Smoker vs. Smoker for a restaurant

[Countryboyswagger]

Okay. Stop right there. There's no possibility of using a stick burning or even charcoal burning pit for the restaurant. With that being said, I use charcoal for all my smoking at home so I'm used to having a nice, dark brown to black bark on my bbq. I love it. It tastes amazing.

Okay.

Let's say I was able to start up a restaurant. It's in a downtown area so there's no place to put a big (or small) stick or charcoal burning pit out back. I want to keep the nice smoke flavor/ring/bark/etc that I get at home on whatever product I make in a restaurant. Which leaves me with about two options.

I've never cooked on or eaten meat from a gas style smoker (ole hickory, southern pride, etc) or a pellet smoker (mak, fec, etc) that I was aware of. What are the advantages/disadvantages between these types of smokers? Gas with wood logs or pellets? How do they compare with a wood or charcoal smoker as far as taste, smoke, bark, texture, etc. I see that most people deem them inferior, but I've read that comp teams have won with both kinds of smokers so is it really that big of a difference? Is it only when you really, really know what you're looking for that you can taste a difference?

Reading back over this I noticed that there are a lot of questions and I apologize. Feel free to ask me retaliatory questions if you feel the need to get back at me.

 

[Bludawg]

I must have the worst luck every time I have eaten anything that was cooked on a SP the only smoke even close to it was the dishwashers cigar. There is a little place not far from me that uses a electric I guess it runs on pellets I have been there twice it wasn't good ether. time. Keeping in mind I'm a BBQ snob the common man loves it but I wouldn't feed it to anyone I cared about.

 

[landarc]

I have always felt that if I was going to open a BBQ restaurant, my first choice of pit would be an Oyler. I really like them, and I know they can lay in good smoke. They are wood burning, or could be used with charcoal, and I think they have an electric assist model now as well.

 

[Gasket]

I worked at a so called "bb-q joint" a couple of years ago and the used two gigantic SP cookers. They were basically ovens that you would through a couple of logs into outside that gave you a hint of smoke flavor. This place used to do a lot of business and I remember thinking to myself when I would sneek pieces of the butts I was pulling to eat that if this place can do so much business with the crap they were producing, I would make a killing with my "Q" if I ever got the chance to open up my own restaurant.

 

[sliding_billy]

+1 for an Oyler. There is the question of budget...

 

[BigBellyBBQ]

look at local building codes and such..EPA is now getting involved with emissions and require restuarants to use a smoke eater which is costly..I have used Southern Prides, Federicks and such and if I was to open another it would be with a SP..Now for the na-sayers some places hardley use any wood and use the gas as the main function-supply of heat, which is need for poultry..however on big meats I go big time with the wood and can remove the gas if your heart desires, however in the interest of time and being extremly busy, load the fire box and leave the gas on. Pellets will get real expensive, even when buying by the skid...but my vote has to go Southern Pride or ol-Hickory

 

[early mornin' smokin']

+1 for oyler! I'm looking into opening a bbq joint, i'll have a pit outside, but for my inside pit i'm scouring the states for a used oyler!

 

[Countryboyswagger]

So on the Oyler, is it an actual wood burning fire or is it a electric element smoldering wood in it? If it's wood burning, do you still have the same controls (temps, hold, etc) and how would this be any different than a southern pride or ole hickory?

I'm asking because my main competition has two great big pits, I don't know what they are yet, (haven't gotten close enough) but they produce mediocre bbq. I'm not sure yet if its because of the smoker or because they're not really trying to produce really, really good barbecue.

Second, is there a reason why the pellet cookers aren't just as good as a wood fired pit? Are there compounds and whatnot inside the wood that doesn't make it to the pellets? I can only imagine this is the biggest difference since they're supposedly 100% wood. (Even if it is scraps)

Thanks guys, I really appreciate the input. And the budget at this point is flexible. I'd rather spend money on equipment that will produce high quality product vs a fast or easy product. I want the bbq right because there quite a few bbq places around town, but they're all kinda middle of the road. Nothing really sets any of them apart from each other and I don't want to fall into the same category.

 

[Countryboyswagger]

look at local building codes and such..EPA is now getting involved with emissions and require restuarants to use a smoke eater which is costly..I have used Southern Prides, Federicks and such and if I was to open another it would be with a SP..Now for the na-sayers some places hardly use any wood and use the gas as the main function-supply of heat, which is need for poultry..however on big meats I go big time with the wood and can remove the gas if your heart desires, however in the interest of time and being extremely busy, load the fire box and leave the gas on. Pellets will get real expensive, even when buying by the skid...but my vote has to go Southern Pride or ol-Hickory

On the SPs, can you load the firebox with enough wood that most of the heat comes from that vs coming from the gas? And if you could, will the emergency or overtemp shutoff controls still work? I guess this question goes for the Oyler too.

 

[MJ_Tenn]

Hats off to you CBSwagger for wanting to do it right....nothing more disappointing than getting your mouth all ready for some good BBQ and the joint you're eating at is sub par!

 

[rdstoll]

A new BBQ joint just opened up in Downtown Chicago. They have a Southern Pride unit and I've seen wood delivered. My own view of the 'cue is that it's just average and one of the complaints I've seen from people who know 'cue is that there's not enough smoke flavor.

That said, for the office folks that work in the area it's like the greatest place ever and there's always a line out the door.

I have to imagine that trying to do a proper (i.e. good) 'cue joint in any metro area has to be tough these days as it's unlikely the NIMBYs in the area will want the area saturated in sweet smellin' smoke!

