Holy Smoke: The Big Book of North Carolina Barbecue
by John Shelton Reed, Dale Volberg Reed
from The University of North Carolina Press

Editorial Review:

North Carolina is home to the longest continuous barbecue tradition on the North American mainland. Authoritative, spirited, and opinionated (in the best way), Holy Smoke is a passionate exploration of the lore, recipes, traditions, and people who have helped shape North Carolina's signature slow-food dish.

Three barbecue devotees, John Shelton Reed, Dale Volberg Reed, and William McKinney, trace the origins of North Carolina 'cue and the emergence of the heated rivalry between Eastern and Piedmont styles. They provide detailed instructions for cooking barbecue at home, along with recipes for the traditional array of side dishes that should accompany it. The final section of the book presents some of the people who cook barbecue for a living, recording firsthand what experts say about the past and future of North Carolina barbecue.

Filled with historic and contemporary photographs showing centuries of North Carolina's "barbeculture," as the authors call it, Holy Smoke is one of a kind, offering a comprehensive exploration of the Tar Heel barbecue tradition.

Customer Reviews:

• Avg. Customer Rating: 5.0 / 5.0

• BBQ Odyssey
  Bob from Baltimore:
  I am a native of Baltimore, Maryland; a state that was the most northern of the southern culture and most southern of northern industry, I have a foot (or toe) in both. I first sampled Carolina Barbecue (BBQ) in the mid 1970's after a sister-in-law married into a North Carolina family. Initially a culinary culture shock; that defied my notion of BBQ, but over the years I came to love the unique local food and the small family restaurants that purvey it. I had the opportunity of... more info

• The Book of North Carolina Barbecue
  This book covers the bases of North Carolina Barbecue. It discusses the history of North Carolina Barbecue, how to cook pork shoulders and whole hogs, gives recipes for famous Eastern and Piedmont barbecue sauces and various side dishes and desserts, and has interviews with the foremost North Carolina barbecue restaurant owners who cook in the traditional style. The book is fun, interesting, and informative. Highly recommended.
  Review by Certified Barbecue Judge (Memphis, Kansas City, North Carolina)... more info