Settling the Score - Where is the Best BBQ in the South

Big Time Football and BBQ in Auburn, AL

Ryan Brady — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:24:40 +0000

Talk about an invasion of Purple in Auburn, AL this past weekend. Everywhere you looked, Paladin Purple was to be seen for the marquee match up against two football powerhouses. For those unaware, every year Furman plays at least one game against a BCS opponent. After a disappointing loss to Big 12 foe Mizzou at the beginning of the season, the Paladins traveled to the Plains of Auburn to battle it out with the Tigers. Being that my brother and sister-in-law went to Auburn, this became a blood rivalry, pitting brother against brother for a few hours of football glory.

Although that was an initial plug for the game itself, this is indeed a blog about BBQ. For the pregame/tailgaiting festivities, my brother chose the succulent pork of Byron’s Smokehouse for us to indulge in. Unfortunately, I cannot award them a full rating because I did not experience the atmosphere of Byron’s, only their pork. The pork was good, not great. A little dry for my taste, but good flavor with an excellent sauce. The swine was fine, but would not stand up to some of the others I have tasted throughout this fall season. Nonetheless, the next time I am back in Auburn, I hope to get the full Byron’s Smokehouse experience.

And one last plug for Furman football. Although Gene Chizik and his Tigers got the best of the ‘Dins on Saturday, Furman put up more points on the AU defense this season than big time programs West Virginia, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and Kentucky, and put up the same points as LSU. Therefore, by my deductive reasoning, the Furman offense is better than those teams…

Now for the Ratings:

Atmosphere: 3.0- I feel it probably would be higher, but this is what I award it.

Taste: 3.5

Overall: 3.25- Best Gameday atmosphere in the SEC is on the Plains, and the BBQ isn’t bad either.

Huntin’ pork at The Huntin’ Camp

Ryan Brady — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:21:44 +0000

For the first time in 2 months, The Swine Triumvirate was finally able to break bread together back in Greenville. Despite our extensive knowledge of BBQ eateries here in the Upstate we decided to branch out and try some new digs. Headed up on 25 about 12 miles from campus is a new pork palace appropriately named “The Huntin’ Camp.” We recognized immediate legitimacy when we were greeted by a game warden and a stuffed raccoon. Being as we are all non-discriminate eaters we all said yes to the buffet and “bellied up to the bar.”

Despite a very limited selection of sides, THC offered pulled pork, smoked chicken and pork hash. We tried all three and the consensus was the chicken and the pork were swell. The pork was flavored with red vinegar as well as a host of side sauce options. These options included a peppery condiment known as Alabama White Sauce. This is a mayonnaise based sauce enriched with dill, lemon juice and aggressive pepper. All 0f us preferred the vinegar.

All in all the experience was decent; limited selection, good pork and great ambiance. There was more taxidermy than patrons!! Now for the ratings….

-Andy, Michael and Ryan

BBQ 2.8

Ambiance 3.8

Total 3.3

Its been a while…..

Ryan Brady — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:12:18 +0000

Hey guys! I want to apologize for my absence, but its been a busy couple weeks in admissions as we finish up travel and anxiously begin to receive applications. I just got off the road after 13 days in California and after 8,000 miles of flying there will be no separation anxiety between Delta Airlines and myself. Now, down to BBQ! Nothing really to report as far as good pulled pork BBQ as Californians don’t seem to have the same affinity for it as we do, but I did eat some delicious carnitas during my time away from campus. Carnitas, literally translated, means “little meats”, is a type of braised or roasted pork used in Mexican or Latin cuisine. California might be short on energy, water and Republicans, but they certainly are not short on the Tex-Mex fast food chain. I did EXTENSIVE research on a couple of these chains, including but not limited to Baja Fresh, Del Taco and El Torito and found that carnitas is almost as excellent way to prepare swine as the smoked, savory way in which we Southerners prefer our hog. I cannot render a rating on these restaurants as they did not meet all of the criteria, but I will say this…..anyone know where I can get some good carnitas?

Andy

Sad Day in Saluda, SC…

Ryan Brady — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 22:18:35 +0000

After many days of waiting to eat BBQ in the Midlands area of SC, my taste buds were highly disappointed. Thus the reason why I have waited so long to post about this sad day in Saluda, SC.

