Rodney Scott, a pitmaster from Hemingway, South Carolina, shares his passion for traditional barbecue. He recounts a humorous story about a mistaken encounter with a late-night customer. Rodney explains that he learned the art of barbecue from his father and has been cooking whole hogs since he was 11 years old. He emphasizes the importance of using only wood to cook the meat, which is cut, split, and loaded into a truck by hand.
The documentary showcases the labor-intensive process of preparing the barbecue, from cutting down trees to splitting the wood and cooking the hogs over an open pit. Rodney explains that the wood is the key to the unique flavor of his barbecue. The hogs are slow-cooked for 8-12 hours, and the skin is crisped to perfection.
Customers share their experiences and appreciation for Rodney's barbecue, which is considered a staple in the community. The documentary highlights the hard work and dedication that goes into creating authentic, traditional barbecue. Rodney proudly declares that his barbecue is the real deal, and the process is a labor of love that requires days of work to achieve the perfect flavor.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. Rodney Scott is the Pit Master at Scott's Barbecue in Hemingway, South Carolina.
2. Rodney Scott was 11 years old when he first cooked a pig.
3. Scott's Barbecue cooks whole hogs over wood, using a traditional method.
4. The restaurant uses a burn barrel to generate heat for cooking.
5. The wood used for cooking is cut and split by hand.
6. The pigs are cooked for 8-12 hours to ensure they are fully cooked and infused with smoke flavor.
7. The restaurant uses a vinegar-based sauce, which is traditional in the Pee Dee region of South Carolina.
8. The sauce is applied to the meat using a mop, rather than a brush.
9. The restaurant opens at 9:30 AM, and customers are not allowed to enter before then.
10. The pigs are removed from the pit and taken to a table, where they are separated into bones, fat, and lean meat.
11. The meat is then packaged and sold to customers by the pound.
12. The restaurant also sells "big skins," which are crispy pork skins that are fried and bagged.
13. Customers can request to have the skin added to their meat or sandwiches.
14. Solomon Singletary, a gospel recording artist, is a frequent customer at Scott's Barbecue.