Anyone from Northern Indiana

I'm in the Elkhart area (just a few miles north of the border in Michigan). How long ago are you talking? Because now there are mobile Nelson's chicken joints that pop up on corners and gas stations in the area on most weekends, and they call their setup a "port-a-pit." But it seems more like a small franchise and not just a single guy. But if this was a number of years ago maybe he expanded?

They do a ton of fundraisers and the chicken is awesome, I can attest to that.

Here is their website: http://www.nelsonsbbq.com/

I am in Saint John, IN NW area

I went to school in South Bend, and yes, I remember port-a-pit very well.

They had a large smoker, but the bulk of the taste of their chicken was a (very) long brine in water, salt, Worcestershire sauce and an over-the-top amount of liquid smoke. They cooked a little slower than most chicken people here would suggest, but the sheer amount of moisture in the pit just steamed the chicken.

No crispy skin, but I remember being addicted to it. Then again, I think part of the allure was that you just couldn't get that smoky flavor anywhere else (at least in that region).

Now, if you get to the point of talking about Archie's BBQ, make sure you tag me. Archie started my love of BBQ, and showed me that Open Pit could easily be turned into an amazing sauce.