Keeping Cambro hot

PorkQPine · 03-28-2011, 09:01 PM

Any ideas about keeping Cambro's hot? I know they have a warm plate you can buy but was wondering what othere options there were out there. I know they keep hot food hot for a while, especially with dense meats like pork butts but chicken cools pretty quickly even in a Cambro as well as hot sides.

gtr · 03-28-2011, 09:26 PM

Don't know if this'll help or not, but way back when I was on a catering crew we'd warm up the Cambro's beforehand with really hot water & it seemed to work well. That was probably 20 years ago so there's probably a better way to do it now.

big brother smoke · 03-28-2011, 09:51 PM

I will state the obvious - keeping the door closed as much as possible is key. The more meat, the hotter the box will get.

southernsmoker · 03-29-2011, 07:45 AM

I agree, preheat with boiling water, only open the door when req'd, If you have a tray of beans in there, she'll stay hot for a long time..

I believe there's an elect heat device out there but it's pricey..

Dr_KY · 03-29-2011, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by big brother smoke

I will state the obvious - keeping the door closed as much as possible is key. The more meat, the hotter the box will get.

I am not going to get this thread sent to Woodpile.

We have heated up a brick wrapped in tin foil to try and keep some heat in the unit but as above keeping the door shut and fully loaded keeps the hot better.

I have two large Cambros and actually regret not getting one of them smaller when holding smaller amounts. The thought was to go with the largest we could afford as there is never enough space and room for expanding larger orders. Wrong move this time around.

Jorge · 03-29-2011, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr_KY

I am not going to get this thread sent to Woodpile.

We have heated up a brick wrapped in tin foil to try and keep some heat in the unit but as above keeping the door shut and fully loaded keeps the hot better.

I have two large Cambros and actually regret not getting one of them smaller when holding smaller amounts. The thought was to go with the largest we could afford as there is never enough space and room for expanding larger orders. Wrong move this time around.

Just a WAG, but I'm betting that if you got your hands on some insulation and cut it to fit a pan, and then wrapped it in plastic wrap to could place it above the uppermost pan of meat and reduce the volume of the cambro and retain the heat longer. I've never tried it, but it seems to make sense after my first cup of coffee this morning.

Edit: or, as I think about having a second cup.... place your food at the top of the cambro, and the insulation under the last pan of food. Since heat rises, the insulation should do an even better job if it's placed below the source of heat.

Dr_KY · 03-29-2011, 12:51 PM

Ya know George I like the way your brain works in the morning. I pictured in my head the puffy fiberglass like stuff and what a mess it would be then I remembered they use the pink board stuff at work to line boxes with, a stack/ block of those cut to fit and covered with plastic wrap should do the trick.

How about one simply cut to fit one of the shelves dividing the Cambro ? That way the potential metal from using a pan to hold the insulation wouldn't 'eat up' the heat.

Mad About Que · 03-29-2011, 12:55 PM

Preheat with hot water.. toss an old (clean) blanket in if its not full. we dont even use the cambros, just coolers, and that works. also, most of the cambros holders have a fill cap on the door/lid. thats meant for hot water. try that if possible. in the restaurant we'd keep food hot in on of the 4 full pans versions for up to 8 hours. temp in the 170's going in..and came out in the upper 160's. oh..didn't open the door to check until the food was needed. {Gotta love late parties}

Dr_KY · 03-29-2011, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mad About Que

...also, most of the cambros holders have a fill cap on the door/lid. thats meant for hot water. try that if possible.

I thought that was a vent cap to let steam out?

blues_n_cues · 03-31-2011, 05:55 AM

if you have the business to justify the cost. this.
CAMBRO H-SERIES ULTRA FOOD PAN CARRIER HEATED CART 110V - eBay (item 370477691946 end time Apr-22-11 16:12:08 PDT)

all good ideas here but the best is full pans & no peeking..

Dr_KY · 03-31-2011, 11:43 AM

I'll have the insulation next week and report beck.

yelonutz · 04-01-2011, 12:56 AM

I would start out by rubbing its belly and whispering sweet rubs into its ear.

NUTZ

dmax35 · 04-01-2011, 01:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yelonutz

I would start out by rubbing its belly and whispering sweet rubs into its ear.

NUTZ

Last time my wife did that, she ended up pregnant. I was set up!

dmax35 · 04-01-2011, 01:49 AM

Doh! sorry dbl post

Cook · 04-01-2011, 08:53 AM

How long are you trying to hold food in that Cambro?

