Georgia/South Carolina Barbeque

The Barbeque takes on a whole new color as we travel down into South Carolina where Mustard based sauces become the norm around Columbia. As usual, there are as many variations on this theme as there are cooks. From sweet to tangy, mild to spicy the thin sauce may be added after the hog is smoked or used as a basting sauce.

Favored side dishes here include ‘Barbeque Hash’; a delicacy unique to the Palmetto State. Here cooked Pork (and sometimes other meats) is combined with onions (and maybe potatoes or other vegetables), spiced to taste and served as a hash, often on rice.

Our Favorite South Carolina Barbeque places are:

•Bessinger's – 1602 Savannah Highway – Charleston, SC

•Southern Pig BBQ – Blythewood SC

•Maurices BBQ – Locations in Columbia and Orangeburg SC

•Jakie's Barbecue – 1513 Pamplico Hwy – Florence, SC – (843)629–1290

•Sweatman's Bar–B–Que – RT 453 North – Holly Hill, SC – (843)563–7574

The Upstate region tends to offer a more Western Carolina Style Barbeque. In the Low Country the sauce begins to rely less on Mustard and takes on the sweet & spicy flavors we find in Georgia and the Deep South.

Georgia Barbeque brings all the flavors and ingredients we've found in the Carolina sauces together in a sweet, sometimes firey delicacy. The many variations all include some mix of Vinegar, Peppers, Mustard, Tomato, Sugar and spices. You'll often be asked to choose either a mild, medium or hot sauce. Be careful, hot means hot!

Our Favorite Georgia Barbeque places are:

•Bar–B–Que Shack – 4320 Lexington Road – Athens, GA – (706)613–6752

•Wall's Barbeque – 515 E York Lane – Savannah, GA – (912)232–9754

•Melear's Pit Cooked Barbecue – Georgia Highway 85 – Fayetteville GA

•Purvis BBQ – 514 Highway 1 Bypass – Louisville, GA – (912)625–8148

•Fincher's BBQ – 5631 Houston Rd – Macon GA – (912)781–6998

•Fatt Matt's Rib Shack – 1811 Piedmont Ave – Atlanta, GA (404)607–1622

•Hooks' Barbeque – 650 Millen Bypass, Millen, GA 30442 – (478) 982–3440

Brunswick Stew or barbecued beans are favorite sides and light bread is the norm. Some will say that Brunswick, Ga is the origin of the name for Brunswick Stew. But, in fact, the name comes from Brunswick County Virginia, where, according to food historians a member of the state legislature asked his camp cook to prepare a stew for friends in 1828. But that doesn't make the Georgia version one bit any less tasty.