Pitmaster debuts ‘World of BBQ’

Rodney Scott shares recipes ahead of opening restaurant in Atlanta.

James Beard Award-winning pitmaster Rodney Scott started cooking whole hogs over hardwood coals when he was still in middle school. And he continued to work at his family’s Hemingway, South Carolina, restaurant for some 25 years, before opening the first Rodney Scott’s BBQ in Charleston in 2017.

His new cookbook, ”Rodney Scott’s World of BBQ” (Clarkson Potter, $29.99), features many of Scott’s favorite recipes. And it includes instructions for building a movable cinder block pit and a burn barrel, along with Scott’s 12-hour method for cooking a hog.

But more than that, it tells Scott’s story, in all its smoke and glory, and struggle. Scott writes candidly about clashing with his father, who valued hard work above all, and came to resent his son’s growing fame.

Another big part of the story is Scott’s partnership with Nick Pihakis of Jim ‘N Nick’s BAR-B-Q fame. The duo opened a second Rodney Scott’s BBQ in Birmingham, with a third set to open in Atlanta this summer, and more to come in Alabama.

“Nick has been more than a co-founder and a partner,” Scott said during a recent phone call. “He’s been a brother. He’s been an adviser. He cares about more than just the business relationship.”

Scott explained that when he started writing the book, he wanted all the recipes and stories to relate to his history and experiences.

“We basically told how I started and grew up, all the way to where we are now,” Scott said. “I didn’t think I’d ever be traveling the world. I always thought it was going to be one of those dreams.”

Something he never dreamed of was winning the 2018 James Beard Award for Best Chef Southeast.

“The James Beard Award was definitely the pinnacle,” he said. “It was a big boost. It was a humbling experience to the fact that if you continue to work hard, and stay focused, you can achieve anything that you want. Winning that Beard Award changed our lives completely.”

For those who can’t imagine building a pit or cooking a hog, there are plenty of grilling recipes in the book, as well as dishes for the stove, and snacks, salads and vegetables.

“I’ve got a great restaurant family, and we always talk about completely satisfying our guests,” Scott said. “One of the things that we discussed was having more than just barbecue. We want to offer the person who’s working on their fitness program a salad. For the person who doesn’t choose to eat chicken or pork or beef, there’s catfish. So we’re giving some options.”

Scott also shares some trade secrets in “World of BBQ,” including the recipes for his Rib Rub, and his signature South Carolinastyle vinegar and pepper Rodney’s Sauce.

“We like to spread the love,” he said, “but we felt we were OK to just share a little bit of some of the things that you can do to make your backyard barbecue spectacular.”

PHOTOS BY JERRELLE GUY/ CLARKSON POTTER To make the Pork T-bones from “Rodney Scott’s World of BBQ,” the pork T-bone steaks should first brine for 6 to 8 hours in the fridge in a mixture using kosher salt and Rodney’s Rib Rub.

Rodney Scott expects that once you try the recipe for Smoked Chicken in his “World of BBQ” cookbook, “you’ll have a hard time going back to your oven.”

POTTER JERRELLE GUY/ CLARKSON To make the Pork T-bones from “Rodney Scott’s World of BBQ,” the pork T-bone steaks should first brine for 6 to 8 hours in the fridge in a mixture using kosher salt and Rodney’s Rib Rub.