Every morsel of barbecue tells a story, starting with the meat: if it’s sausage, you’re in or around Austin, Texas. Mutton? Owensboro, Kentucky. Whole hog might be eastern North Carolina, western Tennessee, or upstate South Carolina, depending on which hardwoods you’re using and how you seasoned your pork. Did the pit master put a dry rub of black pepper and salt on it before laying it over the coals? Did he baste it once it was on the heat, and if so, with what kind of liquid? Did he turn the pig before it was done, and did he dress it with sauce before it was served? Every decision a contemporary pit master makes might be rooted in tradition, in the choices our ancestors made; and even today these regional differences hold up. Matt and Ted Lee set out on a 3,000-mile odyssey, exploring the contours of American barbecue the way hikers thrill to the changing topography of the Appalachian Trail. Here's their itinerary.
Read the articleDestinations: Nashville · Tennessee · Lexington · Raleigh · Kansas City · St. Louis · Memphis · Goldsboro · O’Fallon · Kansas City, KS · Owensboro · Parsons · Lexington · Henderson
Themes: Driving · Food + Drink · Summer Travel
Inspired by: America's Best BBQ Restaurants — by Matt Lee, Published Aug. 2009
