I ate two BBQ sandwiches at two Parker’s Barbecues in two cities over two nights, and there’s a winner between the cousins. Wilson edges out Greenville in a close contest.
Night One: After a day on the road and finishing up in Pitt County, I took the opportunity to dine at Greenville’s original Parker’s Barbecue (built in 1970). I think I maybe ate there many years ago as a teen, but I don’t remember the specifics. I was going to head down to Skylight, but figured I’d give this Parker’s a shot and not spend any more time in the car than I had to after a long day.
I ordered my usual BBQ sandwich with slaw and I also ordered a side of Brunswick stew.* The sandwich, by appearances, was solid. The meat was chopped finely, piled high on a soft, fresh hamburger bun and quite tender. With no noticeable smoke, it lacked any punch on the nostrils, but had a nice flavor. Speaking of flavor, it was lacking in the red pepper heat and the vinegary acid that makes a huge difference in my “liking” or “loving” a BBQ sandwich. And the slaw did not come on the sandwich, but brought out in a bowl for me to add to my ‘cue myself. I guess that’s okay since slaw can make bread soggy, but I wish I hadn’t added it as I am not a fan of their finely chopped yellow slaw. Can’t put my finger on it, but by itself it tasted medical and antiseptic. Overall, a good sandwich and I’m glad I gave it a shot. Would I stop again? Nah. That extra 20+ minutes to Ayden is well worth the time. 7/10
Night two: Dinner was supposed to have been seafood at Wilson’s newest Calabash style restaurant, but they were closed for some reason (web site said “open” but the sign on the locked door said “closed - go figure). I was at Marty’s BBQ not too long ago, so I opted for a second night of barbecue at a Parker’s, but the original original Parker's Barbecue in Wilson (built in 1946).
I ordered my usual BBQ sandwich with slaw and I also ordered a side of Brunswick stew.* The sandwich, by appearances, was solid. The meat was chopped finely, piled high on a soft, fresh hamburger bun and quite tender. Wait. Did I just cut and paste that? I did, because the two sandwiches are eerily similar in appearance in every way. The differences begin with the aroma. Maybe it was my imagination, but I would swear that there was a hint of smoke. The meat was flavorful and had a balance of heat and vinegar that had that pop I like. Now the slaw… the slaw is a carbon copy of the Greenville Parker’s. Wilson even brought a bowl out for me to add to my sandwich like the night before and it’s that same tinny bitterness that just does not sit well with me. Wilson Parker’s is a solid go-to for me and I have never been disappointed, but something this time around was just off. Is the slaw always this way and I’ve never noticed? Or was this just an off night? Hoping it was an odd evening for either them or it’s my taste buds that are not too crazy for yellow slaw. 8/10
*Now about the Brunswick stew… my Dad makes my favorite stew ever. His recipe is straight up old school Rocky Mount stew like we’d get at Buck Overton’s or Bob Melton’s. Thick, bold, and bursting with flavor, these BBQ OGs’ Brunswick stews define what it’s all about. Most places advertise it as Brunswick stew, but it’s merely a thin, tomatoey vegetable soup with some leftover pork at best. A real stew’s been cooked for 5+ hours and features a gooey amalgamation of pork, beef, chicken, tomatoes, corn, butterbeans, pork-n-beans, and cabbage that’s brownish in appearance (ahem - not red).
I tried the Brunswick stew at both Parker’s. And while the two appear similar in looks (Wilson is more of a deep red), the difference is in taste. Greenville Parker’s wins the Brunswick stew, hands down. Thick in consistency and balanced, it had that kiss of peppery heat I expect. Wilson’s needed a few dashes of Texas Pete to raise that sweat level to my liking. And while they’re head and shoulders above about 95% of the “Brunswick” stews out there, neither one is anywhere close to Buck Overton’s or Bob Melton’s perfection.
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