Smoking logistics

Welcome to the forum Nuncle,

As a restaurant owner, I'll try my best to speak to your needs.

Your first decision would be electric wood burner vs pellet fired. Do you have access to food grade pellets at a reasonable cost? If no, you're best to search out the various sized wood burners Cookshack produces. By and large, wood is considerably cheaper than pellets.

You don't necessarily need two smokers. My suggestion would be to purchase the largest capacity size your budget will allow.

A basic BBQ menu of brisket, ribs, pulled pork and chicken can all be prepared in one smoker, using one temp (call it 250 F) Your only limitation is keeping chicken below all other meats to prevent cross contamination from drippings.

Using an insulated Cambro box, you can hold meat for several hours, wrapped and foiled. The minimum temp suggested for food safty guidelines is 140 F.

Mid to large sized BBQ operations will often purchase a holding cabinet, which allows for control of heat and humidity. One brand widely used in the USA is Crescor...others are available.

Whichever smoker(s) you decide on, you'll need to ventilate them if placed in a closed work space. You'll also want to check with public health as to needing a "NSF" certification.

That's a quick overview. We'll be happy to answer more specific questions for you.

Best of luck with your endeavor!

G'Day Nuncle,

Max covered it. Lots of good info there.

CS in the past had a distributor in Oz, don't know if they still do but there are some of them in use.

Key is timing. Timing of the cook as well as timing of the holding. In the states, our Health Dept put very strict controls on time/temp/holding that have to be accounted for.

I'd investigate that closely, that may require you to purchase specific equipment.

As Max said, ask away we'll try to help. I'm new "officially" in the Restaurant biz myself so I've had a steep learning curve.

Loving this site. Thanks for the help.
Also loving the fact might only need one smoker. We pay a premium on things over here.

We're just trying to get our heads around the process. Would I be right in thinking the key is buying big cuts of pork butt and brisket that would go in smoker night before at different points to be ready/held for lunch and dinner the next day?
Just can't work out how to tackle the ribs without putting them in the smoker very early in the morning.

Thanks again.

Put butts and briskets in together, the night before. You'll have to practice on the timing because you'll need to take them out.

Hot hold them (above 140)

Put the ribs in to cook.

Chicken is an issue. If you're going to smoke it, you have to place it in the bottom of the smoker. You could also smoke it the day before, cool it, then retherm it the day you need it.

Nuncle,

Welcome to the forum. While I am not as experienced as Max and Smokin, I deal with the same situation. Just I do it on a panel van.

Here is one possible method you can try:
(And the method I am using as I type)

Buy apx. 8# butts and 8# choice briskets

Put them both on at 10pm in a Cookshack sm-150 at 225 degrees

Put slabs of St. Louis cut spare ribs on at 4am (or 10am if you need them for dinner)

Pull out at 10am butts and briskets. Foil, wrap and throw into Cambro holding cabinet until serving. Hold them whole!! Do not break them up until you need them.

I glaze the ribs at 6 hours and finish them off for another 30 minutes. Hold in Cambro until I cut them to serve.

Chicken goes on bottom shelf 2-2.5 hours before I need it. Dip in sauce thinned slightly with apple juice, back in for 30 minutes and on to a plate. I hold the chicken in the smoker or Cambro.

Disclaimer: 1) I am just a guy with a BBQ truck. This fact alone explains my mental instability. 2) All times are approximate. Every single cut of meat cooks differently.
3) I do not know how to read a thermometer stuck in meat and don't care to learn. 4) I've been asked to be the 'taste of Kansas City' for a group of 300+ high-falutin', impressive people. So something I do must work.

Best of Luck,
Jeff
KC BBQ Truck
www.kcbbqtruck.com

You guys rock. Almost as much as piranha. Which I am watching for some bizarre reason