When my wife, Amy, and I are on a road trip and we pass a barbecue joint that resembles Henry’s Smokehouse — free standing, a pile of wood in the back, soft blue smoke coming out the chimney — I’m stopping.
It doesn’t matter if we just had breakfast or dinner, because if we don’t stop, I’ll lie awake at night wondering what I missed. Tiger O’Rourke, a partner at Henry’s, has the same habit.
“I’m the same way, John. If we’re on the road and there’s a joint on the road, we’re going to pull in for that same reason,” O’Rourke said. “Barbecue restaurants like ours are a dying breed. There’s so much commercialized, modernized barbecue out there that lacks love or creativity, so if there’s a legit joint on the side of the road, I’m there.”
O’Rourke began working at Henry’s as a dishwasher while a freshman at Clemson. Today, he and partner Beau Wilder are owners. But I see their calling as protectors of an important legacy. Much like Paris Mountain, that building, that pulled-pork sandwich, is one of our town’s endearing, serotonin-inducing landmarks. It is one of four iconic restaurants in our town and the one most tied to our agricultural past.
In the South, we revere classic barbecue made the true way, with cured oak, hickory or pecan wood, salt, pepper, vinegar and pork, and it has to be prepared by people that love the art and skill and are fascinated by the process.
“I feel like everyone on our team puts their heart and soul into their work,” O’Rourke said. “Henry’s has taken on a life of its own and that’s due to the people that love to come to work here. You have to love the process because you have to baby great barbecue. The fire changes every day. The wood is always slightly different. The pork never weighs exactly the same. The result of great smoked pork should stay the same.”
But we do not live on smoked pork alone. The slaw, the beans and those hand-cut fries are standouts. Beau Wilder shared some fry history with me.
“When Beau Hammond opened Henry’s in 1992, they only served coleslaw and simmered green beans. When Tiger was here, they decided to serve fries, and they’ve been hand cut since then.”
The fries are exceptional. I believe that a pulled-pork sandwich with a side of fries and a half-and-half iced tea might be one of our town’s perfect meals, and that meal is about $13. O’Rourke told me that previous owner Beau Hammond had a mantra he lived by: “You want to be fair to the customer first. The money will come after that.”
Henry’s Smokehouse, at 240 Wade Hampton Blvd. in Greenville or 123 N. Main St. in Simpsonville, is open seven days a week.
“City Juice” is a colloquial term for a glass of tap water served at a diner. John Malik is a restaurant coach and hospitality consultant. He can be reached at chefjohnmalik@gmail.com.
