By August 2022. Memphis summer, 63 years old, and the heat wraps around Orange Mound like a wet blanket that nobody asked for but everybody wears because that is the deal you make when you live in the South. The smoker calls louder in summer — something about the heat amplifying the smoke, the way humidity amplifies everything in Memphis — and I answer, because answering is what pitmasters do.
Tyrone came over for dominoes, bringing his competitive spirit and his inability to play without cheating, and the evening was full of the brotherly banter that is our love language.
Baked beans on the smoker — navy beans soaked overnight, simmered with onion, brown sugar, molasses, mustard, and my BBQ sauce, then smoked uncovered at 250 for two hours. The hickory settles into the sauce and transforms ordinary beans into something that belongs at any table, any gathering, any moment when people need to be fed and comforted and reminded that simple food, made with patience, is the best food there is.
Another week in the book. Another seven days of tending fires — the one in the smoker, the one in the marriage, the one in the family, the one in the church. Each fire needs something different: wood, attention, food, faith. But the tending is the same for all of them: show up, add what's needed, wait patiently, trust the process. Low and slow. Always. Low and slow.
That BBQ sauce I mentioned stirring into the beans — the one that married with the hickory smoke and turned a pot of navy beans into something sacred — that’s the real backbone of everything I cook on the smoker. Whether it’s baked beans for Tyrone’s domino nights or turkey wings for Sunday supper, this North Carolina-style sauce is where the magic starts. Tangy, sharp, with just enough heat to remind you it’s there — low and slow, just like everything else worth doing right.
North Carolina-Style BBQ Sauce
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 25 minutes | Servings: 16 (about 2 cups)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- Combine ingredients. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the apple cider vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, hot sauce, salt, red pepper flakes, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Simmer the sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is fully dissolved and the flavors meld together.
- Cool and store. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Transfer to a jar or airtight container. The sauce will keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
- Serve. Use as a mop sauce while smoking meats, stir into baked beans, or serve alongside pulled pork, smoked turkey wings, or ribs.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 15 | Protein: 0g | Fat: 0g | Carbs: 4g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 190mg