Question: What’s the difference between North Carolina and South Carolina barbecue?
Answer: North Carolina barbecue centers on pork (whole hog or shoulder) with thin vinegar-based sauces—Eastern style (no tomatoes, peppery) or Piedmont/Lexington (vinegar-ketchup mix). South Carolina offers four sauces: mustard (midlands), heavy tomato (west), light tomato (Pee Dee), and vinegar-pepper (coast), reflecting diverse German and regional influences. Both emphasize smoked pork.
