Whole hog BBQ is a traditional barbecue method where an entire pig is slow- cooked, usually over wood or charcoal, to achieve tender, flavorful meat. This style is particularly popular in the Southern United States and is celebrated for its rich, smoky taste and the use of the whole animal from snout to tail.

Key Aspects of Whole Hog BBQ

• Cooking Method: The whole hog is typically cooked slowly for many hours, often 12 to 18 hours, over wood or charcoal. This slow smoking process allows the meat to become tender and infused with smoky flavor. Pitmasters monitor temperature and doneness by feel and visual cues, such as the separation of ribs from the backbone

• Flavor and Preparation: The meat is usually seasoned with dry rubs that may include spices and MSG as a flavor enhancer. After cooking, the pork is chopped or pulled and served with traditional sauces, often vinegar-based or spicy, depending on regional styles

• Regional Significance: Whole hog BBQ is a hallmark of Carolina barbecue traditions but is also embraced in other regions like Arkansas (Whole Hog Café) and Tennessee (Trotter's Whole Hog BBQ). Each place has its own signature style and sides such as coleslaw, potato salad, baked beans, and dinner rolls

Notable Whole Hog BBQ Restaurants

• Rodney Scott's Whole Hog BBQ: Located in Charleston, South Carolina, this restaurant specializes in pulled pork slow-smoked with hardwood charcoal and served with a spicy vinegar sauce. Rodney Scott is a celebrated pitmaster recognized for his mastery of whole hog BBQ

• Whole Hog Café: A restaurant chain based in Arkansas known for its championship-winning BBQ, offering a variety of smoked meats including pulled pork, ribs, brisket, chicken, sausage, and turkey. The café emphasizes fresh, slow-smoked meats and traditional sides

• Sam Jones BBQ: Based in North Carolina, Sam Jones BBQ is known for wood-fired whole hog BBQ, continuing a family legacy of whole hog cooking. They use multiple whole hog cookers to prepare their meats fresh daily

• Trotter's Whole Hog BBQ: Located in Sevierville, Tennessee, Trotter’s embraces East Tennessee’s culinary heritage with authentic whole hog barbecue and Southern sides, offering a community-centered dining experience

Whole hog BBQ is a celebration of traditional barbecue techniques, emphasizing slow smoking, whole-animal cooking, and regional flavors that have been perfected over generations.