Pull Behing Smoker ?

Jbomb · Feb 18, 2013

Hope this is in the right forum. I did search and didn't come up with much so now I refer to you knowledgeable Ladies and Gentelmen.

I am starting a food truck and catering buisness after success in the backyard and then onto some weddings and party's. We purchased a food truck gonn threw all the government channels and have secured buisness.

I before used all of my backyard smokers and now need a bigger commercial style pull behind. I live in North West Illinois and have been researching and come upon a few retailers

HEARTLAND COOKERS AND SMOKERS is one I seem impressed with and there 3660 Rotisserie. I was wondering if anyone has had any dealings with them? Are they good smokers for commercial useage? Are the good to use in the winter time? We will be doing this all year round. Pro's and Con's? That sort of thing. I would love in input from anybody. Thank you in advance with the help.

Or doesn anyone have any other company I should look at.

Thank you all for your help and the support I have recieved in the past from this site.

Ron_L · Feb 18, 2013

These?

http://www.heartlandcookers.com/

It always helps to provide a link to the smokers that you are talking about.

Jbomb · Feb 18, 2013

Yes those are the ones. Sorry I should have left that for sure.

Jbomb · Feb 19, 2013

Nothing at all?

flyingbassman5 · Feb 19, 2013

Never heard of the company so can't say anything good or bad about them.

Maybe Ron or another Mod

mod

should move this over into the Catering forum. I feel most guys in Q-talk don't know or have enough experience with commercial cookers, especially a small local company like Heartland, to really give good recommendations and to suggest other brands and models.

Hawg Father of Seoul · Feb 19, 2013

Yeah, that is not a typical outfit. No one here will endorse something we do not know about. People really seem to like Cadillac cookers, but I personally could not endorse them because I just am not familiar enough with them.

BBQ Bandit · Feb 19, 2013

A Brethren brother known as 'The Pigman' uses a Lang 84 offset and is towed behind a Certified food truck. Drop him a PM.

SpecOpsBBQ · Feb 19, 2013

http://www.americanbarbecuesystems.com/Judge.asp Check out the ABS Judge. I have the smaller version which is the Pit Boss and it's a great smoker!

HB-BBQ · Feb 19, 2013

I would check with your local HD and see if they have any requirements you need to meet. Here in this part of CA our county health inspectors require an NSF sticker which rules out most stick burners. The exception being a gas/wood fueled smoker such as a Southern Pride.

jmoney7269 · Feb 19, 2013

When and if I ever do a food trailer, it will have a stainless pitmaker mega BBQ vault. Gonna have a website for call ahead ordering and the whole 9 yards.
I have seen some really nice pull behind southern prides, but they eat some propane, need a big tank also

Smoking Westy · Feb 19, 2013

1st off - congrats on taking the plunge with the food truck, that is something I would love to do.

Another place to look is Peoria Cookers...I've heard nothing but good about their pits. When I was looking at a mobile pits last summer, they were on my short list (1st baby came in October and the mobile pit got put on hold). I live about 45-50 minutes from them and have been itching to go over and check out their stuff in person.

Link: http://www.peoriacookers.com/

jrbBBQ · Feb 19, 2013

Ole Hickory Pits makes really nice cookers, I have a CTO, but have cooked on their EL models, they turn out really good food and are NSF approved. They are made in Cape Giradeau, MO.

GrillsGoneWild · Feb 19, 2013

I would think Food Trucks would be hard to park in the first place, then add a pull behind smoker and you may be limited to where you want to park. Are there recommendations on a smoker that is contained in the truck?

Jbomb · Feb 19, 2013

Thank you all for the info. The ABS Judge looks very nice. As do the Ole Hickory.

I would think Food Trucks would be hard to park in the first place, then add a pull behind smoker and you may be limited to where you want to park. Are there recommendations on a smoker that is contained in the truck?

Yes they are hard to find a place. We are doing alot of industrial lunch time and dinner time serving. Pluss all the festivals on the weekends and catering. We have about 5 smaller cities that all abutt each other and each has its own rules so it has been an adventure so far. Finding a spot you can be at on a regular basis is the key. There wont be to much of parking in the city on the main downtown roads. Alot of stuff will be prepared already out of our comessary for the day. Such as pulled pork and chicken and italian beef.

BigBellyBBQ · Feb 20, 2013

be sure of an NSF approved to avoid any hassles..the other issue might be leaving the confines of kitchen and going "outside" as hb-bbq suggested check with your health dept..good luck

smokeitupbbq · Feb 20, 2013

JBomb,
I just went thru all of this over the last year. I ended up utilizing Kingfisher Kookers in Oklahoma for my build. Granted ours got a bit out of control, but maybe this will give you an idea of some direction. We are all NSF approved, completely self sufficient and up to par with CO, FL & PA health code.
www.smokeitupbbqkitchen.com - I should have a gallery of pictures up this week... start to finish.
or check out the kitchen build @
http://www.facebook.com/smokeitupbbq
Hope this helps...
Cheers

Jbomb said:
Thank you all for the info. The ABS Judge looks very nice. As do the Ole Hickory.

I would think Food Trucks would be hard to park in the first place, then add a pull behind smoker and you may be limited to where you want to park. Are there recommendations on a smoker that is contained in the truck?

Yes they are hard to find a place. We are doing alot of industrial lunch time and dinner time serving. Pluss all the festivals on the weekends and catering. We have about 5 smaller cities that all abutt each other and each has its own rules so it has been an adventure so far. Finding a spot you can be at on a regular basis is the key. There wont be to much of parking in the city on the main downtown roads. Alot of stuff will be prepared already out of our comessary for the day. Such as pulled pork and chicken and italian beef.

Pyle's BBQ · Feb 20, 2013

One thing to consider, are you going to be doing this year round? If you are, I would look into an insulated smoker.

The Pigman · Feb 20, 2013

love my lang...............

BBQ Bandit said:
A Brethren brother known as 'The Pigman' uses a Lang 84 offset and is towed behind a Certified food truck. Drop him a PM.

SouthernMagicBBQ · Feb 20, 2013

JetMaster makes one. It is a Rotisserie type. LeAnn Whippen has one in her trailer.

Pull Behing Smoker ?

Jbomb

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