How 50-Year-Old Scott’s Bar-B-Que Preserves SC BBQ History
This week’s guest article is written by Bryan Suddith, a storyteller and foodie raised in Southwest Ohio. He has been known to drive hundreds of miles for lunch, and he’s also lived in Kentucky, Louisiana, and Florida. Bryan is the producer of Story Slam Dayton and a KCBS Certified BBQ Judge. Bryan enjoys long road trips, summer nights on patios with friends telling stories, and sharing good food (usually BBQ). His latest story is a two-parter about his recent trip to South Carolina.
If you ask 100 people to list their top three BBQ destination cities, you'd be hard-pressed to find someone that would suggest Hemingway, South Carolina.
Hemingway is near nothing. It is almost two hours to Charleston and a four-hour drive through the country to Greenville. Hemingway is a tiny town of fewer than 500 people in the heart of the Peedee Region and is home to the quintessential South Carolina BBQ story.
Scott's Bar-B-Que in Hemingway is a true classic that still serves whole hog. (Photo via Tales from the Pits)
For anyone interested in whole hog barbecue, Hemingway’s 50-year-old Scott's Bar-B-Que has to be on your list. It has been well documented in part due to pitmaster Rodney Scott's rise in the BBQ and culinary world. Rodney left to create his own legacy but he is ingrained in the history here. Anthony Bourdain's Mind of a Chef told Rodney's story in 2013, and Scott's Bar-B-Que has been on my list of places to visit ever since.
The spot is so unassuming, I actually drove right past it. There are no signs and nothing to indicate that you have happened upon a BBQ icon. This is not a tourist spot. There was no line filled with bloggers and folks with cameras as I've experienced at Franklin Barbecue in Austin or Joe’s in Kansas City. This place is different.
There were no pretenses. No nod to their importance in the story of South Carolina Barbecue. There is no organized queue or directional arrows. You either know where to go or you don't.
Scott's Bar-B-Que uses burn barrels to create coals for the whole hog. (Photo via Tales from the Pits)
I knew I wanted to see the firewood and burn barrels and talk to the guys who kept the fire. Behind the pit room, there were two guys throwing splits of oak into a fire barrel. They burn green wood, then collect the coals to shovel under the pits. This isn't Central Texas with stacks of well-organized post oak. There are just piles of fresh splits waiting to be burnt.
I found my way around the front and into the tiny grocery where only a few items are sold and ordered the barbecue plate. When you order barbecue, a plate, or a sandwich, you are asking for chopped pork. Whole hog in this instance. The ladies behind the counter were patient, but my indecisiveness outed me as a visitor.
The whole hog at Scott's Bar-B-Que in Hemingway. (Photo via Tales from the Pits)
Local folks were arriving and buying barbecue by the pound and sides for supper. No one was taking pictures. This is a BBQ spot for locals. This is how barbecue was before social media, television, top ten lists, and influencers. It felt pure. It's a whole hog cooked for the community and you can grab a loaf of bread while you are here and have Saturday supper ready.
Coming here was for me an attempt to understand the history, the story, and roots of South Carolina barbecue. To see a place that is relatively unchanged over 50 years. The pits that produced Rodney Scott and put South Carolina BBQ on the culinary map. I learned that this barbecue wasn't made for me or any tourist, but I was welcomed to the table.
I ordered and got my plate, sitting alone in a sea of open picnic tables beside the little building, and chatted with the two guys hanging around the pits. They seemed intrigued by my questions.
The menu is old-school a Scott's Bar-B-Que. (Photo via Tales from the Pits)
The barbecue was good. Real good. Chopped whole hog is hard to come by in Ohio. The smoke is subtle. The mop sauce is vinegar forward and added both a bit of spice and some sweetness. The meat was moist and flavorful, and that says a lot knowing that it came off of the pit 8 hours earlier. The slaw was tangy, the beans were good, and I ate every bite.
I returned to the store to buy some of the vinegar sauce. It was there that two ladies greeted me from a bench in front. They asked about the photos I was taking, and I explained that I had driven more than 500 miles to eat this barbecue. They didn't understand my comment. I explained that I had read about this spot in Adrian Miller's book Black Smoke and saw it on Netflix and that I drove from Ohio to eat there. I explained that I was planning to eat at Rodney Scott's BBQ in Charleston the next day, and that is when the first lady said, "Well, you are talking to his mom right now.”
She then said, “If you see Rodney in Charleston, tell him to call his mom.” I replied with a "Yes ma'am, I will" and thanked her for continuing to cook barbecue the way it has always been done. I stopped at the pits, chatted with the fellas, and then turned my old Jeep toward the beach and Charleston.
