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
