Carolina Foods Discovering the Best Local Favorites

As you explore the culinary scene in the Carolinas, you'll discover a rich tapestry of flavors that reflect the region's history and culture. The Carolinas are home to a unique blend of Southern and coastal cuisine.

Barbecue is a staple in the Carolinas, with different styles emerging in each state. In North Carolina, the vinegar-based sauce is a hallmark of the state's barbecue tradition.

From the mountains to the coast, the Carolinas offer a diverse array of local favorites that are worth trying. Whether you're in the mood for something sweet or savory, there's a Carolina dish to satisfy your cravings.

Frogmore Stew is a quintessential Lowcountry dish that originated in St. Helena Island, South Carolina, and typically consists of boiled corn, shrimp, sausage, and potatoes.

You can make Frogmore Stew at home using a variety of recipes, including Dave's Lowcountry Boil and Instant Pot Lowcountry Boil.

Barbecue is South Carolina's official state picnic cuisine, with four recognized barbecue sauces: mustard, vinegar, light tomato, and heavy tomato.

Carolina gold sauce is a staple in the Palmetto State, but South Carolinians don't discriminate when it comes to barbecue.

Here are some popular barbecue options: Slow Cooker Carolina BBQCarolina BBQEasy Oven Pulled Pork

Shrimp and grits is a Southern dish with Gullah roots, often served with a variety of ingredients and sauces.

You can find shrimp and grits on menus nationwide, but the first written recipe appeared in the 1950 edition of Charleston Receipts.

Some popular shrimp and grits recipes include Old Charleston-Style Shrimp and Grits, Cheesy Shrimp and Grits, and Lowcountry Shrimp and Grits.

Collard greens are South Carolina's official state vegetable, typically simmered low and slow with bacon or a ham hock to add meaty flavor.

Collard greens are traditionally served on New Year's Day with hoppin' John, said to bring wealth and good fortune all year long.

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Hoppin' John is a beloved Southern dish that's traditionally served on New Year's Day. It's a delicious combination of black-eyed peas, pork, rice, tomatoes, onions, and green bell peppers.

This hearty dish is supposed to bring a year's worth of good luck when paired with greens and cornbread. The name "Hoppin' John" is a bit of a mystery, but one accepted theory is that it's a corruption of the French phrase "pois à pigeon", which means "pigeon peas."

Hoppin' John has Lowcountry roots, and it's a staple in many Southern households. The dish is often served with a side of cornbread, which is thought to help the good luck stick.

Here are some popular variations of Hoppin' John:

Barbecue is a staple in South Carolina, and it's officially recognized as the state's picnic cuisine. It's no wonder, considering the variety of delicious barbecue options available.

Carolina gold sauce is a unique and tangy condiment that perfectly balances out the richness of pulled pork. This sauce is a must-try when visiting the Palmetto State.

South Carolinians don't discriminate when it comes to barbecue sauce - they recognize four different types: mustard, vinegar, light tomato, and heavy tomato. This diversity of flavors is a testament to the state's rich culinary heritage.

If you're looking to try your hand at making Carolina-style barbecue, consider trying one of the following recipes: Slow Cooker Carolina BBQ, Carolina BBQ, or Easy Oven Pulled Pork. These recipes are sure to satisfy your cravings and transport you to the heart of South Carolina's barbecue country.

Turtle Soup was a beloved dish in the U.S., especially in Charleston, where it was a local tradition.

Turtles thrived in the rice fields of the Lowcountry, making it a regional favorite. They were a staple in the area, and the soup was often served at community events.

Communities would host huge events called "turtle frolics" where people gathered to enjoy the stew, which was a big deal in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The soup was so popular that it's still considered a traditional dish today, even if it's not as widely enjoyed as it once was.

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Hush Puppies are a beloved South Carolina side dish that's hard to resist. They're crispy on the outside and soft in the center.

The term "hush puppy" started popping up along the Southeastern coast, from the Carolinas to Florida, sometime in the 20th-century. We're not sure what's behind the funny name, but the delicious balls of deep-fried cornmeal are definitely a treat.

You can find various recipes for Hush Puppies, such as Vicki's Hush Puppies, Buttermilk Hush Puppies, and Quick and Easy Hush Puppies.

Oyster roasts are a Lowcountry tradition that can occur year-round, but they're most common in colder months when oysters are at their firmest and most flavorful.

To host a successful oyster roast, you'll want to have some crackers for serving, hot sauce and cocktail sauce for dipping, and plenty of cold beer for drinking.

Here are some popular collard green recipes to consider serving alongside your oysters:

When cooking traditional dishes, having the right equipment is essential. A cast-iron skillet is a must-have for cooking hearty stews and braises, as seen in the article's section on "Hearty Stews".

