Western North Carolina Piedmont Dip & Pork Medallions with Red Slaw
Chapter 1 — Rubs, Sauces & Mops: The Foundational Layer
If you've ever sat at a vinyl-covered table in Lexington, North Carolina, inhaling hickory smoke while waiting for a styrofoam tray of chopped pork, you know the magic of Piedmont barbecue. It embraces the pork shoulder and a legendary finishing sauce known locally as "dip"—a fiery, vinegar-forward concoction tamed by a kiss of ketchup. Traditional whole-shoulder takes twelve hours, but we're adapting those profound, blue-collar smokehouse flavors for a Tuesday night. By wrapping lean tenderloin medallions in bacon, we introduce the rich, basting fat of a shoulder. Smoked hot and fast over pecan wood and served with the region's iconic dip-dressed red slaw, this dish proves you don't need a competition-grade stick burner to capture the uncompromising soul of Southern barbecue.
Before you start
Account for the cabbage curing time.
The red slaw requires one to two hours of salting and resting in a colander to extract its moisture before it can be dressed. Plan your prep accordingly so it's ready when the pork comes off the smoker.
Ingredients
- apple cider vinegar1 1/2 cup
- distilled white vinegar1/2 cup
- Heinz ketchup1/2 cup
- dark brown sugar1/4 cup
- Texas Pete hot sauce1 tbsp
- kosher salt3 tbsp
- crushed red pepper flakes1 1/2 tsp
- black pepper2 tbsp
- onion powder1/2 tsp
- green cabbage1 med
- granulated sugar1 tbsp
- pork tenderloins2 large
- thin-cut bacon12 slices
- pecan or applewood chunks2 large
Method
- 01
Brew the Lexington dip.
In a non-reactive saucepan, combine the apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, hot sauce, 1 tablespoon of kosher salt, red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon of black pepper, and onion powder. Simmer over medium heat just until the sugar and salt dissolve. Remove from heat and cool completely. Do not reduce it to a syrup; it is meant to be a thin mop.
- 02
Cure the cabbage for the red slaw.
Place the chopped cabbage in a colander in the sink. Toss vigorously with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt and the granulated sugar. Let it sit for 1 to 2 hours to draw out excess cellular water, then rinse thoroughly under cold water and pat completely dry with paper towels.
- 03
Dress the slaw.
Transfer the dry cabbage to a large bowl, pour 3/4 cup of the cooled Lexington dip over the top, and toss until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. The slaw should be intensely crunchy and stained a pale reddish-orange.
- 04
Wrap the medallions in bacon.
Wrap one slice of thin-cut bacon tightly around the circumference of each pork medallion, securing it by piercing horizontally with a wooden toothpick. Season the exposed top and bottom faces lightly with the remaining salt and generously with the remaining coarse black pepper.
- 05
Establish a clean, low fire.
If using a charcoal kettle, set up a 2x1 snake method with unlit briquettes, placing your wood chunks at the start of the fuse. Add a water pan to the center and stabilize the ambient temperature between 250°F and 275°F. Alternatively, preheat a pellet smoker to 250°F.
- 06
Smoke the pork to exactly 145°F.
Place the medallions on the grates over indirect heat. Because tenderloin is extraordinarily lean, ignore the clock and rely entirely on your digital meat probe. Pull the pork the exact second the internal temperature hits 145°F, which should take 45 to 60 minutes.
- 07
Rest the meat and serve.
Transfer the medallions to a cutting board, tent loosely with foil, and let them rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Carefully remove the toothpicks and serve warm alongside a generous mound of the chilled red slaw, passing the remaining dip at the table.
Notes
The kitchen oven workaround.
If you lack a smoker, preheat your kitchen oven to 300°F. Whisk 2 tablespoons of the Lexington dip with 1/2 teaspoon of liquid smoke and lightly brush over the raw, bacon-wrapped medallions. Roast on a wire rack set inside a foil-lined baking sheet until they hit 145°F, flashing under the broiler for 60 seconds if the bacon needs a final crisping.
No stall, no wrap.
Unlike a massive pork shoulder, these small tenderloin medallions will not hit the thermodynamic stall. They will climb steadily to 145°F. Never wrap them in foil during the cook, as it will steam the bacon and ruin the texture.
Respect the wood selection.
Pecan provides a traditional, sweet Southern baseline, while applewood perfectly complements the malic acid in the cider vinegar dip. Avoid mesquite entirely; it will violently overpower the lean pork in minutes.
From Cook BBQ at Home.