03-28-2011, 09:01 PM	#1
PorkQPine Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 12-10-07 Location: Roseville, CA	Keeping Cambro hot Any ideas about keeping Cambro's hot? I know they have a warm plate you can buy but was wondering what othere options there were out there. I know they keep hot food hot for a while, especially with dense meats like pork butts but chicken cools pretty quickly even in a Cambro as well as hot sides. __________________ PorkQPine

03-28-2011, 09:26 PM	#2
gtr somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 10-16-10 Location: Culver City, CA	Don't know if this'll help or not, but way back when I was on a catering crew we'd warm up the Cambro's beforehand with really hot water & it seemed to work well. That was probably 20 years ago so there's probably a better way to do it now. __________________ 50" Klose BYC, Spitjack XB85, 22.5 WSM, Backwoods Chubby, UDS, WRK, 26" & 22.5" Weber Kettles, Jumbo Joe, WGA, WSJ/MUDS, Kanka Grill, a piece of expanded metal I throw over the fire pit sometimes, Stealthy Black & Vol Orange Thermapens Displaced East Tennesseean Proud recipient of a Tick Former outlaw MOINK baller, now IMBAS Certified, but still lookin' over my shoulder. "Relax, it's only BBQ." - Bigmista, 2013 "Don't worry about playing a lot of notes. Just find one pretty one." - Miles Davis Avatar by my son! WTFWGALD?

03-28-2011, 09:51 PM	#3
big brother smoke somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 05-03-06 Location: Ventura, CA	I will state the obvious - keeping the door closed as much as possible is key. The more meat, the hotter the box will get. __________________ Peace and Smoke, BBS Powered by the West Coast Offense: Big Poppa Smokers and Simply Marvelous BBQ - "Walk with Us" My weapons: Humphrey's Smokers

03-29-2011, 07:45 AM	#4
southernsmoker is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 04-14-08 Location: NS, Canada Name/Nickname : JO	I agree, preheat with boiling water, only open the door when req'd, If you have a tray of beans in there, she'll stay hot for a long time.. I believe there's an elect heat device out there but it's pricey.. __________________ Southern Smoker-Northern Division! Lang 84D Longneck Cookshacks Gone brick n mortar :crazy:

03-29-2011, 12:51 PM	#7
Dr_KY Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 12-15-07 Location: England	Ya know George I like the way your brain works in the morning. I pictured in my head the puffy fiberglass like stuff and what a mess it would be then I remembered they use the pink board stuff at work to line boxes with, a stack/ block of those cut to fit and covered with plastic wrap should do the trick. How about one simply cut to fit one of the shelves dividing the Cambro ? That way the potential metal from using a pan to hold the insulation wouldn't 'eat up' the heat. __________________ www.drsweetsmoke.com Slappin that bass like some delerious funky preist!!! UDS, Half Pint (Mini UDS), Weber, ProQ 20, Kegrilla 250 gallon cooker- 'The Meat Beast!!' British BBQ Championships Grand Champion 2008 ~~~~ British BBQ Society - Southern Championship Grand Champions 2009

03-29-2011, 12:55 PM	#8
Mad About Que On the road to being a farker Join Date: 01-22-11 Location: Mt Holly NC	Preheat with hot water.. toss an old (clean) blanket in if its not full. we dont even use the cambros, just coolers, and that works. also, most of the cambros holders have a fill cap on the door/lid. thats meant for hot water. try that if possible. in the restaurant we'd keep food hot in on of the 4 full pans versions for up to 8 hours. temp in the 170's going in..and came out in the upper 160's. oh..didn't open the door to check until the food was needed. {Gotta love late parties} __________________ ex-Stickburner converted to Backwoods gang (Gen2 Chubby and Party), UDS, Homegrown 250 gal Offset.

03-31-2011, 05:55 AM	#10
blues_n_cues is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 12-16-07 Location: south central,ky.	if you have the business to justify the cost. this. CAMBRO H-SERIES ULTRA FOOD PAN CARRIER HEATED CART 110V - eBay (item 370477691946 end time Apr-22-11 16:12:08 PDT) all good ideas here but the best is full pans & no peeking.. __________________ Blues_n_Cues BBQ Concessions & Catering

03-31-2011, 11:43 AM	#11
Dr_KY Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 12-15-07 Location: England	I'll have the insulation next week and report beck. __________________ www.drsweetsmoke.com Slappin that bass like some delerious funky preist!!! UDS, Half Pint (Mini UDS), Weber, ProQ 20, Kegrilla 250 gallon cooker- 'The Meat Beast!!' British BBQ Championships Grand Champion 2008 ~~~~ British BBQ Society - Southern Championship Grand Champions 2009

04-01-2011, 12:56 AM	#12
yelonutz is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 06-02-07 Location: Chico, Ca	I would start out by rubbing its belly and whispering sweet rubs into its ear. NUTZ __________________ Weber Smokey Mountain 18 & 22.5 in Gator Pit Trailer mount MAK 2 Star General Pellet Pooper Medium Green Egg Mini Green Egg New Black stoker with built in wi-fi KCBS CBJ #20258 Drunk Uncles BBQ Team, Ruining Family Gatherings for Over 20 Years. DAMN IT ANDY!!

04-01-2011, 01:49 AM	#14
dmax35 Is lookin for wood to cook with. Join Date: 06-02-06 Location: New Albany Ohio	Doh! sorry dbl post

04-01-2011, 08:53 AM	#15
Cook Babbling Farker Join Date: 12-23-10 Location: Mount Pleasant, SC & Harkers Island, NC Name/Nickname : Jay	How long are you trying to hold food in that Cambro?

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