♪ In South Carolina, we take barbecue seriously, and by barbecue, I'm not talking about a backyard cookout.

No, no, y'all.

I am talking about pork that is cooked slow and low and preferably, at least for me, accompanied by one of our state's four distinct sauces.

So can you guess at all about what I get to do today?

My mouth is already watering.

Let's go for it!

♪ Alright y'all, we are here with Rodney Scott, the James Beard Award winning pitmaster.

Rodney, thank you so much for chatting with me for a few minutes today.

<Rodney> Thank you for having me.

<Devyn> Ooh, I'm so excited!

<Devyn> So can you tell me just a little bit about what makes South Carolina barbecue so unique?

What sets it apart from the rest of the country?

<Rodney> Well, I think one of the first things that makes South Carolina barbeque so unique is the fact that barbecue is known to be found in South Carolina.

My opinion.

And whole hog is one of the most popular things in the areas of South Carolina, especially around the east coast.

You hear a lot of people talk about whole hog barbecue, and whole hog barbecue for me is described as a difference that you can taste, because you don't just get one texture, one bite, you get a full bite of every section of the hog.

<Devyn> Absolutely!

And here, barbecue isn't just like a backyard cookout, right?

It's a little bit different.

<Rodney> Barbeque here is more of a big thing: a party, a wedding, a reunion.

It's a big celebration because it's a 12 hour preparation or cook time to get it done.

So you're talking about a half a day for this event, so it's usually pretty big.

<Devyn> Yeah, it's all about that meat, right?

<Rodney> Yes, everybody loves a whole hog.

<Devyn> Yes, absolutely, so tell me a little bit about where you got your start in the world of barbecue.

<Rodney> In the world of barbeque, I got my start in Hemingway, South Carolina.

I was born in Philadelphia, and my family moved back to South Carolina, and we started this general store where, you know, in the South a lot of kids have chores, different responsibilities.

<Devyn> Mmhm.

<Rodney> And one of mine was to help cooking hogs.

<Devyn> Yeah.

<Rodney> And I found out that cooking the hog was a lot easier than farming in the fields, so that's where my start kicked in.

It was food.

It was a lot easier.

It was a lot more fun to just stand around and fire a hog all day, rather than be in the sun, so I got started in the family business in Hemingway.

<Devyn> That's awesome.

So tell me a little bit about Hemingway in that region in South Carolina.

If someone were to go and visit, what would they find that's unique about that area?

<Rodney> Wow, the one thing that's so unique about Hemingway is it's a rural area, and you would think it's in the middle of nowhere.

It's a tiny town with about three stoplights, but it's one hour from the North Carolina border, it's about an hour from Myrtle Beach, about three hours from Savannah, I think, two hours from Columbia, so I kind of feel like it's in the middle of everywhere, but it's so rural around the area, you hardly see anything, but it's an area known for farming, and usually at the end of farming there's cooking whole hogs.

There's barbecue events.

There's a lot of big celebrations around firing meat.

<Devyn> Yes, so it's about community.

<Rodney> Yes, it's definitely a community, definitely a small community, but it's a great area.

<Devyn> Yeah, so what would be your pitch for someone to try South Carolina barbecue for the first time?

<Rodney> For the first time, my pitch for someone to try South Carolina barbecue is come and taste where it all started.

I mean, taste the whole hog.

Come and see the difference you can taste versus any other region of the United States.

<Devyn> That's awesome.

Alright, I have one last question for you, and it's kind of intense, so I hope that you're ready for it.

What I love a lot about barbecue, obviously, the meat is the star, right?

But there's these sides that come alongside it to accompany it, right?

So what is Rodney Scott's go-to side?

Like, what is the one, if you can only have one, to accompany your pulled pork or your ribs?

What would it be?

<Rodney> Wow, the go-to side I would say I would grab first, if I had the pulled pork, I would probably say the baked beans.

<Devyn> Okay.

<Rodney> Yes, I am a baked beans lover.

<Devyn> Yes.

<Rodney> I try to avoid them because I love them so much, and I would probably grab the baked beans first.

>> Okay.

<Rodney> Yes.

<Devyn> And is there a difference in ribs, or you do you still stick with the baked beans?

<Rodney> Baked beans across the board.

<Devyn> Alright.

<Rodney> Yes, and sometimes if I get a little careless, I'll try to spill some beans and stake the meat, and kind of take the pork sandwich and mix it all in.

<Devyn> Yes!

<Rodney> Oh, it's such a good bite.

<Devyn> Do you know what I love to do with baked beans?

Is actually like barbecue chips.

I like to dip chips in baked beans.

Is that weird?

<Rodney> Mental note, mental note.

<Devyn> That's really good.

I would say mine would probably be coleslaw.

I love to pile coleslaw on top of pulled pork.

<Rodney> Especially if the pork has a nice little bite to it.

<Devyn> Yes.

<Rodney> And the cole slaw is nice and crispy.

Yes, I can see that.

<Devyn> Alright, y'all, well you heard it here.

Rodney Scott said baked beans are the way to go.

I'm a coleslaw girl, but I'll give the baked beans a try, one hundred percent.

<Rodney> Just try it.

<Devyn> Thank you so much.

I really appreciate you chatting with us.

Do you want to talk a little bit about this book right here?

<Rodney> Wow, this book right here is "Rodney Scott's World of Barbecue" so it pretty much has my life story in here of growing up, farming, going to school, everything from my graduation to recipes that I've experienced in my career, people I've met along the way, so many different things, even learning how to build my own whole hog pit in the backyard with cinder block.

So my entire life pretty much is wrapped up in this book.

<Devyn> Wow!

<Rodney> It's a great book.

I felt like, you know, I wanted to present my world to the world, and here it is.

In "Rodney Scott's World of Barbeque" every day's a good day.

<Devyn> Every day's a good day.

How can it not be when you're eating barbeque, right?

<Rodney> Yes, especially when you're eating barbeque, every day is a good day, yes.

<Devyn> Awesome, well thank you so much, Rodney.

<Rodney> Thank you.

Thank you for having me.

<Devyn> Yeah!

♪ So we are going back where it all started.

I am in Hemingway, South Carolina at the original Scott's Barbecue.

This place is a local legend famous for its whole hog pit smoked barbecue, and I have the great privilege of getting to try it for the first time today.

♪ Can I get the barbecue plate with baked beans and coleslaw, please?

♪ Have a good one.

I'm about to take my first bite of Scott's barbecue.

This is kind of monumental.

I hear about this barbecue all the time.

I mean, it really is, it's like famous across the state.

♪ Oh, is that too much?

I got a little generous with the sauce there.

♪ Happy dance!

♪ It's so good!

Y'all, the thing I love about South Carolina barbecue besides just how delicious it is, is that like the states, some of the best experiences are actually off the beaten path, so the next time you hear about a place like Scott's that's only open a few days a week, and they only served until they sell out, you better go for it!

♪