slow cooked on a spit...I mean slow....you start it early in the morning and it goes and goes and goes.....The "bark" IMO is telling of how long it's been going.....The "Bark" is that dark ring on the outer edge of the meat, kinda like the bark on a tree trunk when it's cut. It is what gives it that deep smokey flavor. That smokey flavor can be derived by different woods.
There are so many BBQ places that aren't really BBQ places, If your BBQ place is best known for it's "sauce" it isn't a real BBQ place. In this area of the BBQ world (central NC) it's more of a juice then a sauce with a vinegar base. The sides can be just as important as the BBQ itself...Hush Puppies rule around here + slaw......
The truth is when you have the real thing you'll know it.....sounds stupid, but it's true.....Around here these joints have awards from competitions.....
I think in Texas it's more about beef brisket.....around here it's more about pork, but they do a lot of chicken as well, the pork rules....when cooked right that "fat" is turned into a firm gristle that does indeed hold that flavor.....Some of these places have been in service for several generations, starting out as just a shack.