Bryan Suddith
Storyteller
In next week’s issue, we will share part two of Bryan’s road trip and his visit to Rodney Scott’s BBQ in Charleston.
Thanks to our sponsor DennyMike's, which offers outstanding seasonings and rubs for every situation. Learn more about DennyMike's here.
—Terry Wong (right) of Blood Bros. BBQ in Houston was diagnosed with colon cancer in February but is thankfully now in recovery. (Photo by Wai Chan)—
HOT OFF THE PRESS
Terry Wong, co-owner of Blood Bros. BBQ in Houston, revealed that he was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer in February following several weeks of stomach pains. He quickly had surgery. Wong said, “doctors explained had they waited just a few hours more to perform his surgery, his stomach likely would have exploded.” Wong is thankfully now in recovery. 48-year-old Wong spoke with Eater Houston about his story, his diagnosis, and now is urging people to get their guts checked out, especially if feeling abdominal pain. “I feel like it’s really necessary what I’m going through to convince people to get CT scans and colonoscopy and to start thinking about that in the mid-30s at least, that way you don’t have to go through this crazy crap that I’m going through,” Wong told Eater. READ MORE.
The owners of popular Omaha barbecue joint Tired Texan BBQ announced this week that they are closing for good on May 8. Owner Chip Holland wrote on Facebook that multiple factors went into the decision to close. These include the pandemic, a recent fire that closed the restaurant for several months, increased costs, and shortages of staff and supplies. “Every food order is a jigsaw puzzle. The ribs, for instance, have been different practically every order,” Holland said. “The price of good quality meat has tripled.” Holland also notes that the joint plans to bring back some popular menu items before the restaurant closes in May. READ MORE.
Blake Stoker, a 26-year-old pitmaster and owner of Blake’s BBQ in Martin, Tenn., closed his long-time trailer last week in preparation of opening a full brick-and-mortar. “It’s bittersweet because it’s what I’ve known for six years,” Stoker told WBBJ. “I’ve spent an awful lot of time in there, working in close quarters with my people. So it’s going to be different, but I’m ready to have more room. If nothing else, more space, more refrigerator space, more table space to make it all a little easier to handle.” Blake’s at Southern Milling, the new restaurant, is set to open at the end of April. READ MORE.
Famed Kansas City barbecue joint Arthur Bryant’s Barbecue is now encouraging customers to not buy brisket or burnt ends. Because of rapidly increasing beef prices, the restaurant is now urging customers to try other proteins like pork, chicken, or turkey. Owner Jerry Rauschelbach told the Kansas City Star that “he hates the prices he’s forced to charge customers.” Four months ago, the brisket sandwich (with three-quarters of a pound of meat) was $10.95 but is now $17.95. “We need to send the message that we’re not going to eat brisket, we’re not going to eat beef products,” Rauschelbach said. “And if you don’t eat beef products, prices will plummet immediately. It’s simply a supply and demand issue. If everybody went to a barbecue place and ordered pork for a week, beef prices would come down real damn quick.” READ MORE.
Speedy from the Barbecue Bros. recently paid Bringle’s Smoking Oasis in Nashville, Tenn. (from Peg Leg Porker owner Carey Bringle) and gave it high praise. He notes that the beef rib was his favorite meat but enjoyed all of them. “Overall, I can’t recommend Bringle's Smoking Oasis enough, especially on a nice day where the outdoor space can be utilized,” Speedy writes. “I had high expectations going in, but they were all exceeded and Bringle’s will be my go-to spot to bring visitors and vaults to the top of the Nashville rankings.” READ MORE.
ADDITIONAL READS
Promising new joint Smoke City Char Bar has opened in Downtown Los Angeles with brisket, ribs, tri-tip, cocktails, and more on the menu.
Texas Monthly’s Daniel Vaughn has rounded up the best places to eat barbecue in San Antonio, including in the city and outside it.
Lexington Betty Smokehouse is taking over One Eleven Food Hall in Chicago after all other tenants moved out of the food hall.
Patch looks at the history of popular Alabama BBQ restaurant Archibald's BBQ as it celebrates 60 years.
Shawn Walchef of Cali BBQ spoke with Nation’s Restaurant News about building a media brand while also earning a following for slow-smoked brisket.
Pitmaster Eli Goldman is putting a Jewish spin on his fledgling pop-up barbecue business in Queens, New York with Tikkun BBQ.
Steven Raichlen's Barbecue University, a barbecue experience held annually in Bluffton, S.C., will happen again this June.
From barbecue to the Broncos: Here’s how family life played a central role as D.J. Jones arrived in Denver.
