With a sincere effort to provide a comprehensive list of your South Carolina gift options, we present our South Carolina BBQ gift guide for 2024. If you’re looking for the perfect gift basket for family or friends, or if you’re just looking for a taste of home, you’ll find authentic food gifts made in South Carolina.
Whether your gift basket is for others or yourself, what you’ll find in our gift guide includes options from some of the Palmetto State’s most famous pitmasters and restaurants, but more importantly, it features products from simple mom-and-pop businesses that have bottled up secret family recipes, some that go back generations.
While the vast majority of the products in our gift guide are from South Carolina vendors, we’d like to be clear that there are a small handful of tools or books that are from folks nearby or are simply handy for anyone making barbecue anywhere. But all food products are made in South Carolina.
So if you’re looking to fill a gift basket or your cupboard, this is the place to shop.
(You might also want to check out Recommended Products page. There you will find general barbecue products we’ve recommended to readers of our newsletter. See previous newsletter issues and/or subscribe here.)
Editor’s Note: None of the products below are sold by this site, Destination BBQ. In most cases, you’ll be purchasing directly from the business or restaurant itself. In other cases, you’ll be purchasing on Amazon.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Some of the links below (generally the Amazon ones) are affiliate links. Most other links are not.
SC BBQ Gift Guide (2024)
If you're looking online for the best food gifts from South Carolina, you'll find the authentic items from Charleston to Columbia and beyond in this gift guide. Below we have assembled unique culinary products and merchandise you can only buy in South Carolina from famous restaurants to simple mom-and-pop businesses.
These unique gifts, many of which are handmade and artisanal, are organized in the following categories:
- Smoked Meats and Foods - includes barbecued foods that can be shipped nationwide
- SC Barbecue Sauces, Rubs, and Gift Boxes - bottled BBQ products available online
- Barbecue Books - from pitmasters and authors from South Carolina and beyond
- BBQ Tools - curated list of special tools for pitmasters
- Barbecue Classes - local or online masterclasses offered by pitmasters who know BBQ best
Smoked Meats and Foods from South Carolina
A handful of South Carolina BBQ joints ship barbecue, brisket, hash, and more nationwide. Maurice's Piggie Park in Columbia offers several options for shipping and even provide a barbecue of the month subscription, a really nice made in South Carolina gift-option.
Lewis Barbecue in Charleston ships a full assortment of fully-cooked meats, including brisket, ribs, sausage, and turkey.
Maurice's | SC BBQ of the Month Club
Maurice's monthly subscription includes all of our best sellers like St Louis style ribs, juicy pulled pork, Carolina Hash, and brisket. Our pit-cooked meats are slow cooked to perfection so all you have to do is reheat and eat! It’s perfect to store in the freezer and take out whenever a ‘que craving hits.
The 1st month’s box will deliver right away, and then we’ll keep sending tasty meats the third week of the remaining months. Here’s what to know: Shipping fees after the 1st month are INCLUDED in the price. There will be no recurring fees on your credit card after the initial order.
A Taste of Carolina | Maurice's
There’s always a good reason to spread some meaty love of South Carolina around. Whether it’s family who misses home, or a friend who lives a little too far away, we all have someone in our life that misses the South and their Carolina roots.
Maurice's Taste of Carolina variety pack includes Ribs (2 half racks), hickory pit-cooked chopped BBQ pork (1 pound), and our famous Carolina Hash (1 pint), plus a bottle of our secret heirloom recipe Southern Gold® Original sauce. Serve four with this southern BBQ feast.
Lewis Barbecue | Delivers Nationwide | Goldbelly
Lewis Barbecue opened in June 2016 and since then it’s become renowned as one of America’s best BBQ joints for its honky tonk, laid-back Texas vibe, and expertly-smoked spare ribs, beef ribs, Texas “hot guts” sausage, turkey, and – most famously – legendary Prime beef brisket. This is real-deal Texas ‘cue from one of its most celebrated pitmasters, and now it’s shipping nationwide!
Rodney Scott's Whole Hog BBQ | Delivers Nationwide | Goldbelly
Rodney Scott is one of the most celebrated and well-known names in barbecue, and with good reason. Before he was featured on Netflix’s “Chef’s Table” and won the 2018 James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southeast, Rodney spent decades perfecting the dying art of Eastern Carolina-style whole hog barbecue at his family’s beloved restaurant, Scott’s Bar-B-Que, in tiny Hemingway, South Carolina. It’s a true labor of love, and it’s not just the whole hog: spare ribs, chicken, and more get the same treatment, and the end result is quite literally some of the most delicious food on earth. Rodney Scott has been praised by everyone from Anthony Bourdain and Andrew Zimmern to Bon Appetit and Southern Living, and now it’s finally shipping nationwide!
