>> Deborah: NEARLY 70 YEARS AFTER THE LEGENDARY BARBECUE
JOINT THE SKYLIGHT INN OPENED IN AYDEN, THE FOUNDER'S GRANDSON
HAS RECENTLY OPENED A LARGER RESTAURANT IN THE GREENVILLE
SUBURBS.
THERE ARE SOME MODERN TOUCHES AT SAM JONES' NEW PLACE, BUT THE
WHOLE HOG BARBECUE IS STILL COOKED THE OLD-FASHIONED WAY.
>> THE BARBECUE SECRETS FROM THE ORIGINAL SKYLIGHT INN ARE
UNIVERSAL, BUT SKYLIGHT FOUNDER PETE JONES NEVER ENCOUNTERED THE
COMPLICATIONS HIS GRANDSON SAM WOULD FACE IN PRESERVING THOSE
SECRETS IN SUCH A NEW AND EXPANDED SETTING.
>> 10 EMPLOYEES THAT OPERATE LIKE A FAMILY.
HERE, ALMOST 70 EMPLOYEES.
THERE'S A LOT MORE MOVING PARTS.
ME WANTING ME TO HAVE THIS DETACHED SMOKEHOUSE THAT NOBODY
ELSE WANTED ME TO HAVE.
>> MOST EVERYONE WANTED SAM TO COOK ALL THE HOGS AT THE
SKYLIGHT INN AND TRANSFER THEM 10 MILES TO THE NEW RESTAURANT.
HIS ANSWER: NO, SIREE.
FOR ONE THING, THE FIRE HAS TO BE BUILT UP JUST BEFORE THE
WOOD-COOKED WHOLE HOGS COME OFF THE PIT.
>> SO THIS IS A PROCESS CALLED CRISPING.
>> YEP.
CRISP THE SKIN UP TO MIX IT IN WITH THE BARBECUE.
I BELIEVE WE'RE THE ONLY PLACE THAT DOES THAT.
WELL, OTHER THAN SKYLIGHT.
SOMETIMES YOU CAN GET IT COOKED UP IN A MATTER OF 30 SECONDS.
SOMETIMES IT WILL TAKE YOU 10 MINUTES.
>> IT WILL NOT BE LONG BEFORE THIS PLACE IS TOTALLY FULL, SO
LET ME SHOW YOU WHAT'S GOING TO BE BRINGING THE CROWDS IN.
THIS IS THE SKYLIGHT INN TRADITIONAL TRAY.
THEY DO PUT IT ON A PLATE FOR YOU HERE, BUT THIS IS THE WAY IT
WAS SERVED IN THE ORIGINAL RESTAURANT, TRAY OF BARBECUE ON
THE BOTTOM WITH A PIECE OF CORNBREAD RESTING ON TOP OF
THAT, AND A PAPER TRAY OF SLAW ON TOP OF THAT.
OKAY.
SO LET ME DECONSTRUCT THIS SO I CAN POINT OUT SOME SALIENT
FEATURES.
FIRST OF ALL, THIS IS OFTEN RECOGNIZED AS THE BEST, MOST
FLAVORFUL BARBECUE IN NORTH CAROLINA, AND THE REASON IS ALL
THAT SKIN AND ALL THAT TENDER FLAVOR CARRYING FAT THAT'S
CHOPPED INTO THE BARBECUE TO JUST MAKE IT SILKY AND UTTERLY
UNBELIEVABLE.
MMM.
THE SURROUNDINGS HERE AT SAM JONES MAY BE DIFFERENT, BUT THE
BARBECUE IS RIGHT WHERE IT'S ALWAYS BEEN.
MMM.
THIS IS THE TRADITIONAL BAKED CORNBREAD.
SOME PEOPLE CALL THIS A PIECE OF CORN PONE.
IT'S DENSE, CRISPY, ESPECIALLY A CORNER PIECE LIKE THIS.
ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS AND A GREAT SUBSTITUTE FOR HUSH PUPPIES.
I'LL TELL YOU, WHEN YOU SEE A PAN OF THIS BAKING, IT'S ALMOST
FRYING IN THE BAKING PAN BECAUSE OF THE LEVEL OF PIG DRIPPINGS
THAT ARE INCLUDED TO ADD ALL THAT FLAVOR.
MMM!
NOW, THIS IS A REALLY SWEET SLAW WITH NOT A LOT OF EVIDENCE OF
MAYONNAISE, ALTHOUGH THAT IS IN THERE.
VERY SWEET, SET TO PERFECTLY MATCH UP WITH THE FLAVOR PROFILE
OF THE BARBECUE.
AND THAT'S IMPORTANT, TO GET THOSE TWO THINGS REALLY
WELL-BALANCED.
MMM.
SO WHAT NEW MENU ITEMS HAVE BEEN MOST POPULAR?
>> PROBABLY THE SPARE RIBS AND THE TURKEY ARE TWO THINGS THAT I
WAS VERY -- I WAS KIND OF APPREHENSIVE ABOUT HOW THEY
WOULD BE RECEIVED BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW OF
ANOTHER EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA PLACE THAT IS DOING THOSE ITEMS,
ESPECIALLY DOING THEM OVER WOOD.
>> THE RIBS ARE ACTUALLY CONTEST-WINNING CALIBER.
THE TURKEY'S MOIST AND NOTHING AT ALL LIKE DELI SMOKED TURKEY.
THE SLOW SMOKED CHICKEN IS DONE WITH A TERRIFIC DRY RUB AND
THERE'S A GOOD SELECTION OF TASTY SIDES, SOMETHING THE OLD
SKYLIGHT HAS NEVER HAD.
MOST CUSTOMERS APPRECIATE HAVING SEVERAL BEER CHOICES AS WELL.
MAYBE YOU JUST MOVED TO NORTH CAROLINA AND YOU'RE WONDERING,
HOW DO YOU FIND ALL THESE GREAT BARBECUE PLACES?
WELL, "OUR STATE" MAGAZINE HAS JUST COME OUT WITH A BRAND-NEW
BBQ NORTH CAROLINA APP.
YOU CAN GO BY WHAT IS NEAR YOU, WHEREVER YOU HAPPEN TO BE.
YOU CAN GO BY STYLE, LEXINGTON OR EASTERN OR EVEN WESTERN NORTH
CAROLINA.
YOU CAN SEARCH OUT BARBECUE EVENTS.
YOU CAN FIND OUT WHICH PLACES HAVE BEEN FEATURED IN "OUR
STATE" MAGAZINE.
SO JUST TO SHOW YOU HOW IT WORKS, LET'S GO TO WHAT'S NEAR
ME.
AND THERE YOU GO.
IN THE GREENVILLE/WINTERVILLE AREA, THE FIRST PLACE THAT COMES
UP, SAM JONES BBQ.
BUT THIS IS A TARGET-RICH ENVIRONMENT AROUND GREENVILLE,
AYDEN, WINTERVILLE, ALL KINDS OF REALLY WELL-KNOWN BARBECUE
PLACES, AND YOU CAN FIND THEM ALL.
SAM JONES BBQ IS A NEAR-PERFECT BLENDING OF THE BEST OF WHAT'S
OLD AND WHAT'S NEW.
FOR "NORTH CAROLINA WEEKEND," I'M BOB GARNER.