Food & Drink

Comments

• Barbecue finishing school

  I'll occasionally add a few drops of Texas Pete to my barbecue. The vinegar and salt in it link up nicely with the flavors of the sauce. I staunchly oppose coleslaw in all forms and contexts, but I'm always open to a little mayonnaise.

  Posted by Jimmy Ryals September 28, 2011 16:11:34

• No wrong answer

  I don't think there's a right or wrong answer when it comes to how you like to finish your barbecue. As a rule, we tend to like what we grew up with. Now, speaking for myself, I confess to having a soft spot for barbecue served in a big pool of vinegary sauce. It doesn't NEED it (when done well, it can stand on its own), but I like my barbecue dripping out the sides of the bun. With coleslaw on top.

  Posted by Matt Shipman September 28, 2011 14:10:57

• And the Debate Begins...

  Great post! Let the debate begin about finishing the meat! Mustard, Vinegar, Ketchup, or Sweet Barbecue Sauce OR a flavorful dry rub?

  Posted by Mike Smith September 28, 2011 13:26:43

• The many faces of Virginia Barbecue

  Hey Jimmy,
  Virginia is home to a wide array of barbecue styles. All are pork-based, but the sauces run the gamut from mustardy to sweet, tomato-based to vinegar. True to my roots in southeastern Virginia, not far from the NC border, I am fond of the spicy, vinegar-based sauces. However, they're often not as austere as some eastern NC traditionalists -- who often swear that a sauce should not consist of more than vinegar and peppers. So, in short, you tend to see quite a bit of variation in the Old Dominion.

  Posted by Matt Shipman September 28, 2011 13:11:54

• Well said

  I'll be interested to see what Gov. Perry says on his inevitable trip to an eastern North Carolina barbecue restaurant ahead of the primary next spring.
  
  I'm surprised to hear of a Virginia restaurant serving a vinegar-based barbecue. I thought the Old Dominion favored mustard-based and ketchup-based sauces?
  
  For what it's worth, only a Virginia restaurant has come close to turning me on ENC Q. Unfortunately, I can't remember the name -- I think it's a Charlottesville restaurant that sells pork at FloydFest every year.

  Posted by Jimmy Ryals September 28, 2011 10:10:34