Smoker buy for new Business adventure

[Q-Strong]

Hello,

So looking for a smoker for Catering, Food Truck parks, parties, weddings. I do not plan to feed more than 80-100 max as Ill be running this operation solo most likely. So...

I was looking into placing an order with Shirley Fab for 24x60 strait back elevated with the warmer. My question is, is that enough cooking area? How would that compare to a 250gal or 500gal traditional smoker in terms of cooking surface area?
I love the shirley fab and their build quality, also it being more compact than a 500g trailer is appealing too.

Any advice, input greatly appreciated.

[luv2smoke]

If I were to get into the catering or food truck gig I'd be looking at something that was more "set it and forget it" than a stick burner especially if you plan to operate solo.
An insulated cabinet or something along those lines will afford you the time to deal with customers, set up, prep etc. rather than babysitting a stick burner.

[Mikhail]

Disclaimer: I know a lot about business but nothing about the catering business.

Do you plan to cook on site or prep early and truck the food in? If on site you are committing a lot of hours to each job.

[SmoothBoarBBQ]

I started a BBQ food truck business a couple of years ago and I bought a Johnson Smokers 24x60 with vertical warmer / smoker. It's a great smoker but within a month or two I had outgrown it. I messed around with different cookers for a while but finally ended up settling on a large insulated cabinet smoker (Spicewine Ironworks). I'm getting probably 90%+ of the same smoke flavor I was getting with my offset smoker, but I don't have to give it much attention. This gives me time to clean all my equipment and do all my sides for the days vending service.

With this particular cooker I can do 36 pork butts at a time, or about 20 briskets. I can cook anywhere between 200-300 using charcoal and thin wood splits, and I get a great smoke flavor and excellent smoke ring as well.

*Before you buy a single thing you need to verify with your health department / Environmental Health what kind of equipment can be used. I live in North Carolina and we have one of the strictest health codes in the country...needless to say they want all cookers to be NSF (stainless steel walls on the inside, stainless steel racks, stainless steel handles, etc). This is why when it comes to food trucks and BBQ restaurants you see a ton of Ole' Hickory and Southern Pride smokers...it's what the health department "wants to see" when they show up to inspect your equipment.

Good luck on your venture and my big recommendation is to do all of your research before you start considering a new smoker. Make sure this is the type of job you want to do, and make sure to have a good amount of money on hand. What kind of plan do you have to cook, hold, transport, and serve your food? Where will you be doing all your dishes and will that plan be good to go with your health department? Look into insurance as well as that will be a cost; not to mention permitting and licensing along with state taxes. Oh the joy of running your own business! haha

I'm not trying to overwhelm you but it really is a ton of work just getting legally setup to serve food to the public. The barrier to entry is primarily the equipment needed and it can be a hefty startup cost.

[Q-Strong]

I do not want a set it and forget it. I will be showing up on site to wherever I will be cooking.

[Q-Strong]

I was a chef in fine dining a decade, and helped open a couple restaurants before I made a career switch for my new born daughter. But I want to slowly dabble back into it and do weekend gigs. I live in TN, there is only one 100% wood stick burning BBQ joint here. They park at different locations and food truck parks.

[LYU370]

Some of the best brisket I've ever had, was from an Ole Hickory and also from an Oyler. Some of the worst brisket I've ever had was from that same Oyler & also from a Southern Pride. It's not the smoker, it's how you cook on that smoker.

[Q-Strong]

Exactly LYU. I like the aspect of manning the fire. The 10 years I was a chef every restaurant I worked at was open fire cooking.