It was nearly lunchtime, and I wanted a BBQ. I was also in Kroger’s and knew exactly what to do. I went back to the prepared foods section and crossed my fingers, hoping to find some Doughtie’s BBQ. It was there and within the hour I was eating BBQ you would normally only find in Eastern North Carolina.
Doughtie’s is whole-hog BBQ with a little smokiness mixed in with the pork, vinegar, and pepper. It’s the real deal and easily the best tasting packaged BBQ of all.
Surprisingly, Doughtie’s does not come from the Carolinas, but rather Portsmouth, VA, which is about as close as you can get to the North Carolina without getting tar on your heels.
Doughtie’s got its kick start in 1952 when Robert F. Doughtie processed and packaged his secret recipe BBQ and went on the road to hawk his finished product. It was a can’t-miss success and by 1982, Doughtie was selling in excess of 7 million pounds of “Q”.
A 12-oz. package of Doughtie’s – at about $5.99 – will make 4 big, fat BBQ sandwiches. It’s pretty good right out of the package, but I like to add a ½ C of vinegar and some salt and pepper and let it simmer in a frying pan for 15 or 20 minutes. Serve it piping hot and you think you have just squeezed into a booth at a Parker’s BBQ restaurant in Greenville, NC, and they just delivered your order. It’s that good.
I’ve tried most all the other packaged BBQ brands and the only one worth buying is Doughtie’s. Try some, and if you like Carolina BBQ, I think you’ll agree.