Originally published on May 13, 2015 (Episode 15)
Introduction
In North Carolina, barbecue is not just food—it’s identity, philosophy, and tradition. It’s things you do, and things you don’t do. It’s who you are. It’s who your people are, and what they have done, and whether you are going to continue to do that. It’s about where you’re from. It’s about pigs—even though it might not have always been strictly about pigs.
John Shelton Reed, the eminence grise of Southern sociology, joins me to discuss Holy Smoke: The Big Book of North Carolina Barbecue, co-authored with Dale Volberg Reed and William McKinney.
We explore the history and sociology of barbecue, the debates over style and authenticity, and the recipes and pit designs that sustain a living culinary culture. This is our most delicious podcast yet.
About the Guest
John Shelton Reed is William Rand Kenan Jr. Professor of Sociology Emeritus at the University of North Carolina and author of numerous works on Southern identity and culture.
For Further Investigation
John Shelton Reed and Dale Volberg Reed, with William McKinney, Holy Smoke: The Big Book of North Carolina Barbecue (UNC, 2015)
Bill Kauffman, “North Carolina is for Pig-Lovers”: a review of Holy Smoke
💬 Listen & Discuss
What makes barbecue “real”? How do food traditions shape cultural identity? Share your reflections below, and send this episode to your favorite pitmaster.
