The diverse pleasures of Carolina’s barbecue
Go for a walk down a mountain trail in the predawn darkness, and you might just catch the fragrance of smoke wafting through the trees.
If so, don’t be alarmed.
Where there’s smoke, there’s usually fire, as the old saying goes. But here in the Upstate of South Carolina, many fires are being lit and tended by the skilled hands of true culinary artists, who together carry on a tradition that has been perhaps America’s most beloved cultural creation since even before our nation’s birth.
We’re talking about barbecue, of course, but not just any barbecue–this is South Carolina mountain barbecue. What began as a simple way to cook meat efficiently among the individuals who made the secluded pockets of the mountains their home, this form of barbecue today is perhaps best exemplified by its diversity. You want the peppery indulgence of Texas-style brisket? You can find it across the Upstate at spots like Lewis Barbecue, SBH BBQ, and Bobby’s BBQ. Want a more coastal take on smoke, with fusion elements from various barbecue traditions? Check out Home Team BBQ, Palmetto’s Smokehouse and Oyster Bar, or Moe’s BBQ.
All of these spots and more are included in the South Carolina Barbecue Trail, a project spearheaded by the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, which aims to shine a light on the region’s best barbecue spots.
There are dozens to choose from, but if you want the kind of true South Carolina barbecue that our forebears in the mountains would’ve cooked up, you’ll have to pig out.
South Carolina Barbecue: High on the Hog
Pork is king here in South Carolina. That’s owing to the long tradition of hog farming that was done in the wilderness and the mountains centuries ago. Unlike the large ranches of Texas, where cattle roamed free, most farmers in the South Carolina mountains were working with limited space.
Hogs were a smart choice because they could be set loose in the forests to eat when food supplies were running low, according to historian Natasha Geiling of the Smithsonian. “The pigs, left to fend for themselves in the wild, were much leaner upon slaughter, leading Southerners to use the slow-and-low nature of barbecue to tenderize the meat,” Geiling writes in a Smithsonian analysis on barbecue traditions. And because most of these farmers were French and German immigrants (many from the region around Dijon in France, namesake to the famous mustard), they brought their traditions for mustard-based sauces with them. Thus, the Carolina-style mustard sauce was born.
To sauce or not to sauce?
That is the question. Whether ‘tis nobler to gobble down that rib or pulled pork plate on its own, or to drench it in your favorite sauce, is a matter of constant debate. But here in South Carolina, you’ll find no other state that has the diversity of sauces on offer. South Carolina can lay claim to having deep traditions in all four of the classic American barbecue sauce flavors, and the mountains are unique for having all of them within a stone’s throw of one another.
Mustard sauce – Created by French and German immigrants, this reimagining of old world sauce traditions became its own American classic.
Light tomato sauce – What is essentially vinegar and pepper with ketchup mixed in, this sauce is especially popular in the Pee Dee Region.
Heavy tomato sauce – If you ask most people in the country what barbecue sauce is, they’ll point to this style of sauce. Heavy on ketchup and sugar, it’s the most typical sauce you’ll find on grocery store shelves.
Vinegar and pepper sauce – Popular along the coast, this spicy and acidic sauce is cited by historians as the oldest sauce tradition in the United States, dating back to before the country was founded
Is South Carolina really the birthplace of barbecue?
Well, it depends who you ask.
The state of South Carolina’s Departments of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, for its part, is confident in the claim.
“You’re ignoring the facts–probably even drinking unsweet tea–if you don’t believe South Carolina to be the birthplace of barbecue,” it claims in an official statement testifying to that fact.
But this claim–which argues that modern-day Parris Island hosted the first true whole hog barbecue between Native Americans and Spanish immigrants hundreds of years ago–is often countered by Virginians, who believe their state to be the true origin of what we now call barbecue.
For now, the jury is out, but what we can say for certain is that South Carolina’s tradition of barbecuing is among the oldest and most celebrated in the nation.
Try these five South Carolina Barbecue Eateries
Best brisket
Lewis Barbecue
While there are more great brisket spots opening every year in the Upstate, it’s hard to beat the neo-traditional Texas style of Lewis Barbecue. Melting in your mouth and perfectly peppery, this is what brisket is supposed to taste like.
214 Rutherford St., Greenville
Best sausage
Bobby’s BBQ
For an overall great barbecue experience, Bobby’s is a perfect choice, but their sausage is a quiet powerhouse with the perfect mixture of smoke and spice and a great snappy bite to match.
1301 N. Main St., Fountain Inn
Best ribs
MooHogz
Currently operating as a pop-up, MooHogz is opening a brick-and-mortar shop at The Commons this spring. For now, check MooHogzBBQ on Instagram to see where you can find their food truck, and sample some of the best pork spare ribs you’ll ever have.
147 Welborn St., Greenville (opening this spring)
Best pulled pork
Smokin’ Pig
Despite having locations in Easley, Anderson, Pendleton, and Williamston, Smokin’ Pig remains a crowded hotspot for barbecue lovers wherever you go. Everything is good, but for our money, the pulled pork is a great representation of perfect Carolina pork.
701 S. Pendleton St., Easley
Best wings
Home Team BBQ
Slow-smoked and then fried to order, these wings are dusted with dry rub and served alongside Alabama white sauce. It’s not Carolina style, but who cares? These are some of the best wings you can find anywhere in the state.
815 Laurens Rd., Greenville
For a full list of the best barbecue spots in the Upstate and beyond, download the SC BBQ Trail map at discoversouthcarolina.com.
