How does this BBQ business work?

Arlin_MacRae said:

Now, for something completely different... Since you're up there, do folks ever cook food with peat? I've got no idea what flavor profile smoldering peat would give meat, but I like what it does for whisky!

Arlin

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Arlin- peat is available over here by a few places that support BBQ,I have some stored away that I intended to cook with some day and never got around to, I'm willing to send you a bit if you want it.

stanX said:

Hey Doc,

Greatly appreciate your input there. I take it you do run a BBQ smoker for events? Noted comments about insulating the thing, I take it you've found it difficult to keep up to heat in the wet and windy summertime?

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Yes we use to do nearly any event we could get into but that has been slowed way down. After the tough rides we are more focused in what we do as a business. The Meat Beast is excellent in the wind and rain but it was designed to. We didn't add anything fancy just used what was there. It is single skinned like most cookers so there is heat loss but the intake location was key.Not the easiest to get at but it only ever get's adjusted twice.

stanX said:

Have booked up for food hygeine course, will call the council in due course about a license. Much would seem to rest on finding some good events to attend.

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The worst part is most large events have now gone to catering agencies that in turn hire you through them for the event, this means your food prices are going to be through the roof! We thought that the prices like 5 quid for a cheese burger was insane when we can turn out beautiful pork and brisket for that same or a bit less.

Ever wonder why those people vending have that ' I don't want to be here so take this reheated burger and scat' look about them? It's because they have paid something to the tune of 1,500 bones to be there plus the cost of the product and are restricted in what they can sell. On top of that the agency has asked them to submit their prices per item and usually throws another quid on top of it for themselves. Also the vendor must use products and brands that they the agency have links to. This can take your cost up big time if they require you to buy from farmer Alisters Best of Breed All Natural Mountain Side Free Range Socially Committed Livestock where all burgers are hand mad by Tibetan children on Thursday evenings.
Go careful and read the fine print before you agree to work anywhere and remember people at festivals want cheap stodge to get down there gullet and these feativals are not like years ago where beer and a little smoke suited the atmosphere, now days it's more on the chemical side and as you know those that indulge don't tend to eat for days at a time.

It's a must to add a veggie and vegan selection to your menu, remember festivals draw hippies by the thousands over here.

stanX said:

What I do want is to build something with a bit of WOW so I can get some interest generated by that. I guess I have to look closely at construction. And tailor the cooking to suit.

I presume it must be possible to do a hog roast in a BBQ smoker?

Regards,

stan

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great idea ! One of my cookers looks like Stevensons Rocket and get's attenion from adults and children alike. I didn't plan it that way so I guess we just got lucky.lol I didn't even know what Stevensons rocket was.

Hog roast are great as the show is where it's at but think about your cost. If you can afford to buy a hog roaster then do it. Build a smoker/grill anyway and use them as separate tools.

We do them by request as a last resort and we seriously charge for them. I try are turn them to using joints rather than a hog, we grab a pigs head from the butcher then smoke and dress it us as a center peace surrounded by the sliced and puled pork.


Hope some of this helps

Doc