South Carolina

[johntannerbbq (john tanner)]

I recently took another tour of SC barbecue, and of hash and rice, a wonderful local specialty that’s been described as “liquid sausage,” and that’s prepared in myriad ways. Note that SC bbq is dominated by buffets that are open Thursday-Saturday. Plan accordingly
My Day 1 stops included, first, Bum’s Restaurant, the best BBQ in Ayden, NC

and possibly the best cornbread in NC

Shuler’s, just off 95

witha wonderful vinegar-pepper-mustard sauce and a remarkable hash

Brown’s with just ok bbq

but a great buffet full of meats and vegetables for those who’re hungry

Day 2 started with breakfast at Lizard’s Thicket (great name) for some onion sausage - a hyper local treat

Then to Maurice’s Piggie Park in West Columbia, purged od al controversy, with very good pork and a classic mustard sauce (that I doctored a bit), really delicious hash and rice, and fatback, which may be the ambrosia of the Olympic gods

Carolina BBQ in New Ellenton (near Aiken) had a wonderful smoky barbecue, and even better hash

Then to Price’s, near Columbia, for another buffet

with more great hash and rice – and fatback. The fatback is fantastic. Bacon on crack.

I was slowing down, having had only an hour between meals. My last stop of the day turned out to be Ward’s in Sumter, and a small order of hash ($7.85)

that must have weighed two pounds. It was Sensational! It was extraordinarily complex. There hash you eat the more you notice. Its amazing.

The barbecue generally was very good. The mustard sauces have taken some getting used to, but I’m there now. good stuff. The hash ranges very widely, but it really can be a treat. Get to know it.

I did blog posts on each of these with many more photos and much more detail. Go to https://johntannersbbqblog.wordpress.com and search"south carolina" – or ask

[tcamp (Tamara)]

Great, informative post! The hash and rice has me curious; it almost sounds like scrapple’s soupier southern cousin. My husband’s people came from the Aiken area and he’s been talking about a drive down that way. I prefer my genealogy with a large dose of local food so I will encourage this.

[johntannerbbq (john tanner)]

You should!
Some of the hash has that slight tinge of liver you find in scrapple, but some has much more – a lot, and I have to doctor some of it. Other recipes – most of the ones I’ve tried have zero liver. It’s just pork or upstate beef and goodness. My route took me down 95 to Florence and then across on 20 to Aiken, with detours off both interstates – not sure where you live. South Carolina has a lot of local specialties – person, chicken mull, chicken bog, and they’re all good. When you get back, you’ll probably want to buy Jim Roller’s book, Going Whole Hog.

[SoupforBreakfast]

@johntannerbbq

South Carolina has a lot of local specialties – person, chicken mull, chicken bog, and they’re all good

Person? Methinks 'twas autocorrected from perloo? Or is this a delicacy of which Ive never heard?

[johntannerbbq (john tanner)]

Ha! sigh. perloo. Damned autocorrect, AKA Artificial Ignorance. my apologies

[SoupforBreakfast]

@johntannerbbq

Artificial Ignorance

Yes! I’m stealing this!

[vinouspleasure]

I’ve mentioned in other threads that I prefer mccabes while you give the edge to shulers. Turns out in the past, our departure time from fl has always landed us there towards the end of their dinner service but this time we arrived at 5:30pm, and what a difference it made!

The warm-ish, nothing special, sorta greasy chicken was replaced with this magnificent specimen, the pulled pork wasn’t dry, the ribs perfectly cooked if a little weirdly seasoned, the hush puppies hot and delicious…the entire meal nothing short of wonderful! In fact, so good that I went back for a similarly sized second plate and then had some of their wonderful banana pudding!

[johntannerbbq (john tanner)]

Actually I go back and forth between Shuler’s and McCabe’s. My recent focus on SC hash has me leaning McCabe’s, but both have outstanding pork.
It always helps to catch a place at a good time. of day.

[vinouspleasure]

Seems like you’ve done a lot of hash exploration of late, McCabes is the best I’ve had, I love it over their perlau. I guess another difference is that McCabes goes out of their way to make you feel welcome, shulers is so big and busy, seems a little impersonal.

[johntannerbbq (john tanner)]

True. I’m a bug fan of the hash at McCabe’s. Shuler’s hash is a little strong on the liver, and needs some hot sauce badly

[johntannerbbq (john tanner)]

Dang! I forgot to copyright it!

[erica1]

Driving south on I-95, make the detour of a few minutes to Shuler’s in Latta (do not relay on GPS). Lunch buffet has great fried chicken…not totally crisp (not sure how to describe, but it’s great!). All you can eat, facing a small lake…epitome of the old fashioned Southern buffet spots… Something close to $10 for “seniors!” Among the highlights of our formerly annual drive from NY to Southeast Florida. Cannot resist adding that the food in SE Florida in the Delray area will make even the most kitchen shy to devote time to preparing dinner at home. Horrendous!

Sorry for that very long, multi-mile detour!! Anyone making that long drive is welcome to ask me…we’ve tried most off the BBQ spots from eastern NC south to near the Georgia line. (Keep in mind that “Ayden” is pronounced “Eden;” bbq fiends will know of that I am referring: The one and only SKYLIGHT.

[vinouspleasure]

Thanks Erica, yes, I like Shulas, McCabe’s also has a great buffet, I’ve posted on HO about both places.

[johntannerbbq (john tanner)]

I second both Shulers and McCabe’s, on both of which I’ve posted fairly recently. Try the hash and rice at both – they’re very different. Actually try the hash and rice all over SC. There are infinite and fascinating variations.

the hash and rice is a good bet even at the not-so-good bbq places.
SC barbecue merits exploration