Lexington Barbecue, which has been serving oak-smoked pork shoulder in various forms since the 1960s, offers its barbecue in sandwich form for less than $4. If you intend to get serious about it, ask for yours with "extra brown" (bits of meat cut from the edges of the shoulder). Lexington's chewy, smoky chopped pork, crowned with a scoop of sweet and tart barbecue slaw and stuffed into a factory-made hamburger bun, is a classic handful of American barbecue. More

Is North Carolina barbecue as great as everyone says it is? Or, once you remove the nostalgia, is it (gulp) dry, overcooked, and disappointing? I cruised down I-81, eager to revisit one of my favorite barbecue regions to figure out the deal with Lexington style 'cue. More

In the good state of North Carolina, barbecue means chopped pork. No fatty ribs or spice-rubbed brisket—just the whole hog or shoulder (depending on the region) slowly smoked overnight. For your viewing pleasure, here's a look at some classic barbecue joints in the state, including Wilber's, Lexington, and Allen and Son. More