LINCOLNTON, N.C. — Family and friends tend to avoid certain topics, like religion and barbecue, in the South. 

But co-owner of Bar-B-Q King in Lincoln County, Keith Smith, says his family has kept their barbecue tradition going for more than 50 years. 

"I was 15 years old when I came to work at Bar-B-Q King for Steve Abernathy. He and his wife opened it in 1971 because Lincolnton didn't really have an established barbecue restaurant, and its been history ever since. He is such a pleasure to work with, and now I am co-owner and my two boys also work here as managers," Smith said. 

Smith and his son Jordan Smith start work at 6 a.m. They put pork shoulders on the smoker, which is firing with hickory wood. After six hours on the smoker, Smith hand pulls the pork apart, separating the fat, and begins hand chopping it. 

“To me it's all about the look, you don’t want to chop it too fine, but you don’t want to leave it too chunky," said Jordan Smith. 

Behind in his brother, Jared Smith is prepping the burger patties, made fresh every morning. 

“He’s the oldest, but I still call him my little brother," said Jared Smith. 

One thing all four men share is the secret ingredients to the barbecue sauce. 

"Only Steve Abernathy, my dad and me really know what goes in it, but I will tell you, it is a mix between vinegar and tomato," said Jordan Smith. 

Along with the recipe, many other things haven't changed at Bar-B-Q King over the last 51 years. 

The orders are still called out to the kitchen, it's cash or check only, and the barbecue is served every day until it runs out, except on Sundays when they're closed.

"Customers have become like family to us, there is no other place I would like to work, I eat barbecue for breakfast," said Jordan Smith. 

Bar-B-Q King is located at 2613 E Main Street in Lincolnton.