SC Barbecue Sauces, Rubs, and Gift Boxes
If you're looking for some authentic South Carolina barbecue sauces, we have just what you're looking for. Below you will find offerings from SC's most famous pitmasters and amazing options from simple mom-and-pop businesses with old family recipes. Food gifts made in South Carolina and able to be shipped to your door.
Some links below go directly to sauces; others to the vendor's general shopping page where you can find sauces, gift bag collections, and more.
Rodney Scott's BBQ | Pitmaster Gift Box
Everything you need to cook up an awesome meal for friends and family! Set includes 2 Rubs, 2 Sauces, a Koozie, and a RS Pig sticker for that special Pitmaster. Everything is packed in this terrific Gift Box with Rodney’s logo and a special message from Rodney under the lid. Nothing as good as Rodney's own barbecue sauce recipe, but that rib rub recipe is close! Enjoy!
Bessinger's BBQ | Barbecue Sauces
The Bessingers are the first family of barbeque in South Carolina, known for their legendary mustard-based barbeque sauce, a Carolina classic since the 1930s. Whether you use it for basting, dipping or marinating anything from pork and ribs to chicken, burgers or even seafood, you'll find that a bottle of Bessinger's is truly the gold standard for barbeque sauces – bar none.
You can become part of the family with sauce and merchandise from their online shop. Get two, four, or six-bottle sets as well as merchandise and gift cards.
Home Team BBQ | Sauce by the Pint
Home Team BBQ offers rub, sauce, and merchandise for order online. Rub it in at your next barbecue with their signature blend of spices or choose from all of Home Team’s signature sauces, for your next barbecue! You can even make their smoked chicken wings and Alabama white sauce at home.
Melvin's BBQ | Barbecue Sauce & Rubs
It all started in the backwoods of Orangeburg, SC, when 10 year old Melvin was taught how to make the Golden Secret Barbecue sauce his daddy invented. Word spread of Big Joe's barbecue pork, cooked inside a pit dug deep in the ground, and slathered with his secret mustard-based sauce.
Today, David Bessinger carries on the tradition his father and grandfather created. You can get a taste of that history in a bottle of Melvin's Golden Secret sauce available in Melvin's online store. In addition, you'll find rubs, french fry seasoning, and more.
Food for the Southern Soul | Pitmaster Deluxe Gift Box
Jimmy Hagood's Food for the Southern Soul offers a wide range of products. Here, we feature their Pitmaster Gift Box. "All of our favorite BlackJack sauces, marinades and rubs to satisfy his or her inner Pitmaster. Plus while the grill is warming up, you can snack on our Beef Jerky to satisfy the growing hunger pains." We personally know just how good Food for the Southern Soul tastes, as we sampled it in the wild when they ran their Que-osk in the Charleston Market.
Kit includes BlackJack Beef Jerky, Rib & Dry Rubs, Mustard, Tomato & Vinegar Sauces, Farm & Field Marinade and Peach Grilling Sauce.
Shealy's BBQ | Sauces and More
A SC BBQ legend, Shealy's Barbecue in Batesburg-Leesville has been serving the Columbia area since 1969. A great buffet and some special sauces are some of the reasons for their longevity. Now, you can get their sauce, gift cards, and more from their site:
Swig & Swine BBQ | Sauces and More
Swig & Swine offers their mustard sauce, sweet red, and jalapeño red for sale on their site. In addition, you can find merchandise and event gift cards to give as gifts or enjoy yourself.
Maurice's Southern Gold BBQ Sauce Sampler
Maurice’s Southern Gold® is the original secret recipe that started a South Carolina BBQ tradition – a sweet, tangy mustard-based sauce that is preservative-free, gluten-free and has no fat or cholesterol. Simply cannot go wrong with this sauce sampler pack:
The Pot Smoker BBQ | Sauce Trio
This TRIO package from The Pot Smoker BBQ will include one bottle of each sauce. Save $3.98 when ordering the TRIO pakage.