 

[Countryboyswagger]

Hats off to you CBSwagger for wanting to do it right....nothing more disappointing than getting your mouth all ready for some good BBQ and the joint you're eating at is sub par!

It's like R. Lee said.

A new BBQ joint just opened up in Downtown Chicago. They have a Southern Pride unit and I've seen wood delivered. My own view of the 'cue is that it's just average and one of the complaints I've seen from people who know 'cue is that there's not enough smoke flavor.

That said, for the office folks that work in the area it's like the greatest place ever and there's always a line out the door.

I have to imagine that trying to do a proper (i.e. good) 'cue joint in any metro area has to be tough these days as it's unlikely the NIMBYs in the area will want the area saturated in sweet smellin' smoke!

Forgive me for being new, but can you define NIMBY? I know who you're talking about, just cant figure out if its an acronym.

And I'm hoping it won't be a big deal, Out of 492 restaurants (thanks Neilson) in the town I want to set up, there are only about 10-12 bbq restaurants in probably a 30 mile radius, none of which are where I'm wanting to set up. Only a couple are really anything more than crockpot meat with sauce on it. There are however, several other restaurants nearby pumping out whatever delicious smells they've concocted and I'm hoping the city won't make a thing of it.

 

[early mornin' smokin']

to my best understanding, they're completely wood fired pits, get a bed of coals going, load up the firebox, set the temp and walk away.

check them out here
http://www.jrmanufacturing.com/oyler.html

 

[cpw]

On the SPs, can you load the firebox with enough wood that most of the heat comes from that vs coming from the gas? And if you could, will the emergency or overtemp shutoff controls still work? I guess this question goes for the Oyler too.

There's a restaurant here that uses Southern Prides for their BBQ, and it's as good as I've had anywhere. I also know they used to compete using the same smoker, it has a kill switch of some sort so you can burn only wood to be KCBS legal. Come to think of it, I think I've seen at least one southern pride at comps around here. Winning too.

 

[RangerJ]

Both Ol Hickorys and SP's can be used with out gas once your fire is started.

Not sure of your space requirements but Oyler / JR Manufacturing has two up right verticals which are not rotisserre, that are used in many metropolitan areas as they take up little space on the line and have decent capacity. Both NSF certified.

One is wood only, thermostatically controlled, the other has an electric heating element. Talking to some folks that own the wood only one, they burn all night no issues, load it up before you head home and the pit takes care of the rest.

Fast Eddy's produces a good product used by many competitors and establishments alike.

David Klose now makes a line of commercial cookers that are NSF certified and can be installed in most locations. Gas assist / wood burning.

 

[rdstoll]

Forgive me for being new, but can you define NIMBY? I know who you're talking about, just cant figure out if its an acronym.

Not In My Back Yard.

That makes up about 99% of the population in this pit called Illinois.

 

[dajogejr]

We've served parties of 20 to 800 with our team's Ole Hickory.
I can get the absolute best quality of BBQ from my Egg, but it would take me a few weeks to cook 400lbs of pork like I can at one shot on our OH.

We use our OH for comps as well...it burns Lump just fine once lit.

Simple, and it is basically set it and forget it. It allows you to concentrate on rubs, sauces, etc.

They are well constructed and solid. And of course, pricey.

 

[oldbill]

Both Ol Hickorys and SP's can be used with out gas once your fire is started.

Not sure of your space requirements but Oyler / JR Manufacturing has two up right verticals which are not rotisserre, that are used in many metropolitan areas as they take up little space on the line and have decent capacity. Both NSF certified.

One is wood only, thermostatically controlled, the other has an electric heating element. Talking to some folks that own the wood only one, they burn all night no issues, load it up before you head home and the pit takes care of the rest.

Fast Eddy's produces a good product used by many competitors and establishments alike.

David Klose now makes a line of commercial cookers that are NSF certified and can be installed in most locations. Gas assist / wood burning.

I looked at those Klose pits and they're nice. They look like walk in closets and have a huge capacity. They're probably what I'd go for if I were opening a joint. Otherwise I'd probably do what Aaron Franklin did and just get some big ass propane tanks and make my own cookers. I know that this thread is really about anything that is not a stick burner but that is what the really top notch joints around the country use and if I couldn't use the cooker that makes the best Q, I wouldn't bother opening up at all.

 

[cpw]

I looked at those Klose pits and they're nice. They look like walk in closets and have a huge capacity. They're probably what I'd go for if I were opening a joint. Otherwise I'd probably do what Aaron Franklin did and just get some big ass propane tanks and make my own cookers. I know that this thread is really about anything that is not a stick burner but that is what the really top notch joints around the country use and if I couldn't use the cooker that makes the best Q, I wouldn't bother opening up at all.

But that's implying that only a Stick burner can produce good que. I think the 1000's of people (and comp teams) that use charcoal and pellet cookers would disagree with you there.

 

[scayne62]

Rub's Backyard Smokehouse uses AN Bewley pit, he has some of the best Q in Chicago, he also gives a class on BBQ and he will show you all you want to know about his pit and it is all wood. If I am going to open a BBQ joint (SOMEDAY!!) I am goign to buy a Bewley.

A new BBQ joint just opened up in Downtown Chicago. They have a Southern Pride unit and I've seen wood delivered. My own view of the 'cue is that it's just average and one of the complaints I've seen from people who know 'cue is that there's not enough smoke flavor.

That said, for the office folks that work in the area it's like the greatest place ever and there's always a line out the door.

I have to imagine that trying to do a proper (i.e. good) 'cue joint in any metro area has to be tough these days as it's unlikely the NIMBYs in the area will want the area saturated in sweet smellin' smoke!