A good stockpot is also crucial for making rich and flavorful broths, like the one described in the "Broth Basics" section. It's best to choose a pot made from a durable material like stainless steel or enameled cast iron.

A mortar and pestle is a traditional tool for making sauces and marinades, as shown in the "Sauce Recipes" section. This tool is perfect for grinding spices and herbs into a fine paste.

A Dutch oven is a versatile piece of equipment that can be used for cooking a variety of traditional dishes, including casseroles and stews. Its heavy lid helps to retain heat and moisture, making it ideal for slow-cooked meals.

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Boiled peanuts are a staple in South Carolina, with the state legislature even naming them the official snack food in 2006.

You can find boiled peanuts at roadside stands in Spartanburg and fancy restaurants in Charleston, making them a snack that's accessible to everyone.

If you're feeling adventurous, you can add some heat to your boiled peanuts with spices like cayenne pepper and red pepper flakes.

Here are some popular types of boiled peanuts:

Boiled peanuts are a Southern delicacy with African origins, and they're even the official snack food of South Carolina, a title they earned in 2006.

You can find boiled peanuts all over the Palmetto State, from roadside stands in Spartanburg to fancy restaurants in Charleston.

To season boiled peanuts, you only need salt, but many South Carolinians like to add some heat with spices like cayenne pepper and red pepper flakes.

Some popular varieties of boiled peanuts include Boiled Peanuts, Garlic and Onion Boiled Peanuts, and Southern Cajun Boiled Peanuts.

If you're feeling adventurous, you might want to try one of these flavor combinations to take your boiled peanut game to the next level.

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Benne wafers are a popular confection among tourists, sold in Charleston bakeries and hotels.

These delicate cookies have a crispy texture and nutty flavor, thanks to the key ingredient of sesame seeds.

Benne wafers are usually sweet, but savory versions exist and are served as canapés.

Sesame seeds are the result of the Benne plant, which was brought to South Carolina by enslaved Africans in the 1700s.

The Benne plant is the source of sesame seeds, which are used to make these delicious wafers.

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You've got to try the shrimp and grits at a local diner in Charleston - it's a classic Lowcountry dish that's been perfected over the years.

The shrimp and grits is made with fresh shrimp, stone-ground grits, and a spicy tomato sauce that's a staple in many Charleston restaurants.

The key to a great shrimp and grits is using fresh, locally-sourced ingredients, like the shrimp from the nearby waters of the Atlantic.

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A popular spot to try shrimp and grits is Callie's Hot Little Biscuit, where they serve it up with a side of crispy bacon.

In the Piedmont region, you'll find a dish called livermush, which is a type of sausage made from a mixture of liver, tripe, and spices.

Livermush is often served with eggs, biscuits, or grits, and is a beloved breakfast staple in many local restaurants.

The unique flavor of livermush comes from the combination of liver and tripe, which gives it a rich, savory taste.

If you're in the mountains, be sure to try some fried green tomatoes - they're a classic Southern side dish that's perfect for snacking or as a side to your main course.

Fried green tomatoes are made by slicing green tomatoes thin, dredging them in flour, and then frying them up in a skillet with some oil.

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Carolina Foods is a shining example of in-house innovation, where staff including food scientists and graphic designers work together to bring products from concept to store shelf.

Their new facility is equipped with automation and robotics that support employees and provide data for key process controls, ensuring product and process specification.

The company's investment in technology has taken on repetitive, manual jobs, turning them into higher skilled positions where employees can add value through their knowledge base and quality focus.

This has led to impressive results, with some lines producing twice the volume with just under the same number of people.

Carolina Foods' technology investments include equipment from key partners like Schubert, Rexfab, Pfening, Moline, IJ White, Topos Mondial, Royal Houdijk, and Mettler Toledo.

Their ability to blend all ingredients and formulate coatings in-house is a testament to their commitment to innovation and control over their product.

This approach has not only increased capacity and production potential but also supported their workforce, making it a win-win for everyone involved.

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The location of Pineville was a crucial factor in Carolina Foods' decision to move their operations there. The developer was willing to do a build-to-suit project, which made the area an ideal fit.

Carolina Foods needed a larger space, and the 40-acre project site in Pineville offered plenty of room for future expansions. This is a significant upgrade from their current 6-acre location at 1807 S. Tryon St.

The company's existing production facility is just over 100,000 square feet, and they have another 100,000-square-foot warehouse on South Boulevard. All of these operations will be moving to Pineville.

Labor was also a major consideration, and the location of Pineville made it easier for the company to draw from a wider workforce. They can even draw from right over the border in South Carolina due to the highways.

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