Why Skylight Inn’s Legendary BBQ Should Not Be Missed
This week’s guest article is written by John Tanner, founder of John Tanner’s Barbecue Blog. John is based in Washington, D.C., and has been writing about barbecue joints, events, and notable people in BBQ since 2015. If you would like to write a guest article for The Smoke Sheet, please get in touch.
The Skylight Inn's barbecue is the stuff of legend. Founded in 1947 in Ayden, NC, by Pete Jones at the ripe old age of 17, the Skylight Inn has been serving whole hogs cooked over a wood-fired pit to generations and doing it magnificently. It's hard to beat the Skylight Inn, and you'll never beat it by much.
Ayden, North Carolina’s Skyline Inn is a legendary whole hog barbecue institution. (Photo by Ryan Cooper)
I recently stopped at the joint with excitement. In we went and got in line. There's always a line, a quick-moving line. That never changes, but there have been other changes. There are new tables and chairs and subtle changes to the menu.
The prices are up, of course. Where are they not? But not that the joint now calls chicken Yardbird for some reason. Does anyone in Ayden call chicken Yardbird? There's a chain of fancy restaurants called Yardbird. It's a city term pretending to be country. And there's no one there with a cleaver in each hand, chopping the meat, the best background music ever for eating barbecue.
There are some subtle changes that have been made at Skylight Inn, including a new menu board. (Photo by John Tanner)
What hasn't changed is perhaps the best version anywhere of the classic North Carolina barbecue order, the barbecue tray. That tray is the heart and soul of the Skylight Inn. BBQ friends John Shelton Reed, Dan Levine, and I split two large trays, while another friend Allan Parnell, who had the foresight to bring a cooler, ordered separately because he was buying a pound or three of pork to take home. Wise Allan.
There being no musical chopping accompaniment, we took the food and ate outside.
No visit to Skylight Inn is complete without trying the whole hog, slaw, and signature cornbread (or corn pone). (Photo by Ryan Cooper)
The winds of change may blow, but the core is untouched. The barbecue at Skylight is sensational. Rich smoky pork flecked with bits of even richer crisp skin, all bound together with vinegar, pepper, and love. The slaw is crisp, cool, and fresh, and the corn pone that accompanies the tray is a rare treat. I've only found it there in Ayden, at Skylight, and at Bum's Restaurant. Some people find it too dense and, as Pete Jones once noted, once it goes stale, you could shingle your roof with it. But served hot with a barbecue tray, it's not to be missed.
Huge mountains of wood piles can be found behind Skylight Inn. (Photo by Ryan Cooper)
The Skylight Inn is not to be missed, either. It's worth a trip to Ayden, especially since you can go to Bum's and B's while you're there. And go to Sam Jones if you feel like a beer. Really. Go to the Skylight Inn. And take a cooler. Be like Allan.
John Tanner
Founder, John Tanner's Barbecue Blo
—The Kansas City Royals will debut a new BBQ concept called KCQ this year at Kauffman Stadium with a revolving lineup of local BBQ joints. (Photo by Phon Wills)—
HOT OFF THE PRESS
This season, Kansas City Royals fans will be able to enjoy some of the best barbecue the city has to offer while attending baseball games at Kauffman Stadium. A new craft barbecue concept called KCQ is set to debut this year, featuring a revolving lineup of Kansas City barbecue joints, including Chef J BBQ, Scott’s Kitchen, and Smoakcraft Barbecue. Barbecue options and chefs will rotate throughout the season. Chef J BBQ is set to kick off the season on Royals Opening Day at the K on Thursday, March 30, 2023. KCQ can be found behind the first baseline in Ground Level Section 232, and you should visit if you hit up a Royals game. READ MORE.
Maurice’s Piggie Park, a South Carolina barbecue chain with a problematic history, faces allegations of racism and sexual harassment by the fired general manager of one of its restaurants. A lawsuit was filed by an unnamed Black woman who was employed at a location in Columbia, alleging coercion into a sexual relationship in exchange for a raise. Another former employee brought a separate lawsuit last month after contending Harrison left him threatening and racist voicemails. Maurice’s Piggie Park is notoriously known for its pro-segregation stance in a landmark legal case in the 1960s and its more recent embrace of the Confederate flag in the 2000s. READ MORE.
ADDITIONAL READS
Sean Ludwig of The Smoke Sheet and NYC BBQ writes about how .
Famed Austin restaurant Chi’Lantro BBQ is opening its first outpost in Houston.
Our friend Monk from Barbecue Bros reports that Boulevard Barbeque in Morganton, NC is not worth stopping in for.
Eater NY notes that Boots & Bones is an exciting new BBQ joint in Jersey City.
John Tanner sat down with Robert Moss for a "wonderful meal" at Melvin’s in Mount Pleasant, SC.
—Pitmaster Aaron Franklin tells you everything you need to know about cleaning and seasoning your pit.—
WATCH
Cleaning and Seasoning Your Pit — BBQ with Franklin
In this episode of BBQ with Franklin, pitmaster Aaron Franklin discusses how to keep your smoker clean and how to season a raw steel pit. “When you’re done with a cook, it really is a good idea to go ahead and clean your pit for the next time you’re gonna cook,” Franklin says. WATCH HERE.
