Best 'Cue in the Triangle

[Dr. Rosenrosen]

Okay, I searched the threads and could not find one dedicated to the critical issue of determining which 'cue joint(s) in the triangle area is (are) best.

My absolute favorite cue is Lexington Barbecue (in Lexington of course!) which I think most would have a hard time arguing is not among the best in the state. Does anything in the triangle area come close?

[throatybeard]

There is a severe dearth of good Q in the Triangle. It's a vale of barbecue ignorance between the twin peaks. The main problem is almost no one in the area uses wood.

Which is why you should go to Allen & Sons on NC 86 between C-H and Hillsborough, and nowhere else that I can think of. It depends on what you define as the Triangle, like how far our to the borders go.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Bullock's is my favorite from growing up, Allen & Son's is good and worthy of checking out. Also Ole NC Barbecue is very good, and they have it as a buffet. (I'm assuming it's still there, been a few years for me.)

But to find the absolute best, you have to attend a pig pickin'. Nothing beats the fun and the atmosphere of pulling pork off the pig over a fire with friends in the great outdoors. It's even more fun if you are part of the crew staying up in the early morning hours with the pig cooking it.

[billybreen]

The main problem is almost no one in the area uses wood.

Oh, your mom left?

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

Are you asking for general information or where to eat on game day?

There has been a BBQ vendor within the football stadium in recent years; I think the booth (near the North Gate) is run by a local church as a fund raiser. Around the concourse there's been a vendor (dark green market umbrella) selling grilled pork tenderloin sandwiches along with some other choices (beef BBQ sandwiches maybe?).

Iron Duke events featuring BBQ are catered by a company out of Henderson NC.

At the basketball games, Hersey's from Alamance County sells some pretty good BBQ sandwiches on the concourse area near the Chick-fil-a table.

[Dr. Rosenrosen]

But to find the absolute best, you have to attend a pig pickin'. Nothing beats the fun and the atmosphere of pulling pork off the pig over a fire with friends in the great outdoors. It's even more fun if you are part of the crew staying up in the early morning hours with the pig cooking it.

I love a good pig pickin. I just can't convince my wife to let me cook a whole pig in the backyard. Imagine that.

[Dr. Rosenrosen]

Are you asking for general information or where to eat on game day?

General take on best cue in the area. Not game day. I save room for Chic-fil-a on game days!

[DukeUsul]

I'll echo Throaty. We love Allen and Son because you can taste the smokiness of the wood they cook over.

[Bluedawg]

Clyde Cooper's in Raleigh is good. Its one of the few places where I can find good skins.

Knightdale Seafood & BBQ is a favorate of mine.

Smithfield's Chicken 'n Bar-B-Q is also a very good bet.

And I've always loved Red Hot and Blue. Its good Memphis style BBQ

[wilson]

This probably qualifies as just outside the geographic area in question, but Bill Ellis in Wilson (seriously) is really darn good. They have an all-you-can-eat buffet with an entire cooked pig every day.

[ghost]

In Durham: Q Shack has excellent briskit, mac n' cheese and fried okra. Bullocks has great fried chicken and Brunswick stew but for NC BBQ, in durham Hog Heaven on Guess road is my absolute favorite. They have good potato salad and slaw too!

I agree Red Hot & Blue (which is now called Jim's BBQ) has great memphis style Q. But my favorite there are their St. Louis Dry rub ribs.

Ohhh... where can I get Que in New Jersey???

[rthomas]

I'll echo Throaty. We love Allen and Son because you can taste the smokiness of the wood they cook over.

I love their slaw and hushpuppies. Allen and Son's is the best. I want me some now.

[BluDevilGal]

Ahhh, what are you people doing to me? Now I NEED some NC bbq!

You can never really go wrong with Bullocks in my opinion. :-)

If you ever venture out to Kernersville, Prissy Polly's is quite good and on Friday and Saturday nights, I think, they have bluegrass bands playing so it's quite the cultural experience hanging out with the townies, eating good food, and listening to fun music.