J.C. Reid writes that Roegels Barbecue adds to Katy, TX’s status as a growing barbecue destination.
Oakland pitmaster Matt Horn’s new cookbook, Horn Barbecue, is “a master class in how to make mouthwatering barbecue.”
Kimchi Smoke, which combines Korean BBQ with Texas BBQ in New Jersey, was featured on the Rachael Ray Show.
Southside Market’s Taste of Texas BBQ is now shipping nationwide. Place your order now.
—Harp Barbecue was included in Mashed’s recent video of 13 must-visit BBQ joints in the U.S. (Photo by Ryan Cooper)—
WATCH
13 Must-Visit Barbecue Restaurants in the U.S. — Mashed
There is no more American meat tradition than barbecue. And though no two regions will agree about how barbecue is best prepared, or about which parts of which animal are best enjoyed after any preparation, we can all agree that these different methods all taste pretty great — even if our hometown place makes it the best. Though great barbecue can be had in many spots, there are 13 barbecue restaurants that are a cut above the rest, according to Mashed. The joints include Harp Barbecue in Missouri, Franklin Barbecue in Austin, Hometown Bar-B-Que in New York, Skylight Inn in North Carolina, and more. We honestly think this list should be 100 BBQ joints long but it’s a good start for your travels. WATCH HERE.
LISTEN
Scotty’s Whole Hog Barbecue — Eat More Barbecue
Scott Barvir from Scotty’s Whole Hog Barbecue in Minnesota joins Ryan Sanderson on the Eat More Barbecue podcast. Memories of childhood trips to North Carolina inspired Scott to bring whole hog barbecue to his local community. You can get more information about his special events and residency at Loon Liquors Distillery in Northfield, MN on the web at www.scottyswholehogbbq.com. LISTEN HERE.
READ
Life of Fire: Mastering the Arts of Pit-Cooked Barbecue, the Grill, and the Smokehouse: A Cookbook — Pat Martin and Nick Fauchald
One of the few pitmasters still carrying the torch of West Tennessee whole-hog barbecue, Nashville’s Pat Martin has studied and taught this craft for years. Now he reveals all he knows about the art of barbecue and live-fire cooking. Through beautiful photography and detailed instruction, the lessons start with how to prepare and feed a fire—what wood to use, how to build a pit or a grill, how to position it to account for the weather—then move into cooking through all the stages of that fire’s life. You’ll sear tomatoes for sandwiches and infuse creamed corn with the flavor of char from the temperamental, adolescent fire. Next, you’ll grill chicken with Alabama white sauce over the grown-up fire, and, of course, you’ll master pit-cooked whole hog, barbecue ribs, turkey, pork belly, and pork shoulder over the smoldering heat of mature coals. Finally, you’ll roast vegetables buried in white ash, and you’ll smoke bacon and country hams in the dying embers of the winter fire. For Pat Martin, grilling, barbecuing, and smoking is a whole lifetime’s worth of practice and pleasure—a life of fire that will transform the way you cook. ORDER HERE.
—Pitmaster Elliott Moss’ recipe for Barbecue Hash is a great way to use leftover smoked pork or chicken. (Photo by Ryan Cooper)—
Buxton Hall BBQ Hash
By Elliott Moss
Barbecue Hash is a regional dish that is popular in South Carolina. Traditionally, hash is a dish that is prepared in order to use leftover parts from the butchering process, including the hogshead, liver, and lungs. This recipe from Buxton Hall’s Elliott Moss (a South Carolina native) uses leftover pulled pork along with chicken liver. Moss suggests you use this recipe as a base, and then play around with it to make it your own.
Learn more about Southside Market Barbeque.
—A lot of big barbecue events are planned for 2022. Let's go!—
March 25-26, 2022: American Royal Backyard BBQ & Steak Contest — Kansas City, Missouri
The relatively new National Steak Championships from KCBS will have one of its biggest events thus far during the 2nd American Royal Backyard BBQ & Steak contest. It will be hosted at the American Royal Complex in the West Bottoms. Registration for the event closes March 16th. MORE INFO HERE.
March 26-27, 2022: Meatstock Music and Barbecue Festival (Melbourne edition) — Melbourne, Australia
Meatstock will feature a stacked line-up of barbecue enthusiasts and bands. The two-day event brings American pitmasters Down Under; sees BBQ teams go head-to-head over the coals to be crowned the city’s best barbequers; and features live music, food trucks, and pop-up bars. Additionally, American BBQ joints such as Louie Muller BBQ and Blue Oak BBQ are scheduled to be there as well. MORE INFO HERE.