Bullies BBQ | Sauces and More
Bullies BBQ in Hilton Head offers their own special rubs and sauces in their online store. Bob's Memphis style rub and several varieties of BBQ sauce are all worth checking out.
Swamp Tonic | Shop
The award-winning “Everything Everyday Sauce” is made in small batches composed with apple cider vinegar in the Eastern Carolina genre. It is hand crafted by local SC musicians and is always cooked, never processed - and hand stirred with passion. The ultimate condiment for breakfast, lunch and dinner. No cheap fillers, additive chemicals, dyes, thickeners, stabilizers, gluten or high fructose corn syrup.
Prosser's BBQ Legacy | Products
"Prosser's BBQ Legacy is a family-owned business and we have been selling our award winning South Carolina BBQ sauces for over 30 years. We are now proud to offer these all-purpose sauces for sale online. Try them on pork, chicken, beef, shrimp.... "It makes everything good!"
Gooddaddy BBQ Sauce | 3 Pack
"Since the family comes from a long line of German immigrants, the sauce had to be mustard-based. They scoured old family recipes and started with a base called “mustard gravy” from Bobby’s mother, affectionately known as Grandmother Wingard. After much trial and tasting, the “Wingard’s Gooddaddy BBQ Sauce” was born."
Freeman's BBQ Sauce Co | Old Mr. Henry
Great For Grilling and Baking!
Whether you’re grilling ribs, chicken, or even a Boston butt, Old Mr. Henry Original BBQ Sauce is sure to give your meat the extra kick it needs. The flavor boost is not limited to the grill. Add Old Mr. Henry when you’re baking or pour a little on your fried meats.
The flavor will leave you licking your lips. A Certified SC product.
Carolina Bob's Grillin | Grillin' Splash
SATISFACTION TO THE BONE!
Carolina Bob's Grillin provides dry rub seasoning and sauces for grilling great food. Carolina Bob’s Grillin’ Splash adds flavor, tenderizes, and controls flare-up to turn any grill into a championship-level cooker!
Pair it with Carolina Bob’s Grillin’ Dry Rub & All-Purpose Seasoning! It’s not only for the grill, but it’s an all-purpose seasoning that complements any dish.
From grills to gravy, or omelets to okra, Carolina Bob’s Grillin’ Dry Rub will satisfy you to the bone!
Smokin' Coals | Sauce Gift Set
Smokin' Coals and Buzz's Butt Dust are true SC BBQ originals created by the award-winning competition cook team. Smokin' Coals sauce is a multiple “State & National Award Winning Sauce” that has received praises from backyard cookers, Master BBQ Judges and Competition Cook Teams alike.
With its sweet tang, light peppery finish and just a hint of citrus, Smokin’ Coals has impressed cookers throughout the south where barbecue is not just food, but a way of life.
Smokin’ Coals is great on everything from pork, beef, seafood, burgers, even veggies. A sauce for dipping, basting and even marinating, Smokin’ Coals Sauce can become your “GO TO” sauce for everything.
Krazy K's BBQ Sauces
There are three irresistible barbeque sauce flavors; Krazy K’s Original, Krazy K’s Kurly Tails, and Krazy K’s Red. This means meal magic for ribs, chicken, beef, pork, steak, fish and more. Even use it in your own favorite recipes, as a marinade, or the perfect condiment.
Krazy K’s will transform you into a Grill Master! The true Southern taste of each barbeque sauce will satisfy your taste buds, put the tongue in check, and have you coming back for more!
Cox Sauce BBQ Sauce
The original Cox Sauce BBQ Sauce recipe was created by Chicken Legend and Bojangles'* cofounder, Jack Z. Fulk. When Jack’s daughter married a Cox, the recipe passed to the second generation. The Cox family has been raising pigs and chickens for decades, and can trace their NC family farming roots back to the 1700’s. It is the third generation to combine these family legacies and present to you a product with a proven poultry pedigree that is proud to continue the chicken tradition. Cox Sauce BBQ Sauce is mostly sweet, a lil tangy, with just a hint of heat. Great on grilled chicken, ribs, beef, pork, fish, and veggies.
Chester's Barbecue Sauce | Carolina Mustard Sauce
The story of Chester’s Barbecue Sauce begins with my grandfather Chester Sr. in Clio, SC. As a kid, I remember my grandfather having hogs that were prepared every Thanksgiving and there was no part of the pig left unused. EVERYONE in the family had a role in preparation.