[cf-62]

Okay, I searched the threads and could not find one dedicated to the critical issue of determining which 'cue joint(s) in the triangle area is (are) best.

That's because you're searching for the wrong topics. All 'cue questions are on the boards under the thread title "Duke vs. Kentucky"

[Johnboy]

That's because you're searching for the wrong topics. All 'cue questions are on the boards under the thread title "Duke vs. Kentucky"

Look on the Main Board (under "Duke v. Kentucky"). It's the tradition around here, and a long story.

[Edit]To be sure, Allen & Sons may be excellent, but I haven't had any 'cue better than the Pit in the Triangle. It's in Raleigh. I had it recently at a party, and Lexington style dip was also supplied. This is the good stuff, people. Serious whole hog deliciousness. Here's a clip of the pitmaster, Ed Mitchell, on the Today Show.

[devildeac]

Look on the Main Board (under "Duke v. Kentucky"). It's the tradition around here, and a long story.

[Edit]To be sure, Allen & Sons may be excellent, but I haven't had any 'cue better than the Pit in the Triangle. It's in Raleigh. I had it recently at a party, and Lexington style dip was also supplied. This is the good stuff, people. Serious whole hog deliciousness. Here's a clip of the pitmaster, Ed Mitchell, on the Today Show.

OZZIE and I ate there several months ago, shortly after they opened, and reviewed the joint Q-uite favorably. Kinda spendy, even more than Allan and Son, but Ed Mitchell is one of the legends of eastern NC 'cue and does the pig justice (when he's not in trouble with the law/IRS).

[OZZIE4DUKE]

OZZIE and I ate there several months ago, shortly after they opened, and reviewed the joint Q-uite favorably. Kinda spendy, even more than Allan and Son, but Ed Mitchell is one of the legends of eastern NC 'cue and does the pig justice (when he's not in trouble with the law/IRS).

Ed's Q is the best. And his ribs are even better!

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

I'd like to add three more barbecue restaurants to those you might want to try.

Barbecue Joint, 630 Weaver Dairy Rd., #101, Chapel Hill
I've heard lots of raves about this one since it opened several years ago. Its location in a strip mall is unexpected, the wide variety of side dishes remarkable.

Dickey's Barbecue, 5318 New Hope Commons Dr., Durham
Longing for some beef brisket slow cooked like they do in Texas, this is the place! I've had Dickey's beef brisket in Texas and it was delish. Should be eaten slowly to savor the rich, soft flavor.

Dillard's Bar-B-Que, 3921 Fayetteville St., Durham
Sam Dillard started selling BBQ before Bullock's. His sauce has been sold in local grocery stores for years. You can order in or take out. If you want vegetables cooked the way your grandma used to fix them, you're in for a treat. (If you've not had collards alongside your Q, you've missed something special!)

[devildeac]

I'd like to add three more barbecue restaurants to those you might want to try.

Barbecue Joint, 630 Weaver Dairy Rd., #101, Chapel Hill
I've heard lots of raves about this one since it opened several years ago. Its location in a strip mall is unexpected, the wide variety of side dishes remarkable.

Dickey's Barbecue, 5318 New Hope Commons Dr., Durham
Longing for some beef brisket slow cooked like they do in Texas, this is the place! I've had Dickey's beef brisket in Texas and it was delish. Should be eaten slowly to savor the rich, soft flavor.

Dillard's Bar-B-Que, 3921 Fayetteville St., Durham
Sam Dillard started selling BBQ before Bullock's. His sauce has been sold in local grocery stores for years. You can order in or take out. If you want vegetables cooked the way your grandma used to fix them, you're in for a treat. (If you've not had collards alongside your Q, you've missed something special!)

See your PM. This convinces me we need to skip the Bojangles and go to one of these joints pre-game.