LISTEN
10 Years of Micklethwait Craft Barbecue — Tales from the Pits
Tom Micklethwait has been at the forefront of the modern barbecue movement that has taken place in the last decade. From high-quality meats to well-made sides and condiments, Micklethwait Craft Meats has been serving all of the staples we’ve come to associate with craft barbecue since its beginning. As they celebrated ten years in business, Tales from the Pits hosts Bryan and Andrew sat down with Tom to discuss his career, the current state of barbecue, and his latest venture, Saddle Up, located next door to the barbecue trailer. LISTEN HERE.
READ
Ed Mitchell's Barbeque — Ed Mitchell, Ryan Mitchell, and Zella Palmer
In his first cookbook, a collaboration with his son, Ryan, and written with Zella Palmer, Ed Mitchell explores the tradition of whole-hog barbeque that has made him famous. In Ed Mitchell’s Barbeque, he will share his methods for the first time and fill in the unwritten chapters of the rich and complex history of North Carolina whole-hog barbeque. From cracklin to hush puppies, fried green tomatoes to deviled eggs, okra poppers, skillet cornbread, potato salad, and pickled pigs’ feet, Ed Mitchell’s Barbeque is filled with delicious and essential recipes honed over decades. And, of course, there is the barbeque—mouth-watering baby back ribs, smoked pork chops, backyard brisket, and barbequed chicken—all paired with lively and warmly told stories from the Mitchell family. ORDER HERE.
—Bradley Robinson of Chuds BBQ combines the best of Texas and Carolina BBQ techniques with these spare ribs.—
Texas Carolina BBQ Ribs
By Chuds BBQ
In this week’s Recipe of the Week, Bradley Robinson of Chuds BBQ demonstrates a great way to cook a full rack of smoky, saucy pork spare ribs. To make these ribs, Robinson borrows techniques from both Carolina and Texas barbecue styles. This recipe calls for the ribs to be seasoned simply with salt and pepper and cooked on an offset smoker using post oak wood. Robinson also makes a tangy Carolina-style mop sauce for the ribs, using plenty of vinegar and some pepper sauce. You’re going to want to try these tender ribs at your next gathering.
—Don't miss out on awesome BBQ events this spring and summer like Brisket King NYC in Queens, NY. (Photo by Sean Ludwig)—
March 31-April 1, 2023: Hogs For the Cause — New Orleans, Louisiana
The Hogs For the Cause barbecue competition and festival is back in 2023 for its 15th anniversary. The event will be held at the UNO Lakefront Arena festival grounds. Proceeds go to fight pediatric brain cancer. MORE INFO HERE.
April 2, 2023: Houston Barbecue Festival — Humble, Texas
The Houston Barbecue Festival will return for its 10th anniversary this April. Tickets are now on sale for the event that includes some of the state’s best pitmasters and barbecue joints such as CorkScrew BBQ in Spring, Brett’s BBQ Shop in Katy, Harlem Road Texas BBQ in Richmond, Tejas Chocolate & BBQ in Tomball, and more than a dozen of Houston’s most popular ’cue restaurants. MORE INFO HERE.
April 26, 2023: Brisket King NYC — Queens, New York
The 12th Edition of Brisket King NYC will be held outdoors at the huge Pig Beach BBQ location in Queens, NYC this April. The event will feature brisket dishes from upcoming barbecue pitmasters and chefs. Historically, Brisket King has featured many pitmasters before they were household names, so you’re also getting a look at the future of the barbecue scene. MORE INFO HERE.
April 29, 2023: 3rd Annual Jeff Michner BBQ Benefit — Queens, New York
Join the crew at Pig Beach for the 3rd Annual Jeff Michner BBQ Benefit, a full-day meat smokin’ extravaganza organized in honor late friend, Pig Beach BBQ Executive Chef Jeff Michner, who passed away suddenly in 2018 at age 36 leaving behind his wife Sara and daughter Hayes. This all-day “swine around” will feature more than 25 indoor and outdoor food stations helmed by celebrated chefs and barbecue royalty, plus complimentary beer, specialty cocktails, and non-alcoholic refreshments. MORE INFO HERE.
May 5-6, 2023: The BBQ Fest on the Neuse — Kinston, North Carolina
The 42nd annual BBQ Festival on the Neuse kicks off soon in Kinston, NC. The large festival will include a whole hog cookoff, food competitions, shopping, arts and crafts, wine garden, children’s activities, and more. Expect a good time for families and BBQ enthusiasts. MORE INFO HERE.
May 17-20, 2023: Memphis in May — Memphis, Tennessee
Recognized as one of the world’s most prestigious barbecue contests, the Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest is a four-day competition held in Memphis. Teams representing the best of barbecue that have been honing their craft for years compete for the title of World Champion and a share of the more than $145,000 in prize money. The event will be held again at Tom’s River Park after a hiatus. However, based on the reduction in space in the new Tom Lee Park the event organizers expect the contest will be limited to 150 teams. MORE INFO HERE.
May 27-28, 2023: Denver BBQ Festival — Denver, Colorado
The Denver BBQ Fest, held at Empower Field at Mile High (where the Broncos play), is a huge event that brings barbecue fans together to get a taste of great local and national barbecue bites. On top of the top-notch food, there’s also live music and great drinks to enjoy. To get a taste of this event, be sure to read writer Ed Reilly’s recap of the 2022 Denver BBQ Festival. If you’re near Denver, don’t miss this. MORE INFO HERE.
Thanks for reading our newsletter. Please share it with friends and family that also love and support barbecue! Want to be featured in or sponsor The Smoke Sheet?
Email us here!