Smoke a Little Smoke: An Unexpected Favorite in Marion, North Carolina
Sometimes the best barbecue stops are the ones you find on the way home.
After a weekend that included a David Spade show in Durham and some fun in Cherokee, we finally made time for barbecue. That brought us to Smoke a Little Smoke in Marion, North Carolina, and one of our favorite discoveries so far.
Our first stop was their former location, where a sign on the door pointed us toward their new place. Thankfully, we followed it. This was a meal worth tracking down.
A New Location With a Local Feel
The smell of smoke greeted us before we even walked inside. That’s always a promising start.
The new space was still being finished during our visit, including a mural highlighting Marion and its history. It was spacious, open, and welcoming, with friendly staff who were happy to talk about the food and recommend sauce pairings.
We also discovered they were fellow Jeep people. Between the barbecue and a little Jeep ducking while we recorded our thoughts after lunch, they made us feel right at home.
We Ordered the Whole Farm
With so many meats to try, the Whole Farm platter made the decision easy.
It included pulled pork, pulled chicken, brisket, smoked bologna, and jalapeño sausage. At $27 during our visit, it was enough for both of us, and we finished feeling very full.
The impressive part wasn’t just the variety. Every meat brought something good to the plate.
Pulled Pork and Brisket That Delivered
The pulled pork had the smoky, juicy, tender qualities we look for in North Carolina barbecue. The seasoning on the outside added flavor, and their vinegar sauce paired beautifully with it.
The brisket was just as impressive. It had a nice bark, plenty of moisture, and a tender bite that pulled apart while still holding some structure.
We tried the sauces across all the meats, but the sweet barbecue sauce was our favorite match for the brisket. Between that and the pulled pork, the platter was already off to a strong start.
Smoked Bologna Was the Surprise Favorite
We don’t come across smoked bologna at many of our barbecue stops, but this one made us wonder why we aren’t eating it more often.
It was smoky, flavorful, and good enough to inspire plans for our own smoker at home. Sometimes an unexpected item ends up being one of the most memorable bites of the meal. This was definitely one of those times.
The jalapeño sausage also deserved attention. It had a satisfying snap, good smoke flavor, and a balance of meat and jalapeño that worked really well.
Sauces With a Purpose
Smoke a Little Smoke gave us plenty to experiment with:
Vinegar sauce complemented the pulled pork.
Sweet barbecue sauce was our favorite with the brisket.
Spicy barbecue sauce had a peppery kick that reminded us of Texas Pete.
Peach habanero sauce was excellent with the pulled chicken.
Blueberry sauce offered a balanced, unexpected pairing across the platter.
Don’t let the habanero name scare you. During our visit, we found the peach habanero flavorful without being overly hot.
What impressed us most was how well the sauces worked with the food. Each one felt like it had a purpose, and the staff knew which pairings to suggest.
Sides Worth Saving Room For
The potato salad was one of the best we’ve had on our barbecue travels so far. It had a distinctive seasoning and a dill-pickle character that helped it stand out.
The baked beans were a straightforward, tasty addition, while the hush puppies earned their own shoutout. We even tried them with the sweet barbecue and blueberry sauces, and both combinations worked.
With so much attention going to the meat, it’s easy for sides to become an afterthought. Here, they helped round out a memorable meal.
The variety of meats made the consistency especially impressive. From brisket and pulled pork to bologna and sausage, the smoke flavor, tenderness, and seasoning held up across the platter.
The atmosphere score reflected a welcoming experience in a location that was still coming together. We’d love to return and see the finished space.
Our Final Verdict
Smoke a Little Smoke earned 94.25 out of 100, taking the number-one spot on our barbecue list at the time of this review.
Juicy meats, creative sauces, memorable sides, and friendly people made this unexpected stop a highlight of our trip. If your travels bring you through Marion, it’s a place worth making time for.
Our drive home came with some Jeep trouble shortly after we left, but that’s another story. The barbecue gave us plenty of good things to talk about.
Pit Stop crew, have you been to Smoke a Little Smoke? And where do you stand on smoked bologna, is it already a favorite, or something you still need to try?
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