He used his marinades and sauces to baste and cook the pork. This mustard-based sauce is his recipe that he used for the pork, but was also said to be used on rabbit and squirrel. I encourage you to use this sauce with pork, beef, chicken, and/or veggies. And if you’re so inclined, you may try it on rabbit or squirrel as well.
Chipper Dog BBQ | Old Yella
Created In Charleston, South Carolina. Fall In Love With Our Take On A Southern Staple: BBQ Sauce - Chipper Dog Style. Trust Us On This One, It’s Doggone Good. Chipper Dog is a premium BBQ sauce - perfect for pulled pork, ribs, chicken, steak & seafood. Next time your pack gets together for a BBQ, make sure to bring along Chipper Dog.
Charleston Pig Co
Charleston Pig Company famous BBQ sauce in a 12.5 oz bottle. This local South Carolina barbecue sauce is vinegar based along with tomato and spices that's slightly sweet. Use it pork, chicken or beef. Pair the sauce with the Charleston Pig Dry Rub Seasoning. The sauce is also available in a 64 oz (half gallon size) for the pro or backyard smoker.
Lillie’s Q | Gold Barbeque Sauce
A SOUTH CAROLINA SAUCE TRADITION: Enjoy flavors as authentic as the places they come from—including our famous Gold Barbeque Sauce with a tangy, mustard-base. This BBQ sauce is crafted to honor South Carolina traditions.
OUR PREMIUM SAUCES ARE THE PERFECT MATCH: You'll love our barbeque sauces on basically everything. But, our Gold BBQ Sauce is perfect for grilling chicken or pork—it even tastes great on hot links. It's the perfect gift for this holiday season!
Sticky Fingers | Carolina Barbecue Sauce Bundle
Born in Mount Pleasant, Sticky Fingers still makes some of the best BBQ sauce around.
Palmetto Sauce Co. | Congaree Gold
Established in 2018, The Palmetto Sauce Company engages in the manufacturing and bottling of two regional South Carolina BBQ sauces named for the rivers that run through the areas where these types of sauces are commonly used and are still enjoyed today.
Our Congaree Gold sauce is a tasty blend of mustard, pepper, vinegar and other spices with a faint hint of sweetness.
What makes our sauces different? Ours are not overly sweet, and our flavors are downright addictive. When folks run out of things to dip the sauces in, they reach for bread to make sure not a drop is wasted.
Lillie's of Charleston | Hab Mussy Hot Mustard BBQ Sauce
Lillie's Hab Mussy Mustard BBQ Sauce has added heat while maintaining the sweet-tangy flavor of our original Mustard BBQ sauce recipe. Lillie's of Charleston Hab Mussy recipe, the proud winner of the 2010 Scovie Award, is guaranteed not to disappoint. The initial sweetness and flavor quickly give way to a slow burn hot lovers will enjoy. Our users have coined the term “sneaky heat” to describe the taste of this sauce.
The Pompous Pig | BBQ Shop
Sauces, rubs and seasonings, along with gift cards and shirts can be found in the Pompous Pig online store.
Blue Moon Specialty Foods | Carolina BBQ Gift Set
Blue Moon Specialty Foods of Spartanburg gift basket: EXCELLENT GIFT FOR A GRILL MASTER:
Give the gift of flavor with a BBQ gift set. The Carolina BBQ Gift Set includes: Yep! Shake Original, Yep! Yeller Dog BBQ Sauce which is a southern mustard-based tradition and Yep! Carolina Red BBQ Sauce which is tangy and peppery. PROUDLY HANDCRAFTED IN SOUTH CAROLINA
Spears Acres | BBQ Gift Set
The Spears Acres BBQ Gift Set (Variety Pack) includes a 4.5oz Redneck Rub, 4.5oz AP Rub, and both the Southern Fusion BBQ sauces. Perfect for every grill enthusiast. From Spears Acres in Belton, SC.
Burnt & Salty | All In Gift Basket
"Burnt & Salty is Bob Cook and Cris Miller. Born out of the combination of debated in food service, endless desire for big flavors, extensive consumption and, most importantly, an inexhaustible love of condiments, our mission materialized in the summer of 2015. It all began with Korean Mustard." Try their whole line of condiments:
- Korean Mustard
- Spicy Korean Mustard
- Chili Glaze
- Coconut Suka
- Cocktail Sauce
All packaged in a reusable bamboo basket, and garnished with Asian candy and chopsticks. Our All In Gift Basket is the perfect gift for a gourmand, college kid, or adventurous chef!
Holy Smoke | Smoked Olive Oil
Holy Smoke Smoked Olive Oil is first cold pressed extra virgin olive oil that we cold-smoke with hickory. The flavor is rich and buttery with a savory smoke that finishes with a subtle pepper. That's why we say, "It's like liquid bacon that's good for you!"
Bobby's BBQ | BBQ Rub
Since its conception in 2010, Bobby's Seasoning has expanded to include 3 different blends, Bobby's All Purpose Seasoning (the original), as well as a Citrus Blend and a BBQ Rub. All three seasonings are all natural, contain no additives, preservatives or MSG and are low sodium and gluten free.
Bobby's BBQ rub packs a punch with the addition of extra pepper for your heavier meats that you are grilling or smoking such as brisket, Boston butts, ribs, steaks, etc. Get this one or all three on Bobby's website:
Billy G's | Hall of Fame Pack
When you have a big day planned and you want to prepare a variety of foods, try our Hall of Fame Pack. The HOF includes our Carolina Bold Mustard Sauce and Glaze, Sweet Heat BBQ Sauce and Marinade, and Secret Spice Authentic Carolina Dry Rub.
Sprinkle our Secret Spice on anything you're serving. Sweet Heat is perfect for any meat (on Beef Brisket, it will make your eyes roll back in your head) or fish. Carolina Bold Mustard will be great on pork or chicken. Grill Pork Tenderloin. Glaze some Breasts and Thighs.
Give the Hall of Fame a try. Thrill your friends and family with your culinary skills!!
The South Carolina BBQ Company | South Carolina Trio
We are a family owned BBQ Rub and Sauce company that was established in Anderson SC in 2019. We are dedicated to creating the best products that we can using local ingredients. We would love for you to give us a try at your next backyard BBQ! Get your South Carolina Trio Pack Today! Includes 1 bottle of Honey for The Money, 1 Bottle of Swine Time, And 1 Bottle of All Purpose seasoning. A must have for any BBQ enthuasiat no matter what level!
Bub'n Muthas | Bub's BBQ Flavor Box
Bub ‘n Mutha’s, Inc. -- a veteran-owned, SC-based company orginally from Maine -- produces gourmet dry rubs that are 100% natural with no preservatives. Winning back-to-back-to-back awards at the International Flavor Awards as well as helping competition BBQ contestants win a variety of categories, is just part of the quality picture in the Bub ‘n Mutha’s history. Blended to be used on anything that used to have fur, fins or feathers, the rubs are sold across the US.
HacSauce | BBQ Avenue LLC
Bursting with flavors, HacSauce is a delicious blend of mustard, tomato and vinegar bases. HacSauce is Gluten Free and uses a quality grade of products. HacSauce is only 40 calories per two tablespoon servings. HacSauce is more than just a barbecue sauce. Some of our friends have used it as a baste on Salmon, broccoli, brussels sprouts, baked potatoes, bacon-wrapped scallops, Jalapeno Poppers and several other ways. Use your creativity. HacSauce goes on just about anything you are willing to try it on. We are a Certified SC Product.
Barbecue Books
Trying to find the perfect book on South Carolina barbecue or barbecue in general? Below we highlight those books you should consider for your library or as a gift.
SC BBQ Recipes: Going Whole Hog
Collection of authentic SC BBQ sauces, meats, hash, and sides. Old Family Recipes, Helpful Pitmasters’ Secrets, Recipes and techniques from some of SC’s most respected pitmasters and from Great SC BBQ Restaurants, Whole Hog BBQ, Pit Building, and More
Rodney Scott's World of BBQ: Every Day Is a Good Day: A Cookbook
In this cookbook, co-written by award-winning writer Lolis Eric Elie, Rodney Scott of Rodney Scott's BBQ in Charleston and formerly Scott's BBQ in Hemingway, spills what makes his pit-smoked turkey, barbecued spare ribs, smoked chicken wings, hush puppies, Ella's Banana Puddin', and award-winning whole hog so special.
Moreover, his recipes make it possible to achieve these special flavors yourself, whether you're a barbecue pro or a novice. From the ins and outs of building your own pit to poignant essays on South Carolinian foodways and traditions, this stunningly photographed cookbook is the ultimate barbecue reference.
