Jolly Rogers Woodfired BBQ opens in Pacolet. What to know, when to go.

You won’t be asked to walk the plank at Pacolet’s newest restaurant, but your meal will be cooked over them.

Husband-and-wife team Josh and Jennifer Rogers opened Jolly Rogers Woodfired BBQ at 3999 Pacolet Highway on May 9.

Josh is the pitmaster, having learned the craft 20 years ago from his co-workers at Gaffney Fire Department, while Jennifer brings her collection of tried-and-true sides and desserts to their roadside barbecue joint with a twist.

The restaurant is in the former home of the Warlocks Motorcycle Club. The building dates back to the 1940s. The Rogers worked for over a year to update the building and add on a smokehouse, where all of their meat is cooked over local pecan, wild cherry, oak, and hickory cuttings in their Lang 84 smoker.

“It’s kind of an artisan thing,” Josh said of smoking with wood. “You’ve got to really know your craft and know what you're doing. It’s super easy to overcook or undercook anything if you're not very experienced with wood-fired cooking. And you can't replace the flavor that wood fire brings; you can’t duplicate that.”

A no-corners-cut menu

Pulled pork, chicken, brisket, ribs, and hot dogs with smoked chili are on the meat menu most days, which customers can pair with Jolly Rogers’ house barbecue sauce, a freshly-made Carolina vinegar sauce with red pepper flakes and a touch of tomato and house-made sides.

“We don’t take any shortcuts. We don’t even own a microwave here,” Josh said.

Jolly Rogers’ sides receive equal thought and care. Many of the recipes are family recipes passed down to Jennifer, including the slaw, which can be purchased as a side, and a sweet mustard barbecue sauce that she’s perfecting.

“My family had a restaurant in Pacolet in the 40s, and my great aunt gave me her mother’s recipes. The slaw is from her,” Jennifer said.

Traditional sides like baked beans and potato salad are on the menu, but so is some lighter fare, like salads and Jennifer’s Carolina Caviar, a bean salad with chickpeas and black beans in a light vinegar and honey dressing.

“Every time you go to a barbecue restaurant, (the food) is heavy, and we wanted just something different,” Jennifer said.

Jolly Rogers’ signature dessert, Pecan Delight, will be coming soon, according to Jennifer. Until then, customers with a sweet tooth can try the banana pudding.

“It's got a homemade pecan crust and then it's a cream cheese whipped cream filling,” Jennifer said of the new dessert. “It’s really good. If you like pecans, you’ll love it.”

Prices at the restaurant are wallet-friendly, too. A half-pound of brisket is $13, a half-pound of pork is $8, and a rack of ribs is $25. If you want to make it a meal, you can add two sides and a drink for an extra $5. All drinks are $1 on their own.

Slow cooking, fast-growing

The Rogers plan to continue growing the business through the summer.

After Memorial Day, customers will be able to purchase coffeehouse favorites, including lattes and cold brew, from the restaurant. They also have plans to build a small stage and fire pit area behind the restaurant and host live music on Saturday afternoons.

They’re also looking for ways to build on the piratical theme of their name, which is a tribute to Buds BBQ Shack in Spartanburg, run by a friend who also uses a pirate pig logo, and to Josh’s firehouse nickname.

They hope to one day make their barbecue business even more homegrown.

“We have a little farm just around the corner here. We raise pigs. Eventually, we'd love to get where we can have our own pigs on our grill here and have farm-to-table barbecue,” Josh said. “We're trying to grow organically; not trying to get too busy too quick. Just build a good foundation and the rest will come.”

Get a plate

Jolly Rogers Woodfired BBQ is open Thursdays and Fridays from 11 a.m.-6p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. or until the barbecue sells out.

Samantha Swann covers city news, development and culture in Spartanburg. She is a University of South Carolina Upstate and Greenville Technical College alumna. Contact her at sswann@shj.com or on Instagram at @sam_on_spartanburg.

This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: Jolly Rogers Woodfired BBQ opens in Pacolet; coffee, music to come