Monday, January 22, 2007
This little piggy went to market.
| Today is the first of a (probably) week long series on our muddy buddies, the pig. As I learned from Euclid in college, one must always start by defining our terms. There are as many spellings of barbecue as there are ways to prepare it. Different areas of the country have their own ways to prepare it, and it's an easy way to start a fight by comparing them. There is no need to fight, however. My family is from North Carolina, eastern NC to be more precise. Pigs in eastern NC are likely the fastest pigs on Earth. You see, a slow moving pig is often called "lunch" in NC. They raise em, they cook em, and they eat em. And they do all three very well. Now when I use the term "barbecue" I have a very precise definition in mind. Now I know people from all over the country will claim THEY have the correct definition of barbecue. They are wrong, of course. They also probably spell it by NOT spelling it, instead using letters in place of words (BBQ, Bar B Cue, BarBQ, etc.) Barbecue is slow cooked pork. It is relatively dry, allowing you to add your sauce at the table to meet your taste. One of the biggest horrors my family found when we moved from NC to GA back in the 70's was that people down here do not know how to make barbecue. They throw a hunk of meat (possibly pork, but not often) on a grill and cook it, constantly pouring some tomato based sauce on it until it is nearly burnt. When it is all said and done you can only really taste slightly charred sauce. I firmly believe the reason most barbecue... excuse me, "BBQ" sauces were created were caused by one singular paniced thought: "Oh my dear Lord, all the guests are here, my chicken's been on the grill for hours and now it's dry and tasteless. Maybe if I smother it in something they wont notice." Thus the ketchup-ish barbecue sauces in stores was born and the sin has spread around the country. While I must admit some of the sauces are good, lets get real. No pig ever did anything bad enough to deserve that kind of defilement. Now I will try to save my sauce discussion for later this week, lets return to the meat. I was raised on Scott's barbecue in Goldsboro, NC. My parents were raised on it too. I am so thankful my nephews and sister in law got to taste it as well. Sadly, Scott's has closed, one of the perils of a true family legacy restaurant. All barbecue I encounter is rated against the yard stick that Scott's is. Most barbecue is lacking. Severely lacking. I have found two places near me in Georgia who come close. Fresh Air barbecue in Jackson, GA (just up I-75 from me) and they also have a store here in Macon. Please note the spelling of the name! They cook their pork "low and slow" and dry like it should be. Sadly, just as they are sliding the delicious plate towards you they drown it under a flood of red sauce. They tend to look at me funny when I order my barbecue "no sauce" then run home to put MY sauce on it. Sonny's BBQ is a chain. Please note the spelling again. If you hit Sonny's web page, you'll see they have many sauces on their table. They pride themselves on their sauces. In fact, once they bring your food to the table the waitress then asks if you "know about their sauces." If you hesitate for a moment they then go into a 5 minute song and dance about their 4,000 different sauces. You should see their sun shiny faces melt when I inform them that I have brought my own sauce! I get strange looks and occasional questions when I bring my own sauce. on rare occasions someone will ask if they can try some. My friend Jarrett has been there when this has happened. I consider it an honor to enlighten people in the ways of the pig. But again, more on sauces later this week. So where does all of this pork talk lead, you ask. Very simple. This past weekend I made an amazing discovery:  Carolina Style at first seems obvious, however there's apparently some weird mustard cult in South Carolina that uses a mustard based barbecue sauce. Now if tomato based sauces are nuts, mustard based sauces are probably punishable by death. Pulled Pork this is how you get those wonderful little strands of pork, which are great at soaking up the sauce of your choice. Vinegar Sauce thats right! No tomatoes! But perhaps most important was the ingredients list (can to figure out what's missing?): Ingredients: Barbecue Pork (Pork Shoulder Boston Butts Seasons With: Salt, Sugar, Natural Favorings). Sauce: Vinegar, Sugar, Salt, Peppers.I saw this sitting on a shelf in the "prepared items" section of the meat department of my local Kroger. I was standing in the aisle of the meat department nodding my head and saying "Yes" over and over as I read the back of the container: Have you been searching for real country barbecue that is not loaded with sauce or protein fillers? Look no further! Clifty Farm real pulled pork barbecue comes from only the highest quality Boston Butts that are slow-cooked over real hickory wood. Then hand-pulled from the bone, leaving only the lean seasoned meat. Finally we add just enough of our vinegar sauce to appeal to any taste. This Clifty Farm recipe has pleased our family for 3 generations and we guarantee it will please yours.Obviously, I snapped it up immediately. I rushed home and heated it up. I tried some as is, then doused it with some sauce. It was Heaven. (or Eastern NC, which in the case of barbecue is the same thing)  I know, right now you are asking "Jason, what does this have to do with Krystal?" Well, I am getting to that. Remember, I am starting by defining my terms. Today, I clearly defined what is and is not barbecue. Once you accept that I am right on this topic (because I am) we can move forward. But that's tomorrow.  |
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Yes, Jason brings his own sauce to Sonny's. You have to understand the I love Sonny's, much the same as Jason loves Krystal... So it would be like me bringing my own tiny square burger to Krystal. It just brings a since of awkwardness to the table. I have to admit though, his sauce is GOOOOOD!!
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