South Carolina barbecue is mostly based on pork. Sometimes it's pulled from a whole hog and sometimes the meat is chopped from a shoulder or ham. The meat is traditionally cooked and smoked over hardwood such as oak or hickory. What sets apart South Carolina barbecue from North Carolina-style barbecue is the yellow Carolina Gold sauce in the Midlands, consisting of cider vinegar, yellow mustard, spices, honey, and brown sugar, while the Pee Dee region uses a fiery sauce based on vinegar and pepper.

Although the name suggests otherwise, Frogmore stew does not contain any frogs nor is it a stew. It is a classic low country South Carolina dish where the main ingredients are fresh shrimp and freshly shucked yellow corn which are simply boiled, while additional ingredients like potatoes, crabs, or even sausages can all be added to suit one’s preferences.

Pimento cheeseburger is a traditional version of a cheesburger originating from the South, and it's especially popular in South Carolina. It consists of soft burger buns, grilled burger patties, and pimento cheese spread. The pimento spread is made with a base of grated cheddar, mayonnaise, and pimento peppers.

Belonging to the Brassica oleracea family, collard greens are a type of green leafy vegetable that is characterized by thick leaves with tough stems and a slightly bitter flavor that is eliminated through cooking. This vegetable has long been appreciated in the traditional cuisine of the American South, and it has been recognized as the official state vegetable of South Carolina on June 2, 2011.

An iconic staple food of South Carolina, boiled peanuts are a simple snack consisting of raw, semi-mature peanuts in their shells that get boiled in salty water for a long time, with the optional addition of a piquant spice mixture. Peanuts arrived in the South in the 18th century on slave ships, when they were known as ground-nuts, ground peas or goobers.

Oyster roast is a traditional event originating from the Low Country, an area along the South Carolina coast. Similar to a clambake in the Northeast, the oysters are placed into a roasting kettle, covered with a burlap sack, then placed over hot coals until fully cooked.

Chicken bog is a traditional dish originating from South Carolina. Although there are numerous variations on the dish, its three staples include chicken, sausage, and rice. A traditional recipe from the Loris Chamber of Commerce lists the following ingredients: water, salt, onions, chicken, long-grain white rice, smoked sausage, chicken bouillon, and Italian-style seasonings.

Hobotee is a traditional dish originating from Charleston. Although there are many variations and recipes, it's usually made with a combination of chopped meat (veal, beef, or pork), onions, curry powder, almonds, lemon juice, eggs, bread soaked in milk, butter, salt, sugar, white pepper, half-and-half (equal parts whole milk and cream), and bay leaves.

Benne wafers are traditional American cookies originating from Charleston, South Carolina. They are made with a combination of butter, sugar, flour, eggs, baking powder, and benne – the Bantu word for sesame seeds. In the past, they were a good-luck parting gift for guests at plantation parties.