After visiting the wonderful students at Saluda High School, my mouth, watering after and craving for some succulence in the form of pulled pork, was quite excited when I pulled into the parking lot of Matthew’s Oak and Hickory Smoked Barbeque! However, it was an unfortunate let down of swine proportions. It was indeed a buffet, and thus provided a lot of nutrients for a traveling man, the BBQ did not live up to its name. After inquiring (as I do at every BBQ place) about how the pork was prepared, I was disappointed to hear that it was not hickory or Oak smoked BBQ, instead it was cooked over a gas grill. As for the BBQ taste portion, I cannot score it very high at all.

I will quote, however, Matthew J. Cash, Admissions Counselor at the esteemed University of South Carolina Upstate, “This was a terrible place for BBQ, but a great Meat & Three place!” Indeed, it was a much better meat and three vegetable trailer, as it was similar to a double-wide trailer.

As for the atmosphere, the place had roaches crawling out of the table decor (and yes, I still ate there because I have made a commitment to you faithful readers!) I must not rank it high.

It was indeed a sad day in Saluda, SC (for BBQ, that is)…

-Ryan

Atmosphere: 2.0

BBQ: 1.8 (great mustard base sauce!)

Total: 1.9 (Sorry, Saluda)

Scruggs IS Real Pit BBQ- Knoxville, TN

Ryan Brady — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 18:25:40 +0000

I am honestly speechless…but for you, I will try to put into words what I just experienced.

First off, thank you to all those that suggested bbq spots here in Knoxville. And although Calhoun’s is good and known for their ribs, I refused to recognize a place as a true bbq joint where seating capacity is 200+. So I did my own searching online, and came across one that looked the part, with a review from a self proclaimed “BBQ connoisseur”. This review labeled Scrugg’s as having the best sauce he had ever had, so I put this theory to the test.

Off the beaten path near downtown, i found myself at a true hole in the wall. Scruggs Real Pit BBQ is the Real Deal! First, the atmosphere was alright. Small seating inside, definitley old school, and two or three video games that were “out of order”. It was clear that Scrugg’s is all about the BBQ.

As for the pork itself, I must say that once again, this goes into the sliced pork category. It was good, nice smoky flavor, little fatty, but all in all, the pork itself was great.

But as for the reason it peaked my interest, it was the sauce. And I have to agree with the connoisseur, this could very well have been the best BBQ sauce I have ever tasted. I hesitate to say that because I don’t think I could find a better sauce than Smoke n Stokes Cheerwine BBQ Sauce, but this was dang close. A little bite, sweet, smoky, packed with flavor. If you live in the Knoxville area and have never been here, I would encourage you to try it just for their sauce. I wish they sold it in bottles, I might have bought a case.

-Michael

Atmosphere: 3.5

Taste: 4.5- Arguably the best sauce I have ever had

Overall: 4.0- Not quite hawg heaven, but Knoxville represented itself well.

Friends, Fun, and Bullock’s BBQ

Ryan Brady — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 22:09:23 +0000

Well, I apologize for the tardiness and procrastination of this post. Some habits take longer to break than others…

Last week, I traveled throughout the Research Triangle of NC (Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill), and sampled what is supposedly the best Durham has to offer on this culinary delight. After research done by myself, as well as We Eat Pork follower and fellow member of the Order, Jonathan Andersen, Bullock’s was the place to go.

After picking Jonathan up at that royal blue ACC school, we were off to Bullock’s. It was much larger than I would have liked, and did not have much of a true BBQ setting. To be honest, other than the vintage autographed pictures when you walk in, the atmosphere was disappointing at best. No smoky aroma and a large restaurant- definitely not the setting for fine swine.

As for this so called fine swine, it was nothing special. It had a good vinegar sauce, but nothing about this pork wowed me. Good texture, but no smoke flavor- moist, but it had to have the sauce to make it good. And one last thing- I’m not sure what I was actually given, but I am pretty sure that my Brunswick stew was not Brunswick stew (Here is my plug for Tombo’s Brunswick stew in Jacksonville, FL. Theydo it right.)

-Michael

Atmosphere- 2.9

Taste- 3.2

Overall- 3.05 …If this is the best Durham has to offer, then I suggest coming to SC.

Bayou BBQ?

