Holy Smokes CHS: 2023 lowcountry barbecue festival recap
On November 11th, 2023, Holy Smokes CHS hosted their third annual event, setting ablaze Charleston’s food scene and uniting renowned chefs, pitmasters, culinary artists and food enthusiasts in a celebration of fire-infused cuisine. Over 50 participating chefs — including several of our local favorites — showcased their mastery through all-you-can-eat traditional barbecue and innovative wood-fired dishes. Since it’s inaugural year in 2021, the event has raised awareness and funds for families effected by pediatric brain cancer, and this year is no different! Starting at $95 per ticket, Holy Smokes CHS benefits Hogs for the Cause, MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital, The Ronald McDonald House of Charleston, and Friends of Fisher House Charleston.
Barbecue styles were broken down into four villages: Traditional, Coastal, New School and Texas. The different villages were spread around the grounds of Riverfront Park in North Charleston, and upon entering the festivities we made a plan to ensure that we didn’t miss a single dish. Throughout the day, guests indulged in exceptional gastronomic experiences, from slow-smoked whole hog, pork and beef ribs, to Texas-style brisket, smoked and grilled Lowcountry seafood staples and so much more!
Wondering what it was like? Let’s get sizzling!
Traditional Village
Whole hog
Prepared by Swig & Swine, Palmira Barbecue, and Rodney Scott’s BBQ
Smoked St. Louis cut ribs
Prepared by Peg Lek Porker, Bessinger’s BBQ, and Sam Jones BBQ
Pit smoked chicken with Alabama white sauce
Prepared by Martin’s Bar-b-que joint, Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q
Arroz con gandules
Prepared by Hector Garage of Palmira Barbecue
Kool-aid pickles
Prepared by Carey Bring of Peg Leg Porker
Cracklins
Prepared by Rodney Scott of Rodney Scott’s BBQ
Coastal Village
Smoked shrimp duo, with smoked shrimp skagen & smoked shrimp ceviche
Prepared by Evan Leroy of Leroy and Lewis BBQ and Matt Register of Southern Smoke BBQ
Smoked mackerel wontons and cornbread cheesecake
Prepared by Capt. Jamie Hough of Zero Forks Given and Leslie Roark Scott of Udon’s Restaurant
Barbecued shrimp & old Florida style smoked mahi mahi dip
Prepared by Harrison Sapp & Griffin Bufkin of Southern Soul Barbeque and Elliott Moss of Moss & Moore Barbecue
Smokey fried oysters and grits: creole fried gulf coast oysters with herbsaint, bacon, wild mushroom pan sauce and whipped brie grits
Prepared by Ronnie Evans & Phillip Moseley of Blue Oak BBQ
New School Village
Hunan style fried ribs with tempura crunch, dale sauce and scallion
Prepared by Aaron Siegel & Taylor Garrigan of Home Team BBQ and Shuai & Corrie Wang of King BBQ
Certified angus beef smashburger with Smoked Pork Belly
Prepared by Jonathan & Justin fox of Fox Bros Bar-B-Q
Brisket and pork shoulder bologna with kimchi
Prepared by Madison Ruckel of Mama Jean’s Barbecue
Smoked pork chili and white beans
Prepared by Tuffy Stone BBQ Provisions
Chorizo con papas empanadas with smoked cream cheese and candied jalapeños
Prepared by Tank Jackson of Holy City Hogs
Texas Village
Certified Angus beef brisket with cheesy green Chile hominy and spicy cucumber salad
Prepared by Cody Sperry of Hoodoo Brown Barbecue and Arnis & Mallory Robbins of Evie Mae’s Pit Barbecue
Certified Angus beef ribs with Orange’s Texas caviar and Elote salad
Prepared by Chris Fultz of ZZQ Texas Craft Barbecue and Patrick Feges & Erin Smith of Feges BBQ
Sausage with tater tot casserole, winter slaw, and das jalapeño corn
Prepared by Stephen Franklin of Das BBQ
The Best BBQ Dishes At Holy Smokes CHS
By now you’ve seen how complexed and varied BBQ can be. We’ve given a ton of insight into this event, and we bet you’re wondering what our honest thoughts were — which BBQ was best?
Traditional and Coastal tie for our top villages — drastically different yet equally tasty, we just couldn’t choose between the two. You can never go wrong with classic smoked ribs or pulled pork, especially when prepared by Carolina pit master and legend Rodney Scott. Unexpectedly, the mackerel wonton with sweet and spicy sauce, cornbread cheesecake, and salty fried oyster over creamy grits were so full of flavor and ranked high on our list of favorites.
We were also pleasantly surprised by New School, which had a long line (usually a good sign!) and a variety of dishes to try. While we waited, a volunteer passed out steaming bowls of spicy and savory chili in a deep red broth with chunks of melt-in-your mouth pork. Immediately warming, it brought relief from the cold air and drizzling rain. The smashburger with brisket and caramelized onions was no sample size, yet was demolished in a matter of minutes, and the Hunan style pork rips with spicy chilis and sticky sweet sauce also deserves praise.
Overall, we were thrilled with the experience and will definitely be looking forward to returning next year.
Tips for Attending Holy Smokes CHS
Small/Clear Bags
Similar to CHSWF, there are restrictions on what you can bring into the event. Small bags/fanny packs are acceptable, but anything bigger needs to be clear, and all bags will be searched prior to entering.
Dress for the weather
We knew ahead of time that the event would take place come rain or shine, and ultimately decided to go even though the forecast was cold and wet. Luckily we wore warm layers, but could have benefited from a hat or jacket.
Parking
There are two parking spaces, one for VIP ticket holders and one for general admission. General admission parking is free and not far from the park entrance, however do note that we arrived about 15 minutes before the gate opened and the line was still long.
How much time do you need?
Holy Smokes CHS 2023 was scheduled from 11-4. We were able to visit all of the villages and vendors within about 2 hours (including a couple happy repeats!) without rushing or skipping anything. Larger groups or those that enjoy lounging may find a longer visit necessary.
