The Humble Pig

Barbecue is as much about tradition as it is about innovation, and The Humble Pig—a food truck identifiable by long line of hungry folks drawn by the mouth-watering aroma of ‘cue—does it right, sticking to the low and slow rule while serving up fresh takes on one of our favorite foods.

The Humble Pig serves standard food truck fare in their tacos and fries, but everything is lifted by their mastery of smoke, salt and fire. The pulled pork, beef brisket and smoked chicken wings are all cooked over wood coals in a rotisserie smoker, then sauced and assembled inside. Wings are served whole—with the wing and drumette—and, like the pulled pork sandwich, the brisket sandwich and the smoked tacos, come served with a side or two (seasonal veggies, baked beans, coleslaw, standard and sweet potato fries).

Where the brisket and pulled pork are traditional takes on those dishes, The Humble Pig departs from that with their tacos and Carolina Fries. Think thick, beer-battered French fries topped in pulled pork, bits of brisket, cheese and a drizzle of sauce and you’re on the right track. A big, sharable dish, it’s a fun way to eat some ‘cue with your fingers even when you’re not at a pig pickin’.

As for sauce, owners Ross and Jessica McCarthy cast a wide net across the south to bring in some excellent flavors. In addition to their vinegary Eastern N.C. sauce, they serve a South Carolina mustard sauce that will make you rethink your sauce allegiances, an Alabama white sauce that’s perfect for the chicken wings (and not too bad on the tacos) and a thick, Kansas-inspired, tomato-based sauce that comes in two flavors: sweet and spicy.

As a food truck, The Humble Pig keeps their menu small, but it’s a crowd pleaser through and through. A pulled pork or brisket sandwich and a pair of sides (or a trio of wings with sides or a pair of tacos with sides) will run $12-$13, and those Carolina Fries come in at $11; the only thing more expensive is 10 whole wings at $18. Since they have no brick-and-mortar location, you’ll have to hunt for them; fortunately they make it easy and keep their schedule front and center on their website, www.thehumblepig.com.

The Humble Pig is a food truck based in the Raleigh area—see their upcoming schedule on their website