Sides

[Blue Line Barbecue]

Ok all you restaurant owner, what are you doing about your sides (beans, potato salad etc). Are you making your own or buying them in bulk?
_________________
What got me started was a
Members Mark LPG
Vertical Smoker.

[BBQMAN]

I don't own a ruant, but I'm looking foward to the answer from those who do!

This topic has been hotly debated from time to time in the catering section (oops, I brought up catering again).

I'd post the links to those threads, but I'd get into trouble again by those who don't like having previous links added to threads (whether they are pertinent or not).

Have at it guys, this should be fun!
_________________
BBQMAN
"I Turned A Hobby Into A Business".
Providing "IMHO" Since 2005.

[Herman]

at my restaurant we make slaw, collards, rutabagas, potato salad, black-eye peas, dried lima beans and chicken salad, sausage, chili from scratch-the veggies corn,beans, garden peas, string beans, sweet potatoes are purchased in #10 cans and heated with seasoning=brocolli, butterbeans, turnip greens, okra, squash, french fries are purchased frozen then cooked

Herman

[BobbyT]

I have corn on the cob,potato salad,garlic mashed potatoe's,baked beans,mac salad,corn salad,collard's(frozen but bacon added),bread pudding,cherry dump cake,peach cobbler,cole slaw all made from scratch. I have been thinking about trying out some SYSCO potato salad to cut some time.

[BBQMAN]

Sounds like both you guys have great places to eat!

Bobby, try the Resers brand of red potato salad.

It is a white style (as opposed to mustard) and dang near as good as what my wife makes at home.

I add a little extra seasoning (rub) sprinkle across the top of it just prior to serving.

Good quality product (it does cost more than the el-cheapo brand) but worth it.
_________________
BBQMAN
"I Turned A Hobby Into A Business".
Providing "IMHO" Since 2005.

[allystl]

We make all our sides from scratch...takes a little more time but saves money and the guest gets a nice original home style dish.

Here's what we have on the menu at the moment...

Jalapeno creamed corn, Duck Fat Frites, Cast iron cornbread, Mac n Cheese, Baked Beans, Vege Baked Beans, Veg of the day and Slaw...really need to get potato salad on there don't we!!!

Oh yes...and garlic bread

For desserts we have...rhubarb pie, gooey butter brownie, apple cobbler and a frozen peanut butter cake.

Hope all is well with you all. Smoker fired up and day of briskets and butts to the ready.

[Joe Bryant]

[4LittlePigs]

BBQ beans, green beans, baked potatoes, home fries, french fries, homemade cole slaw, cornbread fritters, homemade hushpuppies

Vegetable of the day: could be corn on the cob, brocolli casserole, hominy, greens, scalloped potatoes, mac and cheese or mac & tomatoes. Depends on my mood.

Desserts: Chocolate Volcano Eruption , New York cheesecake, pecan pies and our own fruit cobbler made with peaches, pineapples, yellow cake mix, butter and brown sugar. This last one is fantastic, cheap, easy to make and all profit. Got about $2.50 in it and sell it for $2.99/serving.
_________________
Sam Diggity's BBQ
MEAT, FIRE, GOOD!!!!!
Home of "Sam Diggity's Ribs & Sauce"

[marvsbbq]

Do any of you restaurant owners serve (sell) cafeteria style at your place??

Or are your sides listed as choices on the menu... if so, how many sides do you offer for a meal??

Do you offer "combo" meals where they get meal, sides & drink for a discount price??

And lastly, I read posts in this thread where some made sides "depending on their mood"...what sides do you offer EVERYDAY??

[4LittlePigs]

Well, when I say it depends on my mood I mean that it largely depends on how often we have had a certain item, the weather, etc. Our menu consists of bbq beans, green beans, mashed potatoes, french fries, home fries and the vegetable of the day (which, again depends on several factors) which is why I call it the "vegetable of the day".
_________________
Sam Diggity's BBQ
MEAT, FIRE, GOOD!!!!!
Home of "Sam Diggity's Ribs & Sauce"

[Pit Boss]

I "plan" on offering the standards: mac & cheese, potato salad, slaw, bbq beans, and hash & rice...all made in house. Yes I know hash isn't standard to most, but here in South Carolina it is. Plate orders will come with two sides and sandwiches will come alone or with one side.

I'm not sure if the bbq beans will be from scratch or a can. Either way, I plan on including some meat (brisket or pork) in the recipe.
_________________
Somewhere in Kenya...a village is missing their idiot.

[allystl]

Hey Joe.

Are there any particular sides you are interested in?

Happy to discuss.

Ally

[Joe Bryant]

[Punky]

My restaurant serves more than just bbq (burgers, chicken, wraps, etc) so we have fryers to work with. Most of our sides we buy pre-made or take basic items and add to them. Syso has a huge number of salads that are tasty, easy to serve, and I believe very reasonably priced, considering no labor needed to prepare. We try to keep things as simple as possible, and use pre-made items as much as possible without sacrificing flavor or quality. We use basic pork and beans for our beans, then add our own touches (drippings, meat, molasses, etc) to make them our own, people love them. Slaw, pot salad, mac salad, O-rings, French Fries, all come straight from Sysco. But we are more of a quick food, take out type joint rather than a full blown sit down place. Homemade sides are awesome, but sometimes owners don't realize how labor intensive they are. Labor=$$$, whether its you or an employee. I am always looking for new interesting sides though. We are currently trying sweet potato fries, not sure about them yet. Great topic.

[marvsbbq]

Sweet potato fries are awesome!! I would take them over reg fries any time....Hope your customers do also

P.S. A little brown sugar and cinnimom as soon as they come out of the fryer works wonders..

[pafisher]

i make ,french fries,sweet potato fries ,bbq beans ,3 bean salad,mac and cheese,slaw,corn bread,brisket chili, chicken and dumpling soup

i buy, onion rings, potato salad,
_________________
southern pride SPK 500
ole hickory SSE

[MRS BBQMAN]

A few of our most popular sides are collard greens, twice baked potatoes, herbed potatoes and green beans with sunflower seeds. People really love "em

[Charlie Q2]

I have over a dozen sides and make most all from scratch. The baked beans are doctored up bushes but from what I've seen that's pretty typical, can't cook em cheaper from scratch when you consider your time.
I would like to see more websites from you all. Best marketing tool out there. So, we have Apple Sauce, just musselmans but heakthy choice for kids and adults alike, just added it and it seems to be selling a bit. Cole Slaw, Asian Cole Slaw, Fresh New Potatoe Salad, BBQ Baked Beans, Corn Fritters we have a fryer and I hate frozen corn on the cob, Onion Straws way cheaper than rings - I have a slicer too, Fresh turned curly fries pre-cut and held in bucket of water, Fresh Mashed New Potatoes, Parmesan Potatoes Gratinee, Spicy New Potato Wedges with Chipotle cream dipping sauce, side green salad, Grilled Veggies, Mac and Cheese and lil Q sandwiches, and finally extra rolls Check out my menu on line
_________________
30 years of restaurants, banquets and catering, including 2 schools and over a dozen restaurants including 3 of my own
The never ending quest to make it so much better than yours, Qfanatic.com
never boiled and never dry BBQ