JUNE 2019 // CHARLOTTE 59
THE SIGN OUT FRONT of Lancaster’s
BBQ in Mooresville tells visitors and pass-
ersby everything that sets it apart: A car-
toon pig in a chef’s hat with a checkered
ag around its neck sits in the middle
of the sign, while “Stock Car Capital of
the World” stands proudly at the top—
an indication that Lancaster’s is as much
about its patrons and where they live as
the food it serves.
Lancaster’s is a Lake Norman-area
xture, which Je Lancaster, who had
recently le the Air Force, and a buddy,
Joe Phi er, opened in a former gas station
in June 1986. It was rst called Joe’s Old
Fashion Bar-B-Que, but the next year, Je
bought out his friend, enlisted his wife,
Terry, as a partner, and renamed the place.
As a third-generation restaurateur,
he relies on recipes and techniques
passed down from his father, Bryant, and
grandfather, Tommy, the original owner
of another Mooresville landmark, Big
Daddy’s Restaurant and Oyster Bar. The
Lancasters opened a second location in
Huntersville in 2006.
“It’s kind of a dance,” Je says. “You’ve got
to make adjustments so it comes out pretty
much the same each time.”
Re ecting its location, the Mooresville
restaurant is a racing fan’s playground.
It has black-and-white checkered oors,
NASCAR car hoods on the walls, and a
school bus parked in the middle with
tables inside. Bikers on Harleys and fami-
lies with kids come for the live music,
arcade games, and racing memorabilia.
Both locations serve eastern-style bar-
becue that Je prepares himself. He rubs
pork butts with salt, pepper, and a secret
seasoning, then cooks them for 12 to 13
hours on the wood-burning gas smoker.
The menu also includes smoked brisket
and baby back ribs. Combo platters come
with xings like Brunswick stew, fresh
collard greens, fried okra, eastern slaw,
seafood slaw, and hand-cut chips.
For Je , eastern-style wasn’t just an
option, it was inherited. “Back in the day,
before refrigeration and the sugar trade
was established, everybody felt tomatoes
were poisonous ... so people back then
would use things like vinegar and spices
to (preserve and) smoke their meat,” he
says. He at rst thought Charlotte-area
patrons wouldn’t embrace it. “The oppo-
site happened,” he says. “It’s not only the
food that they embrace, but the hospital-
ity of the South ... and it’s made them feel
welcome.” —Rachel Kang(Above) Je Lancaster’s menu includes baby back
ribs, wings, and smoked brisket. (Below) the pork
sandwich with house-made chips and vinegar sauce.LANCASTER’S BBQ
MULTIPLE LOCATIONS, LANCASTERSBBQ.COMEST.^1986