# New to the site but not to smoking



## countryboy-q (Feb 21, 2014)

I live in small town in east Texas.  I own a cafe and catering buisness there.  I currently have a offset smoker that I got in a football pool.  Looking in to doing a custom build when I have the cash so I'm making do.  I fixing to convert double oven to a wood smoker for my cafe.  Working on trying sell my own sauce and seasonings.  Sauce is a little different its more of bold flavor than some sauces.  Anyway that's me.


----------



## gary s (Feb 21, 2014)

[h3]*






	

		
			
		

		
	
Hello and welcome from East Texas. This is a great site, lots of information and great people that are willing to throw in their two cents worth on about anything.   What small town in East Texas, I live in Whitehouse just south of Tyler*[/h3][h1]  [/h1][h1]*Gary*[/h1]


----------



## countryboy-q (Feb 21, 2014)

Como between sulphur springs and winnsboro.


----------



## Dutch (Feb 21, 2014)

Welcome to SMF, countryboy! Our smoker build section should be a gold mine of ideas for you, plus we have a number of skilled fabricators that can answer the techincal stuff.  Your want to convert you oven to a smoker should fit right in-IIFC there's a build or two that started out as ovens.

Post up pics of your build when you get started as we love to watch builds in progress!

Enjoy the Smoke!


----------



## countryboy-q (Feb 21, 2014)

Thanks Dutch.  I have seen some of the warmers being converted but not a oven.  They usef electric heat where I'm going to use wood.  I'm old school.  I've posted it in the build forum, just waiting on a hit from someone.   Got a couple of pics as well.  Trying to conserve some of my wood by doing this.  The way my current smoker is made, I just cant cook more than one type of meat.  The front part closest to my box gets too hot.


----------



## GaryHibbert (Feb 23, 2014)

Hey

Welcome to the Smoking  forum.   You’ll find great , friendly people here, all more than willing to answer any question you may have.  Just ask and you’ll get about 10 different answers—all right.  LOL.   Don’t forget to post qviews.

Gary


----------



## countryboy-q (Feb 23, 2014)

Thanks all.  Got one on the builds forum and waiting on some hits.


----------



## bigwheel (Feb 23, 2014)

Hey welcome. Now have bumped into some of them E. Texas grit eaters that smoke with pine. Hope you aint one of them..lol. The seem be mostly from around Terrel. Now are we going to be cooking for the restaurant or just clowning around on the project? All the big boys around these parts seem to use Southern Prides..Oylers and Ole hickorys. Not sure I know anybody who can afford to cook for a living on an offset. Now I have a yup buddy who just loves his big Smoking Tex. In fact he caters for comp folks who are too lazy to cook their own food. Or maybe cant afford to fire up the offsets,


----------



## countryboy-q (Feb 23, 2014)

No, no pine.  Mostly oak and pecan.  I don't just sell Q.  In a small town you gotta cook a little of everything.   You use what you got.  Everyone can't afford the good stuff.


----------



## bigwheel (Feb 23, 2014)

Gotcha on the need for variety. What is the specialty of the house?


----------



## countryboy-q (Feb 23, 2014)

Sell a lot of Pittsburg Hotlinks, they are a local link.  Brisket has started to increase since I changed my rub.  Burgers probably what we sell the most.


----------



## bigwheel (Feb 23, 2014)

Yikes..I bought some of those hotlinks one time. They need help..lol. Can't beat a good burger.


----------



## countryboy-q (Feb 23, 2014)

If you smoke them they are a lot better, obviously.


----------



## bigwheel (Feb 23, 2014)

Gotcha think I was trying to follow directions from the fellow who sold them and cooked them in the oven. Will know how to do it next.


----------



## WaterinHoleBrew (Feb 23, 2014)

Welcome, see ya around the forum !


----------



## countryboy-q (Feb 23, 2014)

I poke holes in them and smoke them.  Gets a lot of the grease out.   The casing will bust if you don't.   They are pretty greasy.


----------



## bigwheel (Feb 24, 2014)

Yeppers.noticed the high grease ratio. By the time i got my batch cooked down there was not much left but grease and casing. Sorta reminded me of somebody stuffing a gut with super cheap breakfast sausage. If fact the Rotty wouldnt even eat em..which is a bad sign. lol. You have any access to JC Potter brand hotlinks? Those are much..much better. Course they may not agree with the typical E. Texas taste buds..lol.

http://www.jcpotter.com/story.aspx


----------



## countryboy-q (Feb 26, 2014)

I also sell Roughneck Sausage.   It's made locally and is similar to oilfield sausage.   That's what I eat mostly when it comes to smoked sausage.  I'm familiar of JC sausage, seen it in the stores.  Never tried it though.


----------