Ryan Brady — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 17:29:47 +0000

Hey folks,

Ryan and I are sitting here and we have realized that we are running low of BBQ recs. I am headed to New Orleans and Baton Rouge this week and would love if some Cajuns out there would give me a shout and let me know where the best Bayou BBQ is. C’mon folks and holla at you boy! Also, RB is headed to Laurens and Greenwood so let us know what the best is!!

Andy

Give Me Liberty, or Give Me…BBQ?!?!

Ryan Brady — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 18:32:05 +0000

Ah yes. The sweet smell of pork smoked for 6 hours, then roasted in the oven all night invaded my car (like one of those cartoons where the smell of an apple pie on a window sill stops everyone in their tracks) as I approached Don Scott’s Big League Barbeque in Liberty, SC.

A simple place in the heart of downtown Liberty with pictures of greats and classics such as DiMaggio, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Wrigley Field, and Fenway Park. I believe that SC has redeemed itself on the BBQ Trail.

The BBQ was smoked for 6 hours while in the oven all night, mixed with the spicy-tomato based sauce that is common in the Upstate of South Carolina. As the BBQ began to literally dissolve in my mouth as I ate the blessing, I soon decided that this was the best BBQ place in SC that I have eaten thus far! Complimented by the Corn-Fritters, Mac and Cheese, and Smiley Fries (yes, smiley faced french fries), this wins an amazing score for me! As Patrick Henry said, (with my own interpretation added), Give me Liberty (SC), or Give me BBQ (at least that’s what he would have said if had tried this place out!)

-Ryan

Atmosphere: 4.3 (MLB tribute)

BBQ: 4.0 (Hawesome!)

Total: 4.15

Chattanooga Represents!

Ryan Brady — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 19:38:30 +0000

On the way back from Signal Mtn HS, I had not eaten lunch and encountered an unlikely, yet welcoming surprise. There it was, Shuford’s Smokehouse. I was hoping this place was new and named after future Paladin Hall of Famer and OL behemoth Scott Shuford, but then I remembered he is from Charlotte, so I just had to go with the coincidence of names.

Shuford’s Smokehouse had high expectations; basically a shack, no big sign, and very small and intimate on the inside. For this place, it was clear there are two important things in life; BBQ, and Alabama football. Most places, I would hold the ‘Bama part against them (War Eagle!), but due to autographed pictures of Mr. Belding, aka Dennis Haskins, and the rest of the Saved by the Bell cast, I decided they offset each other. Being an avid SBTB fanatic, these two pictures helped balance the horrific Tide decor…

As for the reason I went, the BBQ was delicious. Great flavor, balance, smokiness and texture, Shuford’s knows what it’s doing. The sauce was very different. Very heavy on molasses, therefore thick, I felt it would have been much more suited for ribs, but it actually was a pleasant surprise and compliment to their pork. Add that to some of the best sweet tea, and possibly the BEST fried okra I have ever had, Chattanooga came to play on our BBQ quest.

-Michael

Atmosphere: 4.00 -Mr. Belding saves the day, just like when his brother Rod backed out on taking the gang rafting.

Taste: 3.85 -I’ll venture back here fo sho

Overall: 3.93 -Shuford’s gets that extra half point for the name, even if there’s no relation

The Long Awaited….Let Down?

Ryan Brady — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 18:48:23 +0000

As I am travelling through the Midlands of South Carolina (Sumter, Summerton, Orangeburg, Manning, Clarendon, Turbeville, you get the idea), I had high hopes for BBQ in this area. However, those hopes were shattered today as I longingly walked in to Ward’s Barbeque in Sumter, SC.

As is habit for most small-town BBQ places, most of these restaurants are only open Thurs, Fri, and Sat, so I waited a long time this week to sample what the Midlands had to offer. Unfortunately, it wasn’t much. At Ward’s, the pulled pork was very wet, flavorless, and it wasn’t even smoked. Just simply cooked on a gas stove! Without the sauce, the ‘que was tasteless. The atmosphere was average at best, being a true hole in the wall place. My heart was saddened as this was indeed, a long awaited let down.

I was intrigued however by the amazing side of Hash that was offered! Poured over rice with its ketchup base, it was like walking into the land of milk and honey (except mashed pork leftovers and tomatoes), but you get the picture!

-Ryan

Now, for the ratings:

Atmosphere: 3.0 (Hole in the wall)

Food: 1.75 (Really, really disappointing)

Total: 2.38 (Sad day for BBQ in Sumter)