That vinegar sauce is a North Carolina thing, going back to the earliest days of English settlement in the Tidewater region. The English provided the Elizabethan “catsup,” vinegar and spices typically, the native tribes provided the pit cooking method and it grew from there. Truly American from the earliest times.
Hard to say why it survived here while other areas developed with meat other than pork, different sauces, sugar, tomato, even Alabama white sauce sort like mayo (actually very good) and South Carolina “Carolina Gold” mustard (don’t care for it, one of the few varieties of ‘cue that just doesn’t do it for me).
The smell alone, that beautiful smoke emanating from any Memphis or KC bbq rib joint, is just awesome. Texas brisket done right is a thing of beauty as well.
Americana at it’s finest. If NYC wants to play at it or even get serious about it, come on in, give it your best. That’s a fine looking sandwich improbably featured on the cover of The Village Voice. Just don’t go all frou-frou, the best is fairly simple but painstakingly prepared, sort of humble. It should stay that way.
This is what our country is all about. :)