A sandwich today (Fri) that was cooked on TUESDAY???

Geronimo

Ok, so now that I am living in Texas (since April) and having been a BBQ caterer for 15 years, I thoroughly enjoy a GOOD barbecue sandwich as much as every one else in Texas (or any where for that matter).

So today was my turn to choose were to eat lunch out as we (wife and I) were running some errands anyway. So of course, I choose BBQ.

So we went to this little, out of the way place called "Hey Boys" not far from home but out in the boonies situated on an old homestead (ranch). I have driven by this place numerous times over the last few years I have visited here so now I was finally going to get to try it.

So something I have recently decided to ask BEFORE ordering is "when was it smoked/cooked??"

Now this little place is only open Wed-Sat so closed Sun-Tues.

So I asked the little gal behind the counter when it was cooked and she looked at the other (older) gal in surprise to my question and they answered....TUESDAY...he ONLY cooks on TUESDAY!!!!

Talk about Surprised....I WAS!!!!

Here it is Friday (2 PM) and they are selling sandwiches that were cooked on TUESDAY???...AND at FULL PRICE!!

NO THANK YOU!!!

But I have to say that my WIFE ordered a chopped beef and a pulled pork for her mom all to take home (about 5 miles).

When we opened the wrapper of the sandwiches, the bottom bun (standard white bun) was SOGGYYYY. Matter of fact, was SOO soggy it could not even be picked up and this is WITHOUT sauce on it.

So this tells me that they STEAMED the meat to reheat it and more than likely added some liquid of some sort although no flavor was detected.

And speaking of flavor, there was NO SMOKE flavor what so ever, the meat (pork) not only being soggy, was flavorless. The beef was WAY too salty to the point that was about all one could taste. Which tells me that the more than likely rubbed it with just S&P.... heavily Shocked

The ONLY good thing about the whole experience was the lady (guessing the owners wife??) gave my wife a bunch of cacti (cactus) she was growing around the place.

I guess (no, I WON'T) be going back there for food anytime soon...if ever.

Do any of you BBQ restaurant owners only cook ONCE A WEEK???
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Jerk Pit Master · Posted: Dec 29 2012 Post subject:

Wow! Cooks once per week. Wonder if he is freezing or just refrigerating?

Other scary thing is he probably thinks his BBQ is the best around.
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Harry Nutczak · Posted: Dec 29 2012 Post subject:

Wait, did I accidentally read the restaurant review thread instead of commercial BBQ?
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Geronimo · Posted: Dec 30 2012 Post subject:

Harry Nutczak · Posted: Dec 31 2012 Post subject:

Geronimo · Posted: Dec 31 2012 Post subject:

Ridge View BBQ · Posted: Jan 01 2013 Post subject:

No Marv, no one is avoiding your question, most of us that are really in the restaurant business are too busy cooking everyday to answer baited questions. At our restaurant (and we're small potatoes compared to some of these guys ) we cook 8 to 40 Boston Butts a day every day. As for the really big places like Friday's, Chili's, etc, how often do you think that they scratch cook?
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rubbbq · Posted: Jan 01 2013 Post subject:

kurtsara · Posted: Jan 01 2013 Post subject:

This is my favorite forum but I have read another forum on vending and a lot of people recommend smoking a week early for a vending function and reheating, we smoke all of our meats overnight for each day we are vending.

I was at some mud runs in August and a BBQ vendor from the next town was there, I went to get a pulled pork sandwich and I said the wind must be blowing the smoke away from where I am sitting, he says "oh no, I don't smoke here, I smoked this last weekend" it tasted like it also, the rest of the weekend I ate hamburgers of the other vendors grill that I could watch them cooking.

I know we don't get much sleep when we vend at a 4 day event but we sure sell a lot of FRESH food
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Shotgun Petes · Posted: Jan 07 2013 Post subject:

..so I guess what is being implied here is that people running restaurants make SO much money that at the end of the day they should just throw out everything and start over again every day...and also never prep ahead. Wow.
Sorry to bust that bubble but its not very realistic thinking and not very smart. Food cost is everything in this business and so is time. Not prepping ahead would be a death sentence for a lot of restaurants. I'm not saying cook ahead a week though but a day or two hell yes.
Never in my life have I went out to eat and asked when was the food cooked. If the food is bad when it comes out then I start asking and then maybe will order something different if its really not good.

People would be in shock if they could see the daily operations back of house in most restaurants. Prepping ahead....portion control...retherming ....cross utization of items (leftovers) to be sold in other dishes the next day...and so on. Completely normal and essential to survival of any restaurant.
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daddywoofdawg · Posted: Jan 08 2013 Post subject:

I can second pete's comment.cook on tuesday,the day before we all do that.still have product by sun, he's cooking to much at a time.
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jess · Posted: Jan 08 2013 Post subject:

NOT A CATERER but more yrs ago than I want to admit I ran a KFC on the late shift, while driving nails during the day to put my ex through nursing school. Every evening ALL leftover cooked items went into the dumpster, now days most are used in a different dish the next day. JM2CW...

Geronimo · Posted: Jan 08 2013 Post subject:

I could handle a day..or two but certainly not FOUR (or more as this place ONLY cooks on Tuesday for service on Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat & Sun.) Shocked

Maybe he thinks people can't tell it was cooked DAYS before...sorry dude, I can tell..and WITHOUT asking. Shocked

And I refuse to pay the same price for a sandwich using FRESH meat as I would using 3,4,5 day old meat....It just ain't right. Twisted Evil

If you have meat left over, cut back next time or use in other dishes to use it up but DO NOT try to sell 5 day old cooked meat (referring to joint I referenced in my original post)..I mean COME ON MAN...REALLY???? Twisted Evil

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loneroyalsfan · Newbie Joined: 21 Apr 2011 Posts: 45 Location: Omaha, NE

Mr Tony's BBQ · Posted: Apr 22 2013 Post subject:

as a building / remodeling contractor for 20 years, doing residential and commercial work, I have seen ENTIRE meals prepped in fancy Raunt's on Monday's [ when they would have me in to work while they were closed] , 100's [?] par cooked and plated, rolled into walk in so that they could simply pull the ENTIRE PLATE out, put into pizza oven for X min, and vuallah, you get served potentially almost week old eggplant parm!!! [ a little room was left for your had been par boiled pasta to be plopped after a quick reheat].... Shocked

and that was a $16.95 meal!! I have seen other / worse, but that one really stands out in my mind!! Every raunt I have ever worked in [ fixing stuff ] had racks of ribs in cooler or freezer waiting to be reheated when ordered.
Now, I vend and cater, no brick and mortar here, but:
I almost always intentionally have 1 or 2 butts [and a small brisket extra] to ensure I can make my signature Breakfast Sammich I call "the Harley" AKA "2 cheesy fat chicks on a Hog" [ 2 XL eggs scrambled, pulled pork crisped on the flat top and cheese on a large hard roll ] Re-heating the butts on the smoker whole, wrapped in foil the next day, makes for a fine breakfast sammich, even early bird pulled sammies!
If sales are bad, the briskets and butts get wrapped in foil, bagged, ice bathed and frozen - reheated in same foil - very few could ever tell IMHO
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