Barbecue expert John Shelton Reed and I have different ideas.
I spoke with him about the recent death of Wilber Shirley, the legendary founder of Wilberâs, one of North Caroliniansâ favorite places to enjoy pit-cooked Eastern North Carolina barbecue.
Wilberdean Shirley opened Wilberâs Barbecue in Goldsboro in 1962 and made it into an icon that became a local institution and attracted visitors from all over the state. Before the opening of the Highway 70 bypass, Wilberâs was a regular stop for Piedmont North Carolinians traveling to and from the beach. The loss of that business along with other factors led to Wilberâs closure two years ago.