Ed Mitchell has been cooking whole hog barbecue since he was a teenager, but it wasn’t until his mid-40s that life steered him to devote his life to the tradition when he founded the famed Mitchell’s Ribs, Chicken & Bar-B-Q in North Carolina. His son Ryan brought his background in finance to the family business; after eight years working in commercial and investment banking, he returned to his roots in BBQ to work with his father.

As the family business grew, so did their reputation. Ed has cooked all over the world, including at the James Beard House in New York, and has featured on several television series, including Michael Pollan’s “Cooked” on Netflix, Anthony Bourdain’s “A Cooks Tour,” and “Beat Bobby Flay.” The family restaurant has transitioned to The Preserve, which opens this summer in Raleigh, and Ed’s sauces and rubs - True Made Foods, are available at stores nationwide.

In this episode, Ed and Ryan chat about the history of whole-hog barbecue and their cookbook, Ed Mitchell’s Barbeque, which celebrates the tradition of whole-hog barbecue.

Learn more about Ed and Ryan Mitchell at https://www.thepitmasteredmitchell.com

Follow Ryan on Instagram: @bbqprince1031

Podcast Show Notes: https://kitchenconfidante.com/whole-hog-barbeque-with-ed-mitchell-and-ryan-mitchell

Ed Mitchell's Recipe for Watermelon Sweet Tea: https://kitchenconfidante.com/watermelon-sweet-tea