FEC-300 vs. Ole Hickory
 

IF you had to choose one to have in your restaurant, which would you choose and why?

I own a FEC-100 so I am going say go with the FEC-300. I put out a consistant product every single time.

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Go with a Southern Pride...I'm just sayin:-P

Why?

I have an FEC-500. I've cooked on Southern Prides as well on multiple occasions. In a commerical setting, the FEC-300,500,750 is the only choice for me. This summer we cooked 500+ lbs of pork butt and got a 64% yield. It is a fact that a pellet pit has a better average yield than gas or wood/charcoal.

Which product delivers the best smoke ingrediant is my hijacking question?

"Best" is subjective and not everyone will agree. That said, you are going to get a great product out of both types of pits. Both are smokers and both work. In a commercial environment, I want quality and profit. The FEC line would be my only choice.

I will say that my fec 750 works great and puts out a great product. I will say though that the rotisserrie on it sucks. It gets caught up a lot and is not very well balanced if thats te right word. There is no comparison to the fec 100 and the 750, the 750 has 3 burn pots and puts out the perfect amount of smoke. I have cooked on and have ahd food off of both the ole hickory and fec. The ole hickory also puts out a good product if you add enough wood, but thats the thing you have to stay on top of it and find the right amount. I would say FEC only if it is stationary.

The big FEC pits smoke differently from the 100's, too. You get a better smoke at higher temps, which isn't true with pellet grills and smaller pits. I get great smoke off of the 500 running at 250 degrees. I agree that it is hard to compare the 100 and the big FEC pits.

Maybe I need to find someone locally with a 300 or larger and ask them to let me cook some product in it and see if I like it.

How do the FEC's work in a restaurant setting where they are running everyday for 20+ hours/day?

The reason I ask is that in restaurants and catering kitchens in California (at least in Long Beach) smokers need to be NSF certified even if they are outside.

I use the fec 750 from april 15 - soptember 30 almost every day all day. It runs everyweekend non stop. Yes I have had problems with the eleectrical and it has screwed me in some cruch times but i travel with it and I dont think it is built for that.If you get a neww cooker and keep it in a kitchen you will not have any problems with fec.

Gates BBQ, a KC legend, uses FEC's to cook their ribs. They have several restaurants all over the city and cook most of their ribs from a central location.

The FEC's are NSF certfied.

I have not cooked on a commercial FE but have used the Southern Pride units 300 and 500.
Great smokers, consistent product, i also seem to get great yield (almost 70%) on butts. You do have to feed it logs regularly and i would guess the maintenance would be lower than the FE's.
The Old Hickorys are basically the same as the SP.

Good luck and where's the new location going to be? :thumb:

On edit...
You really want a non stop smoking machine, look at the JR Oyler.

Just sayin.

I did a lot of research before opening the restaurant and chose the OH. Can't imagine anything that would be better. IMHO, they are all good so choose what you think goes along with your BBQ philosophy. I wanted real wood logs so OH or SP were the choices and OH was cheaper so it was a no brainer.