Apple City BBQ / Taylorsville, NC

Third time was the charm! After two frustratingly unsuccessful attempts to eat at Apple City BBQ (closed Sunday through Wednesday and the one Thursday I could stop, they were closed for July 4th on July 3rd), I was finally able to get by on an open day and give it a try after hearing some really good things about this Alexander County joint.

Their barbecue sandwich is pretty dang solid. The meat was not overly chopped and was very tender with a gorgeous, pink smoke ring. While I could see the smoke, I did not smell it at all. Whatever smoke there is in the taste, it is way too subtle, however, the flavor of the moist meat is quite enjoyable. Apple City offers three varieties of sauce (sweet, Eastern NC, and a SC mustard). It did not require any sauce at all. The finely chopped Cole slaw was mayo-based, not overly sweet, and balanced well with the pork. The bun held up under the meat and slaw without any problem at all. 

The biggest let-down was the lack of smoke in an otherwise enjoyable sandwich. They reportedly cook over apple and hickory, but I can’t swear to that since there was barely any hint of smokiness to discern between the two woods. It would definitely score higher with a stronger, nose-tickling aroma to accompany an otherwise beautiful product,

Does Apple City move into an honorable Top 30 spot? Barely. With a solid 8/10, Apple City knocks Ralph’s Barbecue in Weldon down to Number 31. It's worth a stop for sure.

Apple City BBQ

3490 NC-16 South

Taylorsville, NC 28681