should I say back to the hotel room

here is the gist of the festival.....several BBQ restaraunts are famous in this area....all of the restaraunts smoke up there meat , mix it together and sell pulled pork sanwiches with cole slaw on top


the festival REALLY is a craft show with BBQ sammies to sample along the way...P.S.....you pay for what you eat

if you are into walking up and down a small hometown main street and trying a mix of everyone's BBQ mixed together then this is the fest for you

I'd rather stayed at home and cooked a brisket while painting the house or doing laundry

BoardSMITH

Lexington style pork barbecue is a tomato based sauce which has vinegar mixed in for kick. Eastern style pork barbecue sauce is a vinegar based sauce with tomatoes mixed in for sweetness. Each restaurant has their own special sauce that is a trademark for the particular restaurant. Each recipe is guarded like the KFC recipe.

Yes they mix everyone's pork together so no one can claim to be the star of the show. All the flavors meld together to make some of the sweetest and most flavorful pork barbecue this side of Raleigh.

It is a celebration of pork barbecue, not a craft show. I was an exhibitor there and take exception to that statement. The vendors were there as an addition to an already good event which is listed on the Travel and Tourism site as in the top 20 food festivals nationwide. A great event and one a lot of people look forward to and plan for a year.