True BBQ, West Columbia, South Carolina

I drove up from Charleston after two lunches (Melvin’s and Swig and Swine) with Robert Moss, the Southern Living barbecue guru, and a third stop for hash at Bessinger’s, still in Charleston. I arrived, checked into a hotel in West Columbia (a surprisingly nice Fairfield Inn), and hot-footed it straight to True BBQ to get there before the supper rush.

Brothers Ernest and Milton Zanders opened True BBQ in 2010. They have a song, “True Barbecue,” linked on their website and here. It’s well worth a listen. True BBQ sits in West Columbia, across the Congaree River from the state capital. In the photo you can see the corner of the big smoker that sits out front. There are a half dozen or so tables inside, and they have a separate table set up to handle the carryout orders. The interior is sparkling clean and definitely has a woman’s touch.

I ordered a small sandwich and a half pint of hash and rice.

That small container is their vinegar pepper sauce. They have two other sauces, a mustard sauce called the Pretty Lady Sauce, and a spicier tomato-based sauce called the Sexy Lady Sauce. I enjoy trying barbecue sauces, but I have a rule that when I’m traveling by myself, I give pretty ladies some distance, and I especially stay clear of sexy ladies. I stuck with the vinegar pepper sauce.

Let’s unveil that pork.

Lovely. That’s a fine chop, and the photo hides a good bit of nice outside bark. The meat was fresh off the cooker and had a thread of smoke through each bite. The vinegar pepper sauce wasn’t really necessary, but it did add value.

True BBQ claims to serve the best hash and rice in South Carolina. I’m not about to barge into the middle of that fight, but friends, this hash is flat good. True’s hash is thicker than the Charleston versions I tried, and the flavor is not so much pronounced as, well, addicting. Maybe I’m just catching, on, but one you take a bite, you just don’t stop. Note: if you go to True BBQ with a friend, make sure they order their own hash and rice. If you don’t they’ll end up eating all of yours.

True BBQ has seen some hard times. They weathered the pandemic and then had to close for eight months due to a parade of family woes. Buoyed by friends and faith, they managed to reopen.

True BBQ recently expanded to open on Thursday as well as Friday and Saturday. Let’s hope that they thrive and expand more, because this is a great place to get some barbecue and hash. Right now, True BBQ is on the South Carolina Barbecue Association’s list of “Worth the Trip” barbecue places. It’s on my list of 100-Mile Places. Go there. Have some hash, and some of their pork. If your spouse is with you, you can try the Sexy Lady sauce, and tell me what you think.

***

And while you’re at it, click “follow” on our front page to receive blog posts in your email box.  Or bookmark us and check in from time to time.  If you’re planning a trip, you can “Search” the name of the destination city, state, or country for good restaurants (in Europe, often close to sites, like the Louvre or the Van Gogh Museum, that you’ll want to visit in any event).  Comments, questions, and suggestions of places to eat or stories to cover are very welcome.  And check out our Instagram page, johntannerbbq.