This is not a story about cast iron, even if it hails from a place in which cast iron is so closely connected and carried on so culturally to this day. It is, in fact, a shaggy dog about hot dogs. West Virginia hot dogs, to be exact—a regional delicacy of the Appalachian foodway that reveals an unexpectedly rich and riveting history about the old Mountain State. Follow along on our insatiable (and bellyaching) quest to better understand these chili-and-slaw-slathered buns.

Barbecue has a long history in the Lone Star State, from direct-heat cooking to in-ground pits to offset smokers, with the practice and process perfected over time. Today, you could say we’re in the midst of the low-and-slow heyday, thanks in part to the tools built by the Lockhart, Texas-based brothers, Matt and Caleb Johnson of Mill Scale. But there are still a few tips to follow.

What’s in a number? It’s a question commonly asked when it comes to cast iron. Look on the bottom or handle of many an antique pan and you’re likely to find 6s, 8s, 10s, and so on. But the answer is shrouded in its fair share of myth and controversy. And of course to make matters more confusing, we use letters in their stead.

Two hundred miles into the heart of West Virginia, a small gravel drive leads to the dinner table at Lost Creek Farm. Beneath the old maple trees, a couple dozen strangers will sit down to a meal together, made by husband-and-wife duo Mike Costello and Amy Dawson, whose family has lived, farmed, and cooked here since the 1880s. Yes, there is cast-iron cornbread, but also what they’re really serving up is the region’s rich history, robust foodways, and deep-rooted sense of place. At the end of summer, we shared a meal and meditated on the power of food for rural communities. We will forever be in awe of the brilliance of vinegar pie. 

It’s not every day that a barbecue legend is born in Virginia. But Tuffy Stone is anything but your average pitmaster, with the former Marine, French-trained chef, and six-time World Barbecue Champion standing tall amongst the titans of the Carolinas or Kansas or even the great Lone Star State of Texas. In 2018, he was induced into the Barbecue Hall of Fame, and even without that knowledge, it doesn’t take long to realize that “the professor,” as Stone is fittingly known, is a legend among us, teaching his hard-earned wisdom with a cool grace and sly sense of humor to anyone who asks. On the eve of Independence Day, and in the thick of grilling season, we did just that. Read on to learn for yourself.

It’s safe to say that there wouldn’t be a Butter Pat Industries without the Cowboy Cauldron Company. And founder Mike Bertelsen is the man to thank, igniting our founder’s encouraging cast-iron collecting side hustle into cookware obsession. The Utah native has been a man of many lifetimes—fly fishing guide, law school student, Senate lobbyist—with his steel devices speaking directly to a lifelong love of the live flame. Read on for his no-nonsense advice, such as how to build a proper cooking fire and his go-to ingredient: a glass of wine.

To the unknowing stomach, a West Virginia hot dog is pretty simple. Hot dog, steamed bun, diced onion, yellow mustard, a creamy slaw, and a slathering of chili. But the secret is often enough in the sauce. “In West Virginia, you’ll find a lot of variety,” says Mike Costello of Lost Creek Farm in Harrison County, who grew up outside of Charleston with a slightly spicy version and was kind enough to share a personal recipe with us—and you.

It’s grilling season, and meat master Tuffy Stone has a foolproof recipe for summer cooking that can satisfy a crowd. “The first time I made this recipe, I was competing in the Kingsford Invitational barbecue competition in New York City,” he says. It was the contest’s “one bite challenge,” and Stone won. But the best prize? A North Carolina pitmaster telling him afterwards, “you’re one tough dude.”

As Mike Bertelsen of the Cowboy Cauldron Company puts it, making your own pizza is “bonehead easy,” especially over one of his epic firepits and using a cast-iron pan as a de facto pizza stone. Consider these grilled pies, especially with a handful of fresh basil and other goods from the garden, your new go-to for summer.