Eastern Carolina Barbecue Hitlist

I've googled and googled. The guide books and barbecue societies and tourist websites all say to go to the same five places. They may be the best of the best, but I want the realest of the real. I want vinegar-based pork BBQ in its native habitat.

The folks at WITN, the NBC affiliate for Greenville, NC, have assembled this webpage of several dozen local establishments.

Nothing on the list seems to be west of (or even near!) RDU. There are unheard-of towns like Macclesfield (pop. 458) and Trenton (pop. 206)that are probably photogenic delights. Places with names like Kill Devil Hills and Hookerton. There's even a place way out in the ocean!

This is seriously cool. I wonder how many of these towns and eateries we can get to, how many people we can talk to, how many geographical oddities we can experience, how many photographs and stories we can take away.