Let’s begin by saying this: We don’t want to start a fight. Conversations about barbecue inevitably devolve into an all-out war over rubs, sauces (or lack thereof), wood, types and cuts of meat, Carolina, Texas, Memphis, yada yada yada. So let it be known that we love pigs and cows. We love ribs, shoulder and brisket. We love sauce and vinegar. We love it ALL—so we really had to just bite the bullet and pick one to write about first, and prepare for the flood of gentle reminders as to just how wrong we are and why. And while barbecue is best enjoyed in a no-frills roadhouse, those of us who live far from the best barbecue places need places like King’s Barbecue Restaurant in North Carolina to “oink express” us a little bit of chopped pig heaven when we need a little fix.

King’s barbecue is classic Eastern Carolina hand-chopped, richly smoky pork shoulder lightly sauced with peppery vinegar. It wouldn’t be Carolina barbecue without hushpuppies, Brunswick stew and coleslaw, and King’s ships all of these delicacies, as well as collard greens, black eyed peas and sweet potato pie. They also offer smoked baby back ribs for those who desire a bit more bone with their barbecue.

King’s has been in the barbecue business since 1936, and the mail-order barbecue business since 1990, so they pretty much know what they’re doing when it comes to making delicious smoked pig and shipping it all over the country. Now if only we could just declare a truce in the barbecue war and all play nice….oh forget it! We food geeks have to have something to argue about, don’t we?