Managing the smoker

Louie3 · BBQ Super Pro Joined: 04 Aug 2007 Posts: 1407

Hi Folks,

I am just setting up a take out bbq joint and will more than likely include some catering.
My question is about utilizing the smoker. How do you manage the cooking times for say lunch and dinner? Do you cook enough to cover both or would you cook as often as required. If I cooked ribs and chicken would they hold hot to retain quality during the day? I am using a Lang 84 right now.
Your expertise would be appreciated.

Harry Nutczak · Posted: Apr 22 2009 Post subject:

Chicken is a very difficult item to keep decent while trying to hot-hold it, and it's has a very short shelf life when it is raw!
I hate chicken for that very reason.

You may be better off trying to estimate your needs, start your cook so your finish time coincides with your highest lunch sales period, Then load more chicken in the cooker to have it ready by your dinner time service. any leftovers can be used for something else, Maybe a chix-salad sammitch, pulled chix Etc Etc.

What I have had some succes doing is to cook the chicken fully, cool it, and hold it cold, and run it across the grill when ordered. I would run an AYCE chicken special 2 nights a week, and if I had leftovers that would be made into a pulled-chicken sammitch special a day or two later.

Ribs, brisket and pork hold better, but you got to watch for moisture loss and color changes.
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4LittlePigs · Posted: Apr 22 2009 Post subject:

You use leg quarters or halves? Looks like the breast will really dry out pretty quick.
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Pit Boss · Posted: Apr 22 2009 Post subject:

Even slow cooked chicken should be done in 3 hours. That means you can cook 2-3 times per day depending upon your needs. Ribs would be about the same. They take a bit longer than chicken, but not so long that you have to cook the full day's worth all at once. You could do ribs twice a day if you needed.

Beef and pork are another story. Unless you are going to run your pit 24 hours a day you're only going to cook these two items once a day. You'll have to take them off to hold so that you can cook your chickens and/or ribs.
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