Would you buy chilled bbq at a farmers' market?

Jerk Pit Master

I've placed this post in the BBQ Restaurants and the Commercial BBQ sections to get the input from bbq customers and bbq professionals.

Most farmers' markets have early morning hours, 7:00 am - 1:00 pm for example. Most people except the other vendors who have been awake for a while, don't eat BBQ for breakfast. So as a bbq vendor, your slammed between 11-1 only with the lunch crowd.

One of my ideas is to offer something for the early morning crowd - Take Home & Reheat BBQ by the Pound. Basically bbq for dinner.

Menu would be slabs of jerk baby back ribs and whole cuts of jerk bbq pork and jerk bbq beef.

All cuts of meat that if cooked to 90%, and quick chilled, will reheat perfectly the next day. Simple reheating instructions are, place in oven at 250F for 2 hours.

So my key questions are:
1) Would you buy chilled bbq for reheating?
2) What can an vendor do that would increase your likelihood of buying?
3) Got any other ideas that would make this idea work (extensive sampling, packaging, etc.)

Thanks for your help!
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Jerk Pit Master
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T00lman · Posted: Jan 30 2009 Post subject:

I think this is a great idea it seem like people now days are always looking for a easy heat and eat meal so why not bbq like I sayed great idea thats using your noodle .

let us know how it works out .
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Pit Boss · Posted: Jan 30 2009 Post subject:

I responded to the other thread already so I'll leave a separate thought here.

Should the idea work? Yes! Is there a problem selling chilled bbq? No way!

Every grocery store you go into usually has some sort of bbq in the cooler sections. I've seen ribs, whole briskets, and pulled pork. It's good enough for these retailers so why not for someone who cooks superior food?

Have at it & good luck!!!

Jay
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Pit Boss · Posted: Jan 30 2009 Post subject:

By the way, we make some pretty good pepper sauce around here also...got a Trini in the house Wink

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OKBBQEA · Posted: Jan 30 2009 Post subject:

So my key questions are:
1) Would you buy chilled bbq for reheating?

Would I? No, if I'm going to eat BBQ at home. It would be my own. Would someone that doesn't have a smoker at home buy it? Possibly. They buy crappy, overprocessed BBQ at places like Sam's and Costco. So a quality alternative just might work.

2) What can an vendor do that would increase your likelihood of buying?

Steal my smokers or get the government to require a background check to own a smoker. As long as I can make my own. I won't buy.

Not really sure what you could do to entice others. I would say samples but the only drawback to that is that a fresh sample and something reheated is not going to taste exactly alike. You run the risk of them getting home and thinking you fed them one thing and sold them another.

3) Got any other ideas that would make this idea work (extensive sampling, packaging, etc.)

If you are vending to a pre-lunch crowd. Have you considered coming up with BBQ themed breakfast items? I eat fatties for breakfast.

Don't know what kind of setup you have but I could see Pulled Pork Biscuits, Chopped Brisket Biscuits, Pig Candy Biscuits, or Fattie Biscuits. You could even make BBQ gravy and biscuits. I've made Belgian Pulled Pork waffles that turned out really well.

Maybe a Fattie in a Blanket..... If you have a deep fryer you could even dip fattie in pancake batter and deep fry it.

You could make Pig Peckers too.... Would probably want to rename them but who doesn't want to eat a sausage link wrapped in bacon and smoked for breakfast? A vegetarian maybe but any self respecting carnivore is gonna snap that up. Wink

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BBQMAN · Posted: Jan 30 2009 Post subject:

I sell ribs to go at our market, and pulled pork by the pound as well Jerk Pit.

Both hot and RTE.

If they want it for the next day they can chill it themselves, then reheat on the grill or oven.

On the other hand, I do agree that Sams and Costco does the same thing and does well doing it- I guess.

I just don't think that cold BBQ fits the essence of what a fresh market is.....................
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Jerk Pit Master · Posted: Jan 30 2009 Post subject:

Thanks for all the excellent feedback. One point I might add is that I sell Oak-Smoked Jerk BBQ, so not only is it very good, it is also rather unique.

Texman · Posted: Jan 31 2009 Post subject:

milt · Posted: Jan 31 2009 Post subject:

At our market we do the same as BBQMAN, we sell pulled
pork and brisket by the lb.and ribs by the bone or rack hot out of the cooker.
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JKO 4 BBQ · Posted: Feb 04 2009 Post subject:

Its not worked out so good for me, my wife figured out she can buy better bbq by the lb. from curt at the farmers market and not have me spend all day drinking beer and tending the smoker. Wink

Pit Boss · Posted: Feb 04 2009 Post subject:

BBQMAN · Posted: Feb 04 2009 Post subject:

And if it's not steaming Cape it probably isn't at 165' or better (the HD requirement for re-heated foods).

I sell a good bit of food-to-go at our own market.

I recommend safe food handling, not to microwave (a toaster oven works fine) and instructions to add just a bit a sprinkled water so as to not dry out the product. Microwaved ribs are tough!

I always serve sauce on the side- they can add as much as they want, or none at all.

Of course all of our offerings are fresh off of the smoker, what they do with it after they leave is fine by me (within reason, we don't want anyone sick to be sure).
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BBQMAN
"I Turned A Hobby Into A Business".
Providing "IMHO" Since 2005.

Pit Boss · Posted: Feb 05 2009 Post subject:

BBQMAN · Posted: Feb 05 2009 Post subject:

Actually Cape, if you are providing "Chilled BBQ" at a vending event, proper re-heating instructions should be part of the package.

What you (the customer) does with it from there is then your business.

It is strongly suggested (but not mandatory) by the HD here that an instruction sheet with safe food handling techniques be given to the host for liabilty (CYA) reasons.

Something that most folks wouldn't even think about......................
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BBQMAN
"I Turned A Hobby Into A Business".
Providing "IMHO" Since 2005.

Pit Boss · Posted: Feb 05 2009 Post subject:

Hey, BBQman...since you vend alot...I'm sure alot of your market (and other vending customers) eat the food they buy from you right there on the spot. But do you notice many walking away with your food in bags like they are going home with it? In vending, especially in a market setting, you should assume that a large percentage of your customers are going to take the food purchased from you home for later consumption. Do you provide your customers a sheet explaining proper re-heating and safe food handling?

Now I bet THAT is something most folks wouldn't even think about.......

Thanks for your input.
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