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.
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
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.
Exceptional
I enjoyed the recipes, especially the hash recipes. It is so interesting to see how much our South Carolina taste vary from region to region. Everyone who has picked up the book has been impressed. I guess it will become our primary coffee table book the quite a while. I appreciate all the work it took to put the book together and publish it. You need this book! Get it before they are all gone.
COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN
Great cookbook, I read the whole book the day I got it. Could not put it down! Detailed recipes of sauces and different meats and preparation Your recipes are very concise and easy to prepare with everyday, useable, and obtainable ingredients.
One of the Best Books on Barbecue I Own!!
Going Whole Hog is one of the best books on barbecue I own (and I own over two dozen featuring recipes from North Carolina, Texas, Alabama, and many other southern states). By design, this book concentrates on barbecue originating in South Carolina almost exclusively; the notable exception being John Lewis’ much appreciated Texas invasion of South Carolina! However, it is more than a recipe book, even though the recipes are outstanding. Full disclosure, I, along with many others, assisted the author, Jim Roller, in testing several of the included recipes.
Going Whole Hog is a collection of recipes from barbecue pitmasters and cooks around the state of South Carolina. What makes this book special is it is more than a collection of recipes. It includes not only recipes, but an explanation of the history, traditions, and development of barbecue techniques in South Carolina. Jim includes interviews with the recipe developers, collectors and inheritors that document the evolution of barbecue history in South Carolina. Many of these are special to me, as they came from pitmasters I knew personally, Jackie Hite, for example, from my hometown of Leesville.
The book is beautifully presented and the photographs are amazing. As a former certified barbecue judge I can assure you this is the real deal! It includes recipes I could never locate myself such as Red Gravy!
Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy!!
Best Book about BBQ I’ve Ever Read.
Historical facts are most interesting and the fact that so many folks were willing to share their recipes. Buy it, you won’t regret it.
An Absolutely Awesome Book for BBQ Enthusiasts!
You will find it very hard to lay this book down once you start digging in it! This book is a “must” for all things BBQ! This book is a Jewel!
Jim,
You must be exhausted! You, My Friend, have put together one hell of a book on BBQ! I was only able to read sections at a time because of me drooling on my computer as I looked through these recipes! Thank you for your indepth research and gem of a collection of some of the best BBQ recipes and sides around! Keep up the great work! I gained 10 pounds just reading through this book!🤣🤣 You are without a doubt The BBQ Man's BBQ Man!
Happy Holidays Jim to you and your family.
Warm Regards,
Bob Jackson
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
Purchase Cookbook
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
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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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
Permanent PDF Edition
$29.95
The current PDF plus automatic access to future digital editions.
- Download immediately after purchase
- Searchable and readable on most devices
- Includes future digital editions automatically
- Future access applies to digital editions only
ISBN-13: 979-8-9885120-1-1
Buy Permanent PDFStandard 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
Buy Standard PDF
Tony Jaschke
Tuesday 16th of June 2026
Just wanted to thank you again for responding to my Reddit post on Liquid Sausage. Bought your permanent e-book edition, and I couldn’t put it down. Y’all really did a nice job with this. My wife and I love South Carolina. In fact my first time trying SC whole hog bbq was in Twin City, GA! My wife, from Swainsboro, GA has a lifelong friend who lives in Twin City. Her brother, Lew, owned Lew’s BBQ in Twin City. The first time I had his bbq with that SC mustard bbq sauce was transcendental for me, and I’m from Texas where beef is king. Lew’s also had a damn good Brunswick stew, (something else this Texas boy and never had) and I loved that stuff. But it was that chance encounter inside a zippy mart in Hollywood, SC with that delicious SC Hash that ruined me. I look forward to reading the rest of your cookbook! Thanks again.
James Roller
Friday 19th of June 2026
@Tony, thanks for purchasing the cookbook. I am pleased you're enjoying it and hope you find the rest as compelling as what you've read so far. Glad the response on Reddit was helpful. I am not aware of Lew's but always respect any place that serves whole hog. Interestingly, there is a Sweet Lew's BBQ in Charlotte. Wonder if there is a relation? I've not been, but may be worth checking out if you find yourself there. Surprising that they served mustard based sauce there. GA is more known for its red sauce, but any real expertise I might have generally is confined to our borders. Cheers!
Summer
Friday 18th of July 2025
Trying to find the hardback version made in America but can’t, only overseas version. Any help!
James Roller
Saturday 19th of July 2025
It is currently live on Amazon for print on demand.
Withheld on Request
Friday 18th of April 2025
I would like to order the Printed in USA version but it is showing unavailable. Any idea when it will be?
James Roller
Monday 21st of April 2025
@Withheld on Request, great question. Frankly, I turned off the POD version because I think it is of lesser quality and costs so much more, but I will temporarily turn it back on for you. If others later read this and find Amazon's print-on-demand version unavailable, just email me, and I'll turn it back on for you.
Tom Smith
Friday 9th of February 2024
I learned about this book while surfing the internet about BBQ places in South Carolina. Although I missed the pre-order deadline I was put on the wait list. Within a couple of weeks I received my book. If you are serious about BBQ this is the book to have. The book starts with the origins of BBQ and the dark side of BBQ. It includes recipes from businesses both open and closed as well as from individuals. Recipes include rubs, sauces, hash, whole hog, beef, poultry, sides and desserts. I have read the beginning of the book and started looking at the recipes. I am so impressed with the book that I ordered the PDF version. I have a house in both NY and SC and wanted to be sure I have the recipes no matter where I am. I plan on using this book for years to come.
James Roller
Monday 12th of February 2024
@Tom Smith, I appreciate the kind words and I am glad you're enjoying the book. Thanks!
Andrew Jobe
Saturday 3rd of February 2024
Jim and Heather, As I said in other reviews what a great book. Well written, great photos , history and great recipes. By locals for locals. As a native South Carolinian I have grown up on all four varieties of sauces and love them all.
The recipes, especially Pork, are excellent and you can personalize to make them unique. The hash recipes are a part of our culture that ties us together. A non South Carolinian may have a hard time with hash, until you try it and then you will be hooked.
A Great book and well worth the price. Not only great recipes and history but a map to sample what makes SC BBQ unique
James Roller
Sunday 4th of February 2024
Thanks for the kind words, Andrew. Glad you are enjoying the book!