Ed Mitchell's Barbeque

A celebration of the history and tradition of whole-hog barbeque from the “most famous” pitmaster in North Carolina

Named one of the Best Cookbooks of the Year by NPR, Publishers Weekly and The Local Palate: Food Culture of the South

Ed Mitchell’s journey in the barbeque business began in 1991 with a lunch for his mama, who was grieving the loss of Ed’s father. Ed drove to the nearby Piggly Wiggly to buy a thirty-five-pound pig—that’s a small one—and fired up the coals. As smoke filled the air and the pork skin started to crackle, the few customers at the family bodega started to inquire about lunch and what smelled so good. More than thirty years later, Ed is known simply as “The Pitmaster” in barbeque circles and is widely considered one of the best at what he does.