Cambro or similar

[Plowboy]

Looked at that cooling tray. A nice feature there over ice is that it travels well.

 

[Vince RnQ]

Don't depend on foil pans to handle heavy loads in them though. You need steel hotel pans or plastic containers to take all the weight hanging on the lip of the pans.

All we've ever used are the disposable aluminum pans and we've never had a problem. The rims of the pans sometimes flex when sliding them into the unit but once fully in place they have never fallen. Others may have had a different experience but ours has been good so far.

 

[Plowboy]

All we've ever used are the disposable aluminum pans and we've never had a problem. The rims of the pans sometimes flex when sliding them into the unit but once fully in place they have never fallen. Others may have had a different experience but ours has been good so far.

They hold up most of the time, but not always. Kind of depends on what you have in them as well.

 

[Alexa RnQ]

So far the heaviest things in the pans have been two pork butts, or a brisket.

PSA: Don't slide pans out fast, either. At Snowbird, VQ had gone to the next-door hotel to catch the first nap shift, and I was prepping meat. I was tired and unwary when I yanked out the top pan that had previously held ice for chilling the unit down fast after unpacking it. A veritable cascade of ice and water drenched me from head to foot. It was a little chilly and breezy that night. I was somewhat less than happy from then till 1:30, when it was my turn to trudge up the hill.

 

[Gowan]

I think beans are the biggest problem. The combination of the heavy weight of the full pan and the big mess if the pan warps makes it a gamble not worth taking for me. If you go with the foil pans, at least put the beans on the bottom of the Cambro. The only thing worse than have the beans dump is having them positioned above a pan of slaw. (Voice of experience, unfortunately)

Of course the quality of the foil pans and roughness of handling are probably factors too.

 

[Ford]

I use the Carlisle. Only for hot as I have a fridge. I use heavy pans from SAMS lined with a foil pan. I do not shut the door and never use the gasket. Keeps butts and briskets for comp for 6 hours and they are still very hot. I know they work great for keeping cold as I learned that at a class taught by a BOD member.

Both Cambro and Carlisle are NSF approved so I like less cost and have all the features I need for comp.

 

[billm]

. I do not shut the door and never use the gasket. .

??????

 

[Divemaster]

I do not shut the door and never use the gasket.

??????

My question too.

 

[Bigmista]

I have the cambro 300mpc. I love it so much that I just bought another at Restaurant Depot. They were on sale for $149 until 07/31/08.

 

[tonto1117]

Great thread. Just pulled the trigger on the Carlisle Diva, Neal and a few other's mentioned. Question, how much would you say the carry over temp is using one of these compared to the coolers we have been using with towels?? Should I expect a pretty big difference??

 

[billm]

Great thread. Just pulled the trigger on the Carlisle Diva, Neal and a few other's mentioned. Question, how much would you say the carry over temp is using one of these compared to the coolers we have been using with towels?? Should I expect a pretty big difference??

I used to use a marine cooler and towels but found the carlisle held it just as well if not more.. a little less space in the carlisle but that helps keep things warm I think..
I held meat for close to 8 hrs over the past weekend but ive held it for that long in a cooler too so dont know if one is better over the other

 

[Divemaster]

Great thread. Just pulled the trigger on the Carlisle Diva, Neal and a few other's mentioned. Question, how much would you say the carry over temp is using one of these compared to the coolers we have been using with towels?? Should I expect a pretty big difference??

Of course a lot depends on how long you are going to 'cooler' your meat in the unit. I've seen as much as much as a 15 to 20* increase on the carry over in my Cambro over a two+ hour period before the temps started dropping and then only a little over a long period of time. These units are very efficiant when it comes to keeping temps.

I recommend you run a test just to be on the safe side.

 

[Alexa RnQ]

Another thing to consider is how much meat you'll have loaded at any given time -- things can get pretty warm in there.

We tested during a practice cook here at home, dangled a wired probe inside the Carlisle, then watched the temps.

 

[Stoke&Smoke]

Just had 2 of the Carlisle's delivered today. We are doing a party for about 70 folks up in Door County WI next weekend, so thought these would be a help for both cold and hot stuff (hence 2). I'd been using a styrofoam shipping cooler from Omaha steaks for holding my butt and brisket at comps this year, but these look like a nicer option.

I'm planning on starting up 4 7to8 pound butts at about midnight Friday for serving at 5PM Saturday. I'll try to keep track of pull and hold temps for folks watching this thread

 

[Divemaster]

Don't slide pans out fast, either. At Snowbird, VQ had gone to the next-door hotel to catch the first nap shift, and I was prepping meat. I was tired and unwary when I yanked out the top pan that had previously held ice for chilling the unit down fast after unpacking it. A veritable cascade of ice and water drenched me from head to foot. It was a little chilly and breezy that night. I was somewhat less than happy from then till 1:30, when it was my turn to trudge up the hill.

I always do a double cover on my ice. First of plastic wrap and then a second of foil. The plastic seems to act as a gaskit for the foil. I've never had problems with leakage (but old age is creaping up on me.)

Just had 2 of the Carlisle's delivered today. We are doing a party for about 70 folks up in Door County WI next weekend, so thought these would be a help for both cold and hot stuff (hence 2). I'd been using a styrofoam shipping cooler from Omaha steaks for holding my butt and brisket at comps this year, but these look like a nicer option.

I'm planning on starting up 4 7to8 pound butts at about midnight Friday for serving at 5PM Saturday. I'll try to keep track of pull and hold temps for folks watching this thread

You'll love them! I did a gig this last weekend about 120 miles from the house. Pre-heated the cambro with hot water and put in about 20 pounds of hot pork and then another 15 pounds of cooked chicken (only about 1/2 full) and hauled a$$... About 6 hours later I pulled it out and it was at 150*.