2025 marks the 100th volume of the Agricultural Review, the free newspaper published by the N.C. Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services. To celebrate, we’re taking a journey back in time. We’re digging out some old papers, dusting off their pages and looking back at what has happened in agriculture in the last 99 years. Each month, we’ll share an article, recipe or other piece of content “From the archives” of the Ag Review. We can’t wait to see what we find!
There are a few topics in North Carolina that have risen to be iconic debates in the Old North State. UNC or Duke basketball? Pepsi or Cheerwine? Beach or mountains? Cookout or Bojangles? Red or white slaw?
The topic that I’ve seen spark the most passionate of debates, however, is the debate over what kind of sauce should be used to coat our chopped (or pulled) barbecued pork. Should it be vinegar based or ketchup based? Thin or thick? Mild or spicy?
If you grew up in the eastern part of the state, you likely would prefer a vinegar-based sauce, lightly colored from a touch of ketchup and a blend of spices. If you hail from the Western North Carolina, you probably grew up on a thicker, ketchup-based barbecue sauce made with brown sugar, butter and spices.
I grew up in the piedmont of North Carolina and fondly remember stops in Lexington for a barbecue sandwich and crinkle-cut fries. The piedmont-style sauce seemingly combines the two other North Carolina sauce styles – it’s pretty thin and vinegar based, like the eastern-style sauce, and gets a kick from red pepper flakes and cayenne pepper, balanced by ketchup and sugar, like the western-style sauce.
You may have your favorite sauce (and you probably have a least favorite) but give all of these styles a try! The April 1, 1985, issue of the Agricultural Review featured an article that highlighted each one of these signature sauces. Here are the recipes:
EASTERN
Pig Pickin’ Sauce
2 cups cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon tabasco sauce
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon paprika
3 tablespoons black pepper
3 tablespoons salt
3/4 to 1 bottle catsup
3/4 teaspoon mustard (dry)
1/2 cup water (optional)
Mix all ingredients and brush on carcass after turning. Makes approximately 1 quart.
PIEDMONT
Lexington-Style Sauce
1½ cups distilled white or cider vinegar
10 tablespoons tomato catsup
Salt to taste, if desired
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Pinch of crushed hot red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup waver
Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and let stand until cool. Spoon a small amount of the sauce over barbecued meats. Yields: 3 cups.
WESTERN
Catsup-Based Barbecue Sauce
1 cup tomato catsup
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup lemon juice
½ stick butter
¼ cup minced onion
1 teaspoon liquid hot pepper sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Place all ingredients in heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer for 30 minutes.
Here’s the full article:
