SC BBQ Cookbook: Going Whole Hog

A 300-page South Carolina barbecue cookbook filled with recipes, history, pitmaster advice, and stories from across the state

Written by James Roller, co-founder and publisher of Destination BBQ, Going Whole Hog: Mustard, Vinegar, Hash, and Smoke: Celebrating SC BBQ History, Traditions, and Flavors brings together family recipes, restaurant recipes, pitmaster guidance, and the stories behind South Carolina barbecue.

Front and back covers of the Going Whole Hog cookbook.

What’s Inside Going Whole Hog

  • Old family recipes: Reader-submitted recipes passed down through generations, along with the stories behind them.
  • Pitmaster tips and techniques: Recipes and guidance from respected South Carolina pitmasters, including John Lewis, Rodney Scott, and Aaron Siegel.
  • Restaurant recipes: Contributions from Bessinger’s, Bullies, Cherrywood, Lewis Barbecue, Price’s, Rodney Scott’s, Swig & Swine, and others.
  • Whole-hog cooking, pit building, and history: Whole-hog principles, cinder-block pit plans, South Carolina barbecue history, and more.

Take a look inside Going Whole Hog, including sample recipes, contributor features, and chapters on sauces, meats, hash, sides, and desserts.

I wrote Going Whole Hog to preserve the recipes, stories, and traditions that make South Carolina barbecue distinct. It brings together old family recipes, restaurant and pitmaster contributions, and the history behind the food.

— James Roller, author
Front cover of the Going Whole Hog South Carolina barbecue cookbook.

Sample of Recipes

Sauces and Rubs

The book includes four sections of sauce recipes, from Dukes-style mustard sauce and Eastern South Carolina vinegar-pepper sauce to Honey Hickory tomato sauce, Alabama white sauce, and brisket mojo sauce. There is also a full section of rub recipes from John Lewis, Home Team BBQ, and others.

SC BBQ Hash

From yellow hash popular in the Midlands and Lowcountry to red hash around Sumter and beef hash in the Upstate, the book includes recipes similar to those served at South Carolina barbecue restaurants such as Dukes, Ward’s, and Midway.

Meats

From whole hogs cooked over coals shoveled from a burn barrel to individual cuts such as butts, shoulders, and ribs, we have recipes for it all. We’ve even included a few chicken recipes, along with beef recipes ranging from brisket to Maurice’s meatloaf.

Sides and Desserts

You’ll find standards like collards, corn, pork rinds, coleslaw, baked beans, and mac and cheese along with classic SC dishes like chicken bog and purlieu, catfish stew, and chicken mull. Sides help make the meal, and we share recipes from Rodney Scott, Swig and Swine, John Lewis, and Price’s, among others. The dessert section is crowded with cobblers, pies, and cakes, but also things like pralines and other surprises.

Want a taste first? Start with our free BBQ recipes.

Quick Look Inside

What Folks Are Saying

Below are five randomly chosen notes from book owners who wrote in to tell us what they think of the book. Refresh the page to see five new ones!

Read all of the Going Whole Hog testimonials.

Well Made Book, Beautiful Clear Pictures, Accurate Well Written History

Quality of the book. Binding, paper, pictures, those are the things I liked the most.  I have read “Black Smoke” and Rodney Scott’s book. The history aspect was in agreement with both authors. The info on sauces was very interesting. Have just started going through the recipes. The information preceding each is very well done. Give it a shot. You won’t regret it, excellently well written book.

William Van Dyke
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

So well done!

I spent a couple hours just perusing the recipe list! It brought back so many memories of eating at a lot of these places and being able to experience true SC BBQ from some of the masters. The collection of recipes is worth the price of the book. Add to that the beautiful photography, the history and stories, and the QR codes to in-depth videos and this book is such a value! Well done! The recipes are a goldmine of the best of SC BBQ over the decades. If you’re interested in getting a taste of genuine SC BBQ, then this book is a must have. Thanks for a job well done.

Joshua Fite
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Best BBQ Book that I’ve Read

I love the history it talks about and gives you names and authors of those to read more about. Plus all the different SC sauces to make and where they’re from. Buy it

Milton Stiner
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

WOULD DEFINITELY RECOMMEND IT

SC restaurants and recipes. I grew up in Batesburg but judged BBQ contests in TN, MS, MO, etc. Actually made the Food Channel…not cooking skills, but judged MIM finals in 99, which was on TV…Big Bob Gibson won. Guess what I’m saying is the book is well done and the Holly Hill update very informative…keep it up.

Even though I prefer a paper book, I would definitely recommend it and, in fact, already have. Give it a try… definitely worth it if interested in SC BBQ…filled a void in my BBQ library which is fairly extensive.

David R Watson
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Well worth the wait!

This is much more than a book of recipes! It is also filled with BBQ history, anecdotes and mouthwatering photos! I have been a BBQ enthusiast for years, and this book is a must have! I appreciate all of your time, research and effort it took to create this book. You will not be disappointed if you are any kind of BBQ fan!

Al Hines
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Book Details

  • Full title: Going Whole Hog: Mustard, Vinegar, Hash, and Smoke: Celebrating SC BBQ History, Traditions, and Flavors
  • Author: James Roller
  • Publisher: Destination BBQ
  • Copyright: © 2023 H & J Enterprises of Charleston, LLC DBA Destination BBQ
  • Edition: First Edition
  • Language: English
  • Length: 300 pages
  • Available formats: Hardcover and Adobe PDF

Editions and ISBNs

  • Original overseas-printed hardcover: ISBN-13 979-8-9885120-0-4
  • Adobe PDF ebook: ISBN-13 979-8-9885120-1-1
  • Amazon print-on-demand hardcover: ISBN-13 979-8-9885120-2-8
  • Library of Congress Control Number: 2023916991
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Choose a hardcover or digital edition below. The Permanent PDF Edition includes automatic access to future digital editions, while the Standard PDF Edition includes the current edition only.

Print Editions

Print edition

Original Hardcover

From $42.99

The larger hardcover edition with durable paper and a binding that stays open more easily while you cook.

  • Matte hardcover finish
  • Larger page dimensions
  • High-quality paper and full-color photography
  • Available through Etsy and Amazon

ISBN-13: 979-8-9885120-0-4

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Print edition

Amazon Print-on-Demand Hardcover

Currently unavailable

A slightly narrower hardcover edition printed on demand through Amazon in the United States.

  • Same editorial content as the original hardcover
  • Matte hardcover finish
  • Printed on demand through Amazon KDP
  • Separate hardcover edition and ISBN

ISBN-13: 979-8-9885120-2-8

Currently Unavailable

Digital Editions

Digital edition

Standard PDF Edition

$19.95

The current Adobe PDF edition for reading online or offline.

  • Download immediately after purchase
  • Easily searchable
  • Works on most computers, tablets, and phones
  • Includes the current digital edition only

ISBN-13: 979-8-9885120-1-1

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