Whole Hog BBQ: The Gospel of Carolina Barbecue
In the world of barbecue, Carolina-style pork is among the most delicious and obsessed-over slow-cooked meats. Yet no one has told the definitive story of North Carolina barbecue—until now.
In Whole Hog BBQ, Sam Jones and Daniel Vaughn recount the history of the Skylight Inn, which opened in 1947, and share step-by-step instructions for cooking a whole hog at home—from constructing a pit from concrete blocks to instructions for building a burn barrel—along with two dozen classic family recipes including cornbread, coleslaw, spare ribs, smoked turkey, country-style steak, the signature burger, and biscuit pudding.
A History of South Carolina Barbeque
South Carolina has been home to good, old-fashioned barbeque for quite a long time. Hundreds of restaurants, stands and food trucks sell tons of the southern staple every day.
But the history of Palmetto State barbeque goes deeper than many might believe--it predates the rest of America. Native Americans barbequed pork on makeshift grills as far back as the 1500s after the Spanish introduced the pig into the Americas.
Since the early 1920s, South Carolinians have been perfecting the craft and producing some of the best-tastin' 'que in the country. Join author and president of the South Carolina Barbeque Association Lake E. High Jr. as he traces the delectable history from its pre-colonial roots to a thriving modern-day tradition that fuels an endless debate over where to find the best plate.
Barbecue: The History of an American Institution
The history of barbecue in the United States had been virtually untold before Robert F. Moss revealed its long, rich history in his 2010 book Barbecue: The History of an American Institution. Moss researched hundreds of sources—newspapers, letters, journals, diaries, and travel narratives—to document the evolution of barbecue from its origins among Native Americans to its present status as an icon of American culture. He mapped out the development of the rich array of regional barbecue styles, chronicled the rise of barbecue restaurants, and profiled the famed pitmasters who made the tradition what it is today.
Barbecue Lover's the Carolinas
Barbecue Lover's the Carolinas is an essential reference tool for those looking to immerse themselves in the culture of Carolina-style barbecue. Perfect for both the local BBQ enthusiast and the traveling visitor alike, each book features: the history of the BBQ culinary style where to find––and most importantly consume––the best of the best local offerings like South Carolina hash; regional recipes from restaurants, chefs, and pit masters; information on the best barbecue-related festivals and culinary events; plus, regional maps and full-color photography.
Southern Smoke
For years, Matthew Register, the owner and pitmaster of Southern Smoke Barbecue, has been obsessed with the history of southern recipes. Armed with a massive collection of cookbooks from the 1900s and overflowing boxes of recipe cards from his grandmother, he hits the kitchen. Over weeks, sometimes months, he forges updated versions of timeworn classics. Locals and tourists alike flock to his restaurant in Garland, North Carolina (population 700), to try these unique dishes. Now you can make them all at home.
On Barbecue
John Shelton Reed is one of today’s most knowledgeable authors on the subject of barbecue. Holy Smoke: The Big Book of North Carolina Barbecue, written with his wife, Dale Volberg Reed, won the National Barbecue Association Award of Excellence in 2017 and was a finalist for the 2009 International Associate of Culinary Professionals Cookbook Award. In this collection, On Barbecue, Reed compiles reviews, essays, magazine articles, op-eds, and book extracts from his many-year obsession with the history and culture of barbecue. Brought together, these pieces constitute a broad look at the cultural, culinary, historical, and social aspects of this American institution.
Black Smoke: African Americans and the United States of Barbecue
In Black Smoke, Adrian Miller chronicles how Black barbecuers, pitmasters, and restauranteurs helped develop this cornerstone of American foodways and how they are coming into their own today. It's a smoke-filled story of Black perseverance, culinary innovation, and entrepreneurship. Though often pushed to the margins, African Americans have enriched a barbecue culture that has come to be embraced by all. Miller celebrates and restores the faces and stories of the men and women who have influenced this American cuisine. This beautifully illustrated chronicle also features 22 barbecue recipes collected just for this book.
Franklin Barbecue: Meat-Smoking Manifesto
In this much-anticipated debut, Franklin and coauthor Jordan Mackay unlock the secrets behind truly great barbecue, and share years’ worth of hard-won knowledge. Franklin Barbecue is a definitive resource for the backyard pitmaster, with chapters dedicated to building or customizing your own smoker; finding and curing the right wood; creating and tending perfect fires; sourcing top-quality meat; and of course, cooking mind-blowing, ridiculously delicious barbecue, better than you ever thought possible.
