Carolina soul for generations — barbecue sauce.
But not just any sauce.
We’re talkin’ about North Carolina originals that have gone fromsmall-town pits to grocery store shelves across America… and even overseas.
So roll down that window, breathe in that imaginary smoke, and let’s ridethrough the story of Carolina Gold.
Here in North Carolina, sauce isn’t just a condiment — it’s a birthright.
From the smoky woods of Lexington to the salty air of Wilmington, every cookhas a bottle that tells a story.
Eastern Carolina sauce? That’s pure vinegar and red pepper — bold, thin, nosugar needed.
Western Carolina — or “Lexington-style” — adds a kiss of ketchup or tomatopaste, a little brown sugar, maybe molasses.
Two families. One state. Both proud, both stubborn… and both delicious.
And what started as small-batch recipes in barbecue shacks and backyardpits has turned into a global business.
Let’s start with a legend — Scott’s Barbecue Sauce from Goldsboro.
Adam Scott began servin’ whole-hog barbecue in the 1920s. His son, Abe, startedbottlin’ that thin, spicy vinegar sauce in the ’40s.
Today, Scott’s bottles ship all over the U.S. — from Carolina farm stands toonline orders in London and Sydney.
Then you’ve got Carolina Treet, born in Wilmington in 1953.
Folks down here still call it “that golden stuff.” It’s tangy, peppery, andjust a little bit mysterious — perfect on chicken, fish, or pork.
These days, you can find it in Food Lion, Publix, and even export stores inJapan and Germany.
And let’s not forget Bone Suckin’ Sauce out of Raleigh.
Started in a family kitchen in the 1990s — sweet, smoky, a touch of honey.
That one took off like a rocket. It’s now in over 70 countries — fromCanada to South Africa to the U.K.
The label still says “Made in North Carolina,” and every time I see it on ashelf in a new city, I can’t help but smile.
You know, they say music is a universal language — but I think barbecue mightbe, too.
Everywhere you go, folks have their version of slow-cooked meat and sweet orspicy sauce.
But when North Carolina sauces hit the global market, they brought somethingunique — that vinegar bite.
It surprises people who are used to thick, sugary sauces. It wakes up yourtongue like a good gospel chorus on Sunday morning.
Even chefs in France and Australia have started adapting Carolina saucestyles.
There’s a restaurant in London that serves “Carolina Gold Pulled PorkSandwiches,” and the owner told Southern Living he imports the realsauce straight from Wilmington.
So yeah — we’re exporting more than barbecue. We’re exporting culture.
It’s not just the flavor — it’s the philosophy.
Carolina sauce isn’t about coverin’ up the meat; it’s about celebratingit.
That tangy vinegar cuts through the fat, balances the smoke, and lets you tastethe craft that went into every hour of cookin’.
A true Carolina pitmaster doesn’t rush — they tend the fire, listen tothe wood, and trust the sauce to tell the story.
And that’s why even as these sauces go global, they never forget wherethey came from.
Every bottle still smells like a Saturday afternoon in a Tar Heel backyard.
So, as you pull into the driveway tonight, maybe think about the little thingsthat grow big when they’re made with heart — like a vinegar sauce fromGoldsboro that made it to Tokyo, or a Raleigh family recipe that’s sittin’ on aLondon shelf.
That’s the Carolina way:
Start local, stay humble, and let the world taste your story.
And if you’re firin’ up the grill this weekend, try a Carolina sauce —doesn’t matter which one.
Just remember: if it’s tangy, bold, and made with love, it’s got Carolinawritten all over it.
I’m Duke Teynor, and this was The Duke Drive Home Show.
Thanks for ridin’ with me through the heart of Carolina barbecue.
Tomorrow, we’ll talk about the history of hushpuppies — yeah, you heard meright.
Until then, stay safe, stay kind, and keep it Carolina.