April 3, 2022: Houston Barbecue Festival — Houston, Texas
Houston's largest barbecue festival will return after a two-year hiatus to the Humble Civic Center Arena Complex. It will feature many of the best barbecue joints in Houston and the surrounding area, including 1701 Barbecue, Blood Bros BBQ, Brett's BBQ Shop, Burns Original BBQ, CorkScrew BBQ, Daddy Duncan's BBQ, Dozier's BBQ, Burro & Bull, Feges BBQ, Gatlin's BBQ, Harlem Road Texas BBQ, J-Bar-M Barbecue, JQ's Tex Mex BBQ, Khoi Barbecue, Killen's Barbecue, Pinkerton's Barbecue,Roegels Barbecue Co, Tejas Chocolate & BBQ, and Truth BBQ. MORE INFO HERE.
April 20, 2022: Brisket King NYC — Brooklyn, New York
If you love brisket (and if you're reading this you probably do), you won’t want to miss Brisket King NYC 2022 in Brooklyn. The event will be held at the huge outdoor space at Pig Beach NYC in Brooklyn. More than 15 NYC-area chefs and pitmasters will be there serving up their takes on brisket and pastrami. MORE INFO HERE.
April 30, 2022: 2nd Annual Jeff Michner BBQ Benefit — Queens, New York
The 2nd Annual Jeff Michner BBQ Benefit will be held at the new Pig Beach NYC location in Queens. It features a huge lineup of some of the best pitmasters in the country, including Chris Lilly, Billy Durney, Tuffy Stone, Sam Jones, Carey Bringle, Amy Mills, Pat Martin, Brad Orrison, Grant Pinkerton, John Wheeler, and many more. If you live in the area and love BBQ, do not miss this. MORE INFO HERE.
May 6-8, 2022: Kansas City BBQ Festival — Kansas City, Missouri
The second year of the “KCQ,” a non-competition barbecue event that celebrates barbecue from Kansas City and many other barbecue towns. It will take place in the parking lot of Arrowhead Stadium and feature barbecue from KC-based mainstays and out-of-towners. Last year’s event featured ‘cue from Joe’s Kansas City, Jones Bar-B-Q, Plowboys BBQ, 2M Smokehouse, Black’s BBQ, Central City BBQ, and Sugarfire Smokehouse, so expect great joints to be involved in 2022. MORE INFO HERE.
May 11-14, 2022: Memphis in May — Memphis, Tennessee
The Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest is a four-day competition held in Memphis, TN. Teams representing the best of barbecue that have been honing their craft for years compete for the title of World Champion and a share of the more than $140,000 in prize money. The Contest features championship pork categories of Ribs, Shoulder, and Whole Hog, as well as the ancillary competitions of Hot Wings, Sauce, and “Anything But Pork.” The 2022 competition will be held in the Memphis Fairgrounds due to construction at its normal home at Tom Lee Park. MORE INFO HERE.
May 22, 2022: Carolina BBQ Festival — Charlotte, North Carolina
The first-ever Carolina BBQ Festival will be held in Charlotte, North Carolina, with some of the biggest names in Carolina barbecue. The event is the creation of Lewis Donald of Sweet Lew’s BBQ in Charlotte and will celebrate three regional styles of Carolina barbecue. The one-day event will include legendary barbecue from Bryan Furman, Buxton Hall’s Elliott Moss, Jon G’s Garren Kirkman, Lexington Barbecue’s Nathan Monk, Southern Smoke BBQ’s Matthew Register, Tay Nelson of Bobby’s Barbecue, and more.. MORE INFO HERE.
June 4, 2022: Troubadour Festival (Georgetown edition) — Georgetown, Texas
After a huge inaugural event in Celina, Texas in 2021, the Troubadour Festival will be expanding to three different event locations this year. The first of these will be in Georgetown, not too far from Austin. Music headliners include The Panhandlers and William Clark Green, and pitmasters will be there from 2M Smokehouse, Blood Bros. BBQ, Interstellar BBQ, J-Bar-M BBQ, Leroy and Lewis, and more. MORE INFO HERE.
June 10-11, 2022: Made for KC BBQ Championship — Kansas City, Missouri
Pitmasters in the Kansas City area are invited to compete in the first annual “Made for KC BBQ Championship,” with a chance to win a combined prize purse totaling $46,000. The Grand Champion will be showcased in a competition BBQ-themed restaurant in the new terminal at the Kansas City International Airport. The Outstanding Hospitality Management Group is partnering with the Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) and Old World Spices & Seasonings to hold the event on June 10-11, 2022 at Worth Harley-Davidson. MORE INFO HERE.
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