# Smoker Advice



## wellison (Nov 13, 2015)

I am getting ready to start up a little BBQ Vending Booth and have been debating what type of smoker to use. I have been looking at everything from some of the small trailer indirect smokers to smokers like the Weber Smokey Mountain. I see benefits to using both styles. I am fairly experienced by my partner is fairly new to smoking. The WSM appeals to me due to the ease of use and the fuel efficiency using the minion method compared to some of the other smokers. Our primary item will be pulled pork, but I would like to be able to do anything on it. Not really sure on the volumes at this point but can see the need to do a few hundred pounds staggered throughout the day in certain circumstances. Any advise would be greatly appreciated.


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## jcbigler (Nov 14, 2015)

Probably need to figure out exactly how much meat you need to cook at a time. 

A WSM, even the large ones, won't be able to keep up with any level of demand. It takes 8-10 hours to smoke a pork butt, 10-14 hours to smoke brisket, 6 hours to smoke ribs and even a couple or three hours to smoke chicken. The thing with barbecue is that you almost always have to cook it all at once and then just keep it warm through out the day. You can't just throw on another brisket or pork butt when you run out half way through lunch service and expect it to be ready before midnight. 

A large offset stick burner, or cabinet style smoker is your best bet. Maybe one of the gas or electric assist that use wood just for smoke and not as the primary heat source. 

Talking about cooking a couple of hundred pounds of meat per day would require at least a 250 gallon tank sized smoker.


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## glennmc (Nov 15, 2015)

Agreed.  Most of the time you are smoking one day for the next day while you are reheated yesterday's meat to serve today - and like it or not the refrigerator keeps you from throwing out a lot of product.


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## chef jimmyj (Nov 16, 2015)

Best case a WSM will let you smoke 4-8lb Butts which is about 16 pounds pulled pork. If you sell small 4oz sandwiches, that is 64 sandwiches per day. Is that going to be enough?...JJ


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## rubby123 (Apr 27, 2016)

It would depend how much meat is required per day! So you have to be calculated with your meat.


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