pricing question for pick-up

[Brauma]

I've got a request for one brisket, one butt, and three stuffed fatties. They will pick up. How would you price this? By the pound of finished meat?

Also, would you slice the brisket or let them do it? I'm guessing I should slice but I dont want it to be dried out when they are ready to eat. I want to provide au ju for them as well.

How would you suggest they warm back up just prior to serving? These people are good friends of mine. They insist on paying me but I dont want to hit them hard. I hope to get a few leads from their small dinner party for a catering gig.

[jbrink01]

Price everything by the pound. $10.

[Brauma]

Originally Posted by jbrink01

Price everything by the pound. $10.

Thanks. Thats kinda what I was thinking.

This party may be on a Friday night. I wont be able to take off that whole day. If it does fall on Friday, I'll take off a few hours early to get the smoker going and heat everything back up.

So that leads to another question: How far in advance can I cook a brisket and a butt? I know I should leave the butt intact after the initial cook and then bust up just before serving. But what about the brisket? Keep it unsliced until warmed back up?

Thanks

[Divemaster]

I do a fair amount of 'Package' goods for my customers around here... My prices are:

Sliced Brisket: $12.00 / pound (Un-Sliced: $11.50)
Pulled Pork: $11.00 / pound (Un-Pulled: $10.50)
Basic Fattie: $9.00 / pound (Not Stuffed just dusted and smoked)
Stuffed Fattie:$10.00 / pound (One cheese)

I normally package my brisket and pork in no more than two pound cryo-suck bags. This way they can re-heat what they need and freeze the rest. The Fatties go one pound fattie to a cryo-suck...

PM me if you want my re-heat instructions...

[Brauma]

Great info on the prices. Thanks.

Is it common to have meat-in-wait? Do you know what I mean? I wouldnt hold meat frozen in vac sealers for a year but I can see where you could very easily have extra meat left over from catering gigs. A butt or so can be sealed and brought out for the next gig. I'm I out of line or right on?

[Divemaster]

Any food I cook for a gig stays at the gig. I figure that they payed for it and if some of the guests didn't show up the customer should take their portions. I've never come across a situation that they didn't want it.

The 'Package Goods' I do are for my customers that order by the finished (cooked) weight, and is sold hard frozen (-20*).

[Brauma]

I had a bunch of leftover meat at the last 2 gigs I did. But in both cases the customer estimated that a lot more people would be there. So I planned for the number of attendents plus a small buffer so I would not run out. I would rather have leftovers than be embarrassed by running out.

The last gig I did I could have easily left a whole butt in my resting cooler and brought it back home with me. But I thought, they paid for it so its theirs and they're gonna take it. So I busted it up and we put it in freezer bags and they handed it out to their guests to take home. The customer kinda seemed annoyed at this. This is why I asked.

[Countryhb]

Originally Posted by Brauma

I know I should leave the butt intact after the initial cook and then bust up just before serving.
Thanks

I pull mine after the initial cook and then store. This also seems to be the general consensus among those who precook their butts.

[Divemaster]

Originally Posted by Brauma

The last gig I did I could have easily left a whole butt in my resting cooler and brought it back home with me. But I thought, they paid for it so its theirs and they're gonna take it. So I busted it up and we put it in freezer bags and they handed it out to their guests to take home. The customer kinda seemed annoyed at this. This is why I asked.

I guess my question is what did the customer say they wanted done with the butt?

I run into the situation often where I'm told the party is for 100 and 10-15 just don't show up... The customer knows that I'm cooking for 100 (I confirm 1 week before) and it's then that I ask what they would like done with any left overs. I explain that I normally make a little extra just to be sure that if more attend that there won't be a shortage. Usually, they ask that I condense it and put it in their fridge. I did have one that asked if I could make 'Doggy Bags'. Once made up it was up to the customer to determine who got them...