Explore North Carolina BBQ styles and sauces that locals know by heart, from tangy Eastern vinegar to rich Lexington flavors.

He says this recipe makes about 1 gallon of sauce, enough to “season” one 150-pound hog, three 18- to 20-pound turkeys or 8 racks of ribs. Ed’s Eastern North Carolina Vinegar BBQ Sauce ...

In North Carolina, barbecue is a noun, and it is defined as pulled pork with a distinctive tangy vinegar sauce or "dip" as it is called in some parts of the state. No sweet tomato sauce allowed.

North Carolina vinegar sauce in New York, May 31, 2023. Red pepper flakes amp up the flavor in this vinegar sauce. Food styled by Monica Pierini. (Linda Xiao/The New York Times) ...

• Adding cider vinegar to bottled barbecue sauce increases tartness, balancing the richness of grilled and smoked meats, and ...

While a watery mix of cider vinegar, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper may not seem like barbecue sauce to most Americans, North Carolina-style pulled pork just wouldn’t taste right without it.

Ed’s Eastern North Carolina Vinegar BBQ Sauce Serves 12 Prep Time: 15 minutes • Cooking Time: 10 minutes My mother taught me how to make our vinegar barbeque sauce. I can still remember the smell of ...

No surprise then that we served pulled pork barbecue, offered with Eastern and Western North Carolina-style sauces alongside my father-in-law’s proprietary (and superior) vinegar-based recipe.