Monk: NC Weekend’s been pumping out the barbecue content lately, and in a recent visit host Deborah Holt Noel took a visit to Knightdale to sit down with owner/head fire maker Christopher Prieto for a tour of the restaurant and to try a little bit of everything on the menu.
Description: See why Prime Barbecue is drawing huge crowds to its popular spot in Knightdale.
Monk: Speedy and I have previously visited the Williamston location of The Smoking Pig a little over 8 years ago and rather enjoyed it. In this video, owner Barry Deavers talks specifically about the Pendleton location, which is just outside of Clemson closer to I-85. Interestingly, while people seem to like his brisket he is always partial to the pork from growing up in SC.
Description: At The Smoking Pig, customers can enjoy homemade sauces and fresh, deep-fired corn grown right behind the restaurant. On this episode of Backroad Bites, check out the Pendleton location of this mini chain of barbecue restaurants in South Carolina’s Upcountry.
Monk: It’s no surprise that Red Bridges Barbecue Lodge in Shelby has long been a favorite of the Barbecue Bros, and for good reason. They have been in business for 78 years and still cook over wood the old fashioned way. Not to mention they have consistently delivered for me personally every visit over the past 15 years I’ve regularly been eating there. The below photo is the wood stack closest to the building but is by no means the entirety of their wood, 95% of which is stacked out back behind the parking lot.
I recently stopped in with the family and Monks-in-Law, and that usual consistency was on display. The chopped pork tray had the right chop and tang from the dip, the red slaw had a great balance between tang and crunch, and the hush puppies were crispy and fresh.
But my next time in Shelby, I won’t be visiting Red Bridges. I’ve received feedback that I should consider revisiting Alston Bridges Barbecue, which I visited for the first and only time over 10 years ago in 2013. From my experience, Shelby locals tend to favor Alston Bridges (at least the ones I know), and a recent video from The Carolina Foodie compared Alston’s to Red Bridges as well as Lexington Barbecue. He found the barbecue to be similar at both Alston’s and Red’s, which is slightly surprising to me since my understanding is that Alston’s cooks over gas. He also couldn’t pick between the slaw and hush puppies either. So I’ve got quite a good meal waiting for me at Alston’s. I can’t wait to try.
Name: Rodney Scott’s BBQ
Date: 6/18/23
Address: 1011 King St, Charleston, SC 29403
Order: Two meat combo platter with whole hog and ribs with hush puppies and coleslaw, wings (link to menu)
Pricing: $$
Monk: In my first and only visit to Rodney Scott’s BBQ 6 years ago, while I loved the whole hog I noted in that review that I should have tried the ribs. Speedy’s review the following year further reinforced that notion, although he wasn’t effusive in his praise. Knowing that I was going to be able to force Mrs. Monk into going to Rodney Scott’s while in Charleston this past Father’s Day weekend, I was not going to throw away my shot.
Let’s start our review with those ribs, shall we. In the two meat combo platter I got a generous serving of 5 bones and boy let me tell you they were big, meaty spares. Each bone was perfectly cooked, allowing for bite marks without the meat falling completely off the bone. And while there was a slight glaze, these bones weren’t oversauced and had great flavor. I was glad I ordered them but reader, I must admit that I could only finish three of the five.
The whole hog was as good as I remembered and with the barbecue of the Hemingway Scott’s a distant memory, I was able to judge it on its own merits. Great texture and while I accidentally poured a little too much Rodney’s sauce, a slightly spicy vinegar pepper sauce, onto my tray the pork soaked it right up while not getting overwhelmed.
Mrs. Monk, our friend Mo, and I shared the half dozen wings and all noted aloud how good they were. They were smoked before being freshly fried right before they were delivered to our table. Which led to crispy wings with a nice flavor – you might say sweet with a little heat – that paired nicely with the Alabama white dipping sauce.
The hush puppies were light and crispy, clearly also having just been freshly fried just prior to being served to us. The mayo slaw was standard.
On this Charleston Saturday in June, we sat outside at a picnic table painted in the signature blue of Rodney Scott’s and found it to be quite pleasant in the shade. So much so that we lingered long after finishing our food, generally unaffected by any Charleston swampiness in the air. The barbecue met all expectations and if you’re looking to get something besides beef at a barbecue joint in Charleston, Rodney Scott’s BBQ is your best bet.
Ratings:
Atmosphere/Ambiance – 3.5 hogs
Pulled Pork – 4.5 hogs
Ribs – 4.5 hogs
Wings – 4 hogs
Sides – 4.5 hogs
Overall – 4.5 hogs