BBQ Tools of the Trade
Looking for that perfect tool to get your barbecue just right. We have selected a small handful of options for you. From the wood you want to cook with to the tool you'll want to clean up with, here are some great barbecue gifts:
Carolina Cookwood | Shop
Their "desire was to create a “naturally cured – never kiln dried” product in a way that would keep the integrity of the wood flavor. They started with just a few customers, never expecting to become the largest supplier of restaurant cooking wood in the area. Since then, wood chunks, mini splits, pizza oven splits and crafted charcoal have been created for backyard cooking. Our wood is naturally cured and our wood chunks are hand-packaged in organic, breathable burlap bags.
CharGon BBQ Cleaning Tool
"CharGon is a solidly built grill grate cleaner with a U-shaped tip that makes it easy to scrape the tops, sides, and bottoms of round grill grates with no risk of rogue bristles and the health hazard they present. It takes a bit longer than brushes, but it does a better job." - Meathead Goldwyn, amazingribs.com
Slow 'N Sear Deluxe
Slow ‘N Sear® Deluxe (previously called the 2.0), now with 50% more searing power than our Slow ‘N Sear® Original, takes backyard grilling and smoking in a charcoal kettle to the next level, AGAIN! Turn a “basic” kettle grill into the most versatile outdoor cooking machine on the market – indirect slow cooking, high heat searing, roasting, baking…you can have it all with Slow ‘N Sear®!
“The Single Best Accessory For the Weber Kettle Ever” – Meathead Goldwyn, amazingribs.com
ThermoPro TP20
This is the unit I personally used for years when cooking a hog, but it has so many other uses. I can gauge both the internal temperature of the ham while simultaneously monitoring the temperature inside the pit at the grate level. And I can do it from inside my house. Nice on those cold, rainy cooks. There may be fancier ones on the market, but this one has always done the job for me.
Thermapen ONE
This is THE thermometer. You'll see it in use all the time on cooking shows and in pitmasters' hands. "With full readings in ONE second or less, Thermapen ONE approaches the speed of thought - allowing you to focus exclusively on the quality of your work. Never has an instrument been able to achieve such speed and accuracy without sacrificing durability and usability...until now."
ThermoWorks Smoke Remote Alarm Thermometer
Like the ThermoPro TP20 above, the ThermoWorks Smoke has two probe channels - one for the meat and one for your pit temps - a dedicated receiver so you can track your temps remotely without gumming up your phone, plus rugged durability, an enormous display, and push-button simplicity. If you're looking for top of the line, ThermoWorks is always the brand you want. It's the one I purchased to replace my ThermoPro model.
Classes
Looking to level up your barbecue game? Learn from the best in person or online, here are some great options to give as a gift:
Note: Generally, local classes are offered on a periodic basis. Check back if nothing is being offered currently.
Bucky's BBQ Classes
During this comprehensive class, owner Wayne Preston teaches groups of up to 20 students how to smoke meat, how to make sauces and rubs, how to barbecue at the correct temperature, what gadgets to use and where to get them, and the differences between regional barbecue styles.
The class includes a tour of the Bucky’s Bar-B-Q kitchen as well as a meal of barbecue pork and chicken, baked beans, coleslaw, and a grilled dessert. Students take home their own sauce and rub as well as all the recipes covered in class.
Bobby's BBQ | 2-Day BBQ Master Class
Bobby's BBQ in Fountain Inn offers their 2-Day BBQ Master Class every now and then. While they may mention it on the site we've linked below, you might also check their Facebook page or their Instagram feed. You can also email them: [email protected]
- Learn how to trim, prep, season, cook, wrap and pull all of the meats - brisket, pork butts, pork & beef ribs, & more!
- Take home a whole brisket, a rack of pork ribs and our house-made sausage to share with your family or friends and show off your skills!
Gifts for Your Favorite Pitmaster
(even if that’s you!)
On
Etsy
Shirts, hats & more designed exclusively by Destination BBQ
Masterclass
Aaron Franklin’s Masterclass on barbecue is worth the subscription alone. I have watched every minute of it. He goes in-depth on brisket at a level only a true expert could present, but he also has amazing chapters on ribs, pulled pork, sauces, and more. Why not learn from the master?