Published: Wednesday, July 1, 2009 - 2:00 am

By Renata Parker
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

In Randy Jones' family, manning the barbecue pit was a tradition as much as a ritual among the men. A large open pit was carefully dug and prepared in his backyard on Johns Island near Charleston. Then the hickory wood was chopped and arranged in the ground so the dripping juices wouldn't char the slow-roasting meat. The Jones roasting events, or "pig-pickings," would last well through the night as the men worked in shifts to manage the fire and smoke. As a child, Randy could only watch and help as needed. It was fun to be part of the vigilant night watch and camaraderie of the "Pit Men" that included his father, Mutt, and grandfather who started and rallied the family tradition. Later, Randy and his older brothers would become the official Pit Men of the family responsible for the fire and his sons would join the night watch.

The Jones family pig pickings initially started with special occasions and would draw as many as 150 of the family and friends in the neighborhood. It wasn't until 1998 that Randy decided to open his first Mutt's Barbeque restaurant, named after his father and built on long-held family tradition.

Randy's approach to his barbeque business is not only about great-tasting barbeque but also about family values. Just walk up the steps of the log cabin-style restaurant with a friendly wrap-around porch and you immediately get a welcoming sense of family and community.

"Barbeque brings people together," said Randy. "Families gather here after school functions and church. It's a comfortable and casual place for lunch or dinner and always an affordable meal."

A driven, hands-on businessman, Randy can be also found working in the kitchen trenches, operating the fryers or washing dishes. He extends the same roll-up-your-sleeve approach to his work in the community and serves on a number of local boards and non-profit organizations. He says being involved helps him to understand the needs of the community and better connect to his customers.

"My dad always said that you should 'give back until it hurts,'" said Randy. "Giving back helps in so many ways including hiring some of the best employees like our hard-working students."

While barbeque battles continue to square off on the type of sauce to slather on your pork, Randy makes peace with his customers by offering a 'dress your own' approach. He maintains it's the selection of meat and pit techniques that gives barbeque the edge on flavor. The result is tender and tasty pork that can stand on its own.

"The pit is the best cooking method and it didn't take long to learn that we would need a turbo-charged grill to meet the volume," said Randy. A modern version of the rotisserie smoker is now used for the restaurant and growing catering needs.

If it's the sauce you crave, Mutt's offers five different delicious types including an original barbeque recipe created by Randy's grandfather so you can dress your own.
Mutt's menu also includes grilled chicken and ribs along with a choice of sides. Southern favorites like Sweet Potato Crunch and Brunswick Stew are straight from the Jones family recipe collection. Every dish served is homemade and prepared on site and in the kitchen -- sometimes even by Randy himself.

On any given Sunday, you'll see a long line around the restaurant's front porch of the flagship restaurant in Greer for a seat at the buffet. Like Randy says, barbeque brings family and friends together and it's been doing just that for the Jones family for generations. www.mutts.com