By Robin Gibson / Images by Angie Mosier

Looking for a way to reduce stress on Thanksgiving? Whether hosting the main event or bringing the sides and fixings,Rodney Scott’s Whole Hog BBQhas you covered. The famous pitmaster is offering a catering menu that features a Spatchcocked Turkey cooked on pits directly over coals and seasoned with Rodney’s famous Rib Rub and Original Sauce. Options include the following menu items which serve 6-8 people:

• Whole Pit-Cooked Turkey for $69.99

• Choice of sides starting at $7.99 per pint:

  • Baked Beans

  • Mac & Cheese

  • Collard Greens

  • Potato Salad

  • Cornbread

  • Coleslaw 

Interested?Place pre-orders herewith available pickup times between 11 A.M. - 8:45 P.M. from November 21-23 at 1011 King St. in Charleston.

Planning to tackle the meal on your own? Scott has some professional tips for you and shares his personal recipes for everything from spatchcocking the turkey to his signature sauce and Rib Rub. His biggest piece of advice? Manage expectations on how you think your turkey should look.

Place the turkey on the grill grate skin-side down, close the grill and cook for 1 hour 30 minutes.

“When you cook a turkey on the pit the way we do, you don’t end up with a pretty, gold bird like the ones you see on the covers of the Thanksgiving issues of all the food magazines. But I don’t think most of those pretty birds taste as good as the one that’s been smoked on the pit or grill and seasoned the way we do. Spatchcocking the turkey allows us to cook it more evenly and get seasoning throughout the bird. You be the judge,” explains Scott in his book,Rodney Scott’s World of BBQ.

Rodney Scott's Holiday Turkey Recipe 

Rodney's Rib Rub

• Makes 2 cups

• Can be stored, at room temp for 6 months

• ½ cup kosher salt (we like Diamond Crystal)

• ¼ cup MSG

• ¼ cup fresh ground black pepper

• ¼ cup paprika

• ¼ cup chili powder

• ¼ cup packed light brown sugar

• 2 tablespoons garlic powder

• 2 tablespoons onion powder

• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Mix all of the ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Rodney's Sauce

• Makes 1 gallon

• 1 gallon distilled, white vinegar

• 1 lemon, thinly sliced

• 1/2 cup ground black pepper

• 1/3 cup cayenne pepper

• 1 tablespoons red pepper flakes

• 2 cups sugar

In a small stockpot, warm the vinegar over medium-high heat. After about 5 minutes, when the vinegar reaches 150°F on an instant-read thermometer, just before it starts to simmer, add the lemon slices and continue to cook until the lemon peels begin to soften and wilt, about 10 minutes more.

Whisk in the black pepper, cayenne, pepper flakes, and sugar. Continue to cook over medium-high heat until the sugar is completely dissolved and the sauce reaches 190°F, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to completely cool before using. Once the lemon is removed, the sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 8 weeks.

While our sauce is not what folks from outside the Eastern Carolinas might be used to, it speaks to Rodney’s heritage, his place and his palate.

Rodney’s Sauce is the same vinegar-pepper sauce that we use in large quantities at Rodney Scott’s BBQ restaurants to mop our hogs when they are cooking. It gives the meat a slight tang and a little heat. Some folks may feel like there is too much acid when they taste it on its own, but that acid is essential for balancing out fatty, rich meat. Because we serve “whole hog” — which means that the meat that we serve is pulled from all parts of the hog that has been pit cooked so that each guest gets a little of the shoulder, ham, belly, etc… and that means that the blend is rich and flavorful and can use this hit of acid.

We also use this sauce in recipes like our collard greens where it can take the place of pepper vinegar that you might use in traditional long-cooked greens. While our sauce is not what folks from outside the Eastern Carolinas might be used to, it speaks to Rodney’s heritage, his place and his palate. It is a versatile “all purpose” sauce and great as a finishing sauce as well.

_{Note: This recipe is for a large amount but because of the ratios and the way it cooks down it is important to make this much — it is not recommended to reduce this recipe by more than half. If you are using it as a “mop sauce” while grilling or smoking, you will need quite a lot with some left for the table. Remember, it will keep in the refrigerator for up to 8 weeks.}