Tomorrow Dan and I will drive the long length of US Highway 70 from Raleigh to the beach where we will spend the Memorial Day weekend. About two and a half hours into our journey our car will turn of its own accord into a very large, mostly full parking lot outside of an unassuming one story brick building in Goldsboro with a big sign outside that says merely: “Wilber’s Barbeque.” I know this will happen as it has happened each and every time Dan and I have gone to the beach. I assure you that it is the car’s choice and has nothing to do with me begging Dan to stop there every waking second for two or three weeks prior to our leave taking.
Fellow travelers, I beg you, do not be deterred by the less than glamorous setting, by the somewhat dark, pine paneled dining rooms or the perhaps less than sparkling picnic style plastic table cloths. Inside this unpretentious shell lies one of the great culinary jewels of North Carolina. And you will not have to wait long to experience it! Once in the door it generally takes about five minutes to get a seat, a big Styrofoam glass of sweet tea—with extra lemon of course!—, a basket of perfect, sweet, finger shaped hushpuppies and a plate of pulled pork goodness with slaw. All this costs only about $10 with tax and tip.
If the words “pulled pork” do not send shivers of anticipation down your spine then you have never had Wilber’s barbecue! It’s moist, tender and a little smoky with a light vinegar tang and just a little heat from red pepper flakes. You will find no sweet tomato sauce here. My favorite parts are the burnt crunchy bits. And the hushpuppies... Yummm.
Wilber’s is undeniably an Eastern Carolina BBQ institution and rightly so. Shirley Wilber has been smoking whole pigs overnight over hickory wood since he opened the place in 1962. He must be doing it right too as his business has grown quite a bit since then and he has had more than his fare share of famous people rave over his food including both Clinton and at least one Bush. Yet one must ask: Is Wilber’s the best BBQ in the world?
Well… God, in Her infinite wisdom, has created as many kinds of BBQ as there are peoples that dwell upon the face of the earth. (She even gave one to Texans!) All you have to do is watch The Food Network regularly or check out the subject in Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regional_variations_of_barbecue to become completely overwhelmed by the specifics.
Here is a simplified guide http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9120357/ but I must warn you to be wary of simplification when it comes to BBQ lest you show your ignorance! For instance, this chart doesn’t take into account the type of fuel used which is Very important to a true BBQ aficionado. Wilber’s, for instance, is on the very edge of Hickory territory, points east use Oak. Also, Dan says that he has been to Lexington and in his experience Western BBQ is spicier than Eastern BBQ but can I find that on the chart? No.
Fellow travelers, I beg you, do not be deterred by the less than glamorous setting, by the somewhat dark, pine paneled dining rooms or the perhaps less than sparkling picnic style plastic table cloths. Inside this unpretentious shell lies one of the great culinary jewels of North Carolina. And you will not have to wait long to experience it! Once in the door it generally takes about five minutes to get a seat, a big Styrofoam glass of sweet tea—with extra lemon of course!—, a basket of perfect, sweet, finger shaped hushpuppies and a plate of pulled pork goodness with slaw. All this costs only about $10 with tax and tip.
If the words “pulled pork” do not send shivers of anticipation down your spine then you have never had Wilber’s barbecue! It’s moist, tender and a little smoky with a light vinegar tang and just a little heat from red pepper flakes. You will find no sweet tomato sauce here. My favorite parts are the burnt crunchy bits. And the hushpuppies... Yummm.
Wilber’s is undeniably an Eastern Carolina BBQ institution and rightly so. Shirley Wilber has been smoking whole pigs overnight over hickory wood since he opened the place in 1962. He must be doing it right too as his business has grown quite a bit since then and he has had more than his fare share of famous people rave over his food including both Clinton and at least one Bush. Yet one must ask: Is Wilber’s the best BBQ in the world?
Well… God, in Her infinite wisdom, has created as many kinds of BBQ as there are peoples that dwell upon the face of the earth. (She even gave one to Texans!) All you have to do is watch The Food Network regularly or check out the subject in Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regional_variations_of_barbecue to become completely overwhelmed by the specifics.
Here is a simplified guide http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9120357/ but I must warn you to be wary of simplification when it comes to BBQ lest you show your ignorance! For instance, this chart doesn’t take into account the type of fuel used which is Very important to a true BBQ aficionado. Wilber’s, for instance, is on the very edge of Hickory territory, points east use Oak. Also, Dan says that he has been to Lexington and in his experience Western BBQ is spicier than Eastern BBQ but can I find that on the chart? No.
The moral is that since practically each BBQ joint is unique and their individual charms indefinable, there is only one real piece of advice I can give: Try them All! Just make sure Wilber’s is somewhere high on your list. You won't be disappointed.
3 comments:
Have you tried Allen and Sons?
Not yet. But Dan says it's on the "Short List!"
It's good to have goals.
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