South Carolina and Georgia differ still in that their chopped or sliced pork is 'mopped' in sauces flavoured with a yellow mustard base. Lastly, there is the matter of Owensboro, in western Kentucky, a tiny enclave of barbecue joints specialising in barbecued mutton. The meat is sliced, served on white bread and topped with a black Worcestershire vinegar sauce. Barbecued mutton does not receive the same level of reverence as pork and beef, but the cooking technique ensures that the meat is as tender as any other. Becoming a lost art, the best place to sample it is at the Moonlite Diner .
Barbecue is an intrinsic part of local Southern culture.
The enormous support and loyalty is best evidenced at the numerous fairs and barbecue contests that take place throughout the 'barbecue belt'. Some contests are open to amateurs while others are qualifying rounds leading up to national championships. The stakes are high in the quest for celebrity and recognition resulting from such championships. Two championships are particularly notable. The KC Masterpiece Invitational draws state and regional winners from throughout the continent and some European countries as well.