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Ray Ray’s Hog Pit – Spiciest Dish in Columbus Series

Ray Ray’s Hog Pit features a full spread of meats, one of which is a potentially potent pepper-packed pork pipe.

In all of our time in Columbus, we managed to get to Ray Ray’s Hog Pit only once prior to testing out their spiciest dish. It was at the inaugural Columbus Food Truck Festival and was one of the most trying experiences of our food lives. Not only was it a scorcher of a day, but the lines for every food truck were enormous. After an hour of waiting in line for Ray Ray’s (why we waited that long we’ll never know) we got to the front to find it was down to only their pulled pork. No matter, things were going to be different this time.

This time around we went through the drive-thru in Westerville and came away with a hefty amount of meats and sides.

Ray Rays Hog Pit sides by Fartley Farms

All about those sides.

Those Sides Though

Scratch Mac-n-cheese, Cornbread Puddin, Creamy Cole Slaw, Pit Baked Beans and a lil’ dab of some side sauce filled our plates pretty nicely. The Pit Baked Beans have a rich brown sugar flavor to them and are in a thick sauce (none of that runniness you get elsewhere). Mac-n-cheese was the quickest to go amongst our group, so read into that however you want. If going to the Clintonville location I’d likely smash a solid serving of their Cheesy Potatoes. While sides aren’t the feature, Ray Ray’s sides are a complementary grouping for their main meats.

ray rays habanero bbq sauce

Little cup, little fire.

Habanero BBQ Sauce

Ray Ray’s rolls out four primary sauces with their main course, the Sweet BBQ, Jalapeño BBQ, Habanero BBQ, and Carolina Vinegar Based sauce. I was most interested in the Habanero BBQ and quickly found the cup with the “H” on the lid. Popping the top off as soon as I snagged it, I dipped in my utensil to try it out. There’s an immediate sweetness from the base followed by a bit more sweetness, potentially from honey?

A few more tastes in, I found the habanero. It’s subtle at first, but drowning my Mac-n-Cheese in the sauce was an excellent decision. The habanero heat rolls around at the back of your mouth with the thick sweetness, then slowly fades. A few sniffles cropped up, but not worthy of a tissue. I set aside the rest of the sauce for the main event.

ray rays hog pit hot link by fartley farms

Is that a hot link in your white bread or are you just happy to see me?

Ray Ray’s Hot Link

One of the sloppier dishes on their menu, Ray Ray’s Hot Link is “Locally made for Ray Ray’s using Anderson Farms pork, green chiles and American cheese,” and stood out as a must eat on our list. As a sandwich, it comes with a slice of white bread, onions, a pickle, a drizzle of mustard and one of their barbecue sauces
 
Picking up the carefully constructed pork projectile, I took another look at the grill marks and took my first bite. A “snap!” as I cracked through the casing, followed by all of the innards. Everything started sliding out of the white bread and the white bread itself began to deteriorate. Nervous, I put it down while I chewed.
 
Ray Rays Hog Pit Hot Link by Fartley Farms

Hot Link cross-section. Very scientific.

 
The American cheese is both visible and immediately noticeable when you bite in. Not a bad thing, especially for someone who loves American cheese (no shame). The green chiles hide initially, lying dormant as you process the rest of the link. Another bite in, I picked up on a hint of the chiles, a slight tingle on the tongue, but the sweetness of the sauce and the savory pork mask the heat overall.
 
Desperate to get some more heat out of this pig in a hammock I slathered on some of the Habanero BBQ sauce. Bad choice, as this only made the meat missile more slippery within the bread. The Habanero BBQ adds to the tastiness, but the added heat doesn’t set in right away. It was moments later as I continued through some coleslaw that a subtle heat began to emerge. Slight sniffle, not much tongue tingle, and a slow retreat. 

Where Does It Rank on Our List?

Sitting with an empty tray before me, I considered the Hot Link. As a sausage, it reminds me of the taco brats I came to love at The Andersons and the House of Meat. The Hot Link alone would put Ray Ray’s Hot Pit at #64 just before Firdous Express Tunisian Chicken and after Flip Side and their Chili Pepper Burger. Adding the Habanero BBQ, we’re moving it up to #59, one layer above Beer Barrel Pizza and Grill’s Nuclear Hot Sauce Wings and below Spicy Hop’s Szechuan Minced Chicken.

You can find Ray Ray’s Hot Pit at any of the following locations:

  • Food Truck at ace of cups [Clintonville]
  • Food Truck at land-grant brewing [Franklinton]
  • 5755 Maxtown Rd, Westerville Ohio 43082
  • Food truck at Nocterra Brewing [Powell]

More Spiciest Dish in Columbus

Look below for more in our spiciest dish in Columbus series and hit us up if you have any suggestions that are not already on our list!

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