Whole Hog BBQ: The Gospel of Carolina Barbecue with Recipes from Skylight Inn and Sam Jones BBQ[A Cookbook]

by Sam Jones, Daniel Vaughn

The definitive guide to one of the most iconic barbecue traditions—Carolina-style chopped pork—from the third generation pitmaster of Sam Jones BBQ and the legendary Skylight Inn,  featuring more than 20 family recipes for large-batch barbecue, sides, and desserts.
 
In the world of barbecue, Carolina-style pork is among the most delicious and obsessed-over slow-cooked meats. Yet no one has told the definitive story of North Carolina barbecue—until now. In Whole Hog BBQ, Sam Jones and Daniel Vaughn recount the history of the Skylight Inn, which opened in 1947, and share step-by-step instructions for cooking a whole hog at home—from constructing a pit from concrete blocks to instructions for building a burn barrel—along with two dozen classic family recipes including cornbread, coleslaw, spare ribs, smoked turkey, country-style steak, the signature burger, and biscuit pudding.

Genres: Cookbooks, Food, Nonfiction, Cooking

208 pages, Hardcover

Published May 7, 2019

Reviews

[Megan K. Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, I read cookbooks like novels...cover-to-cover. Every.single.word.

This one was so good.

[Yaaresse · Rating 3 out of 5]

With no intention of digging a pit in my back yard even for BBQ, I read this for sheer nostalgia sake. Pete Jones' BBQ was the real deal, and one of those taste memories one carries fondly. Was it The Best? Eh, I can think of a place or two in/around Lexington that could hold their own to it (and without that god-awful Miracle Whip in the cole slaw) but I certainly wouldn't turn down a pound or ten of the Jones 'cue.

The book is an entertaining read, especially if you know the area he's from enough to realize all those stories are very likely 100% true. Pitt County was exactly like he describes it.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I mainly checked this book out because of the subtitle - the gospel of Carolina barbecue. Being from NC I know the importance of good pulled pork barbecue. I wasn't familiar with Sam Jones and the long-running Skylight Inn barbecue restaurant in Ayden, NC. But, after checking out this book I think I may need to take a Eastern NC food trip and visit Skylight, Sam Jones BBQ, and Vivian Howard's Chef & Farmer. While I'm not quite in the place to start barbecuing whole hogs, if you are this book gives detailed instructions on how to build a pit and how to barbecue an entire hog. So, while I won't be building a whole hog pit anytime soon, this was a fascinating look at one family's role in NC BBQ.

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book with a specific specificity...and it a good one.
Legendary Pitmaster Sam Jones (from the Skylight Inn BBQ restaurant) along with the all-things BBQ writer Daniel Vaughn have created a book on pork and what it has done to and for the Jones family. In one sense this is a classic BBQ Cookbook, but its more than that. You're given the history of the Jones family (and North Carolina BBQ) told through the eyes of Sam as he looks back and as he looks forward. How they have approached cooking a pig, from the wood and the pit to the mop and the chop. The reader is walked through how to create a burn barrel, cinder block pit and the intricacies of how to cook on it. It has the classic recipes: cornbread, potato salad, coleslaw, banana pudding sauces and rubs that stand up to any ones.
This is more than a cookbook, this is a specifically written reflection. This is a story of love. Love of family, love of cooking and love for the people they serve. This is one that any and all BBQ lovers should have on their shelves. High four stars.

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. I really enjoyed the Jones family history. Have gone to Pete Jones’s for years with my parents. It is definitely the best pig I’ve ever had—-the addition of the pork skin adds to its lusciousness. Reading the book felt like family. Thank you Sam for carrying on the family business. Many family owned BBQ restaurants go out of business when the owner retires and no one in the family wishes to keep the business going. Sam Jones is extending the pork legacy of the Eastern North Carolina. Thank you again.

[Karen (kmo.reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is no doubt I am biased. Born and raised in Ayden, NC where Pete Jones coined The Skylight Inn ‘The BBQ Capital of the World.’ There is no substitute for whole hog vinegar based BBQ. Every chance I get to go home you better believe Skylight Inn (or Sam’s restaurant) is one of the first places I visit.

Sam, his grandson, is a great storyteller and I enjoyed hearing these stories some of which were familiar. There are some great recipes in this book. Go get it. You won’t be disappointed.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love eastern North Carolina Barbecue (and who doesn't?), you will love this book! It's jam-packed with techniques, recipes, and stories told by pitmaster, restaurateur, and master storyteller, Sam Jones. The book is beautifully illustrated with photographs and diagrams that enhance the written word.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Every community is woven together like a blanket. I think every business and family that is a part of a community, especially a small community, is automatically a part off that woven blanket. You have to choose if you're going to be a strong thread or the weak one....We've learned a thing or two about building bonds by building barbecue pits." (pg. 9)

[Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a skilled pitmaster but don't do much with the whole hog so I not only enjoyed the story but learned a few things along the way. Being from the west coast, the flavor profiles used in the east are different as well. Really enjoyable book.

[Anita Covington · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. I'm a northern transplant in North Carolina now and love certain foods like pork and beans with ground beef and bell peppers. I also like Eastern BBQ sauce and coleslaw. I am on a quest to learn how to make NC BBQ. My family is from South Carolina and I can make that in my sleep.

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

If i had to pick one book to showcase Carolina bbq in all its glory, this would be the one. Recipes are amazing. Story is great. The area covering whole hog is not so.ething easily found.

[Sally Kilpatrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of great information in this book about not only the history of barbecue but how Sam Jones makes his barbecue. I'd caution against trying to read this book while hungry.