There’s something almost spiritual about the aroma of slow-smoked meat that hits you before you even open the door at JD’s Smokehouse in Lenoir, North Carolina – like a barbecue baptism preparing you for the religious experience that awaits inside.
The rustic log cabin exterior with its bright red metal roof stands as a beacon of hope for hungry travelers winding through the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
You might drive past it if you’re not paying attention, but your nose will absolutely scold you for the oversight.
In a state where barbecue debates can end friendships faster than college basketball rivalries, JD’s Smokehouse has quietly built a reputation that transcends the eternal Eastern vs. Western North Carolina barbecue battle…