The pig sandwich first was assembled in the 1920s by Leonard Heuberger of Leonard’s barbecue in Memphis. Mr. Heuberger’s idea was to pile shreds of sauced, smoked pork shoulder into a bun and top the pork with coleslaw—a yin-yang balance of hot and cool, meat and vegetable. The term pig sandwich actually has been trademarked by Van’s Pig Stand in Oklahoma. (The Pig Stands—America’s first drive-ins—go back to 1921, and among their myriad claims to fame in the gastronomic record book are that Van’s invented Texas toast and onion rings and were the first restaurants to use neon signage. Van’s pig sandwich includes a very finely chopped relish in lieu of slaw.)
A Memphis pig sandwich, as served at Payne’s.
In much of the South, waiters will not ask if you want slaw on your sandwich; it is automatic. Depending on where you are, the pork will be just lightly sauced with vinegar and peppers or sopped with tangy-sweet-peppery red sauce. Most pig sandwiches come in an untoasted bun or on white bread, but the GA Pig in Brunswick, Georgia, adds another note by griddle-toasting a sesame seed bun, thus including crunch to surround the soft meat within.