# Trailer Smokers, How Do You...



## bigsyd (Nov 24, 2017)

I'm curious to know how those with Food Trucks and/or Trailer Smokers handle the long cook times required for smoking meats? Do you/they setup early where you'll be serving?

I can understand grilling foods in these situations. But let's say you are contracted to provide smoked meats at an event (pulled pork, brisket, ribs, etc). Some meats are going to take 5 to 16 hours to smoke. However, you don't have access to the event location 5 to 16 hours ahead of the event time.

Do you smoke elsewhere and then show up while the meats are in a rest period? I want to be at the serving location so they can catch that smoke and aroma in the air. Do you start to cook somewhere else and drive down the road with the smoker still doing its thing (that could be a disaster). Optimally, It would be nice to have access to the serving location hours in advance but that's not always the case. What If I wanted to do a Pop-up type of thing? How are you guys handling the mobile catering and serving? 

I'd be curious to hear some of your routines and processes.


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## bigsyd (Nov 27, 2017)

Good Morning. Any help regarding this question is highly appreciated.


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## JckDanls 07 (Nov 27, 2017)

well..  obviously your going to have to cook ahead of time if you can't get in the day before to set up and start cooking... So then you just get in as early as possible and fire the smoker up to reheat food ... or just let it run so people can see and smell smoke... have a different plan for reheating ... about all I can think of...


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## bigsyd (Nov 27, 2017)

jckdanls 07 said:


> well..  obviously your going to have to cook ahead of time if you can't get in the day before to set up and start cooking... So then you just get in as early as possible and fire the smoker up to reheat food ... or just let it run so people can see and smell smoke... have a different plan for reheating ... about all I can think of...



Makes sense to me. I'm guessing the key is going to be gaining early access.


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## 3montes (Nov 28, 2017)

I have most always had early access to event sites so it's never been much of a problem for me. Pulled pork I always have vac sealed and frozen ready to go. I try to keep 30lbs of pulled pork in the freezer at all times. Ribs I have always done on site and that is one of my most requested smoked items. Briskets I have done the day before at home and then reheated at the site the next day. Turkey breast, chicken, beef or pork tenderloin have always been done on site. 

I have my own 3 bay portable propane fired steam table so I can set it up and get it warming whenever I need to. No waiting to get access to a building to plug into power or looking for extension cords. Roasting pans and other electric warming devices draw too much power and have a tendency to trip breakers. 
I found chafing pans to be a pain always making sure they stay lit outdoors and swapping out empty fuel cans and they never seemed to keep food warm enough to my liking. 

There is something to be learned at any event you do and at each one you will be a little bit better organized and confident then you were for the one before.


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## bigsyd (Nov 30, 2017)

3montes said:


> I have most always had early access to event sites so it's never been much of a problem for me. Pulled pork I always have vac sealed and frozen ready to go. I try to keep 30lbs of pulled pork in the freezer at all times. Ribs I have always done on site and that is one of my most requested smoked items. Briskets I have done the day before at home and then reheated at the site the next day. Turkey breast, chicken, beef or pork tenderloin have always been done on site.
> 
> I have my own 3 bay portable propane fired steam table so I can set it up and get it warming whenever I need to. No waiting to get access to a building to plug into power or looking for extension cords. Roasting pans and other electric warming devices draw too much power and have a tendency to trip breakers.
> I found chafing pans to be a pain always making sure they stay lit outdoors and swapping out empty fuel cans and they never seemed to keep food warm enough to my liking.
> ...



Now that is the type of information I was looking for. You've giving me some clarity as I was somewhat stuck putting my plan together. 

To be able to do Pop-ups and some catering, I think a lot of smoking will be required to be done in advance. I'm so stuck on the way my BBQ taste fresh off the smoker. That is the experience and product I want to push. However, in some cases some things will have to be reheats. I think its going to boil down to creative solutions. 

Thanks for your reply.


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## 3montes (Nov 30, 2017)

That's the realization I came too was somethings could not be cooked on site due to time constraints. Pulled pork is one of those items that does not suffer at all from rewarming. I just thaw it out and throw it in a foil pan add a little juice cover and start rewarming in the smoker if I have room or it goes right to the steam table. 

Briskets actually have little noticeable difference served the next day rewarmed. I do not slice until ready to serve however. 
Honestly most people would never know the difference if you smoked it the day before or not.


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## bigsyd (Nov 30, 2017)

Cool. Thanks for this information and confirmation.


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## bgingras (Nov 30, 2017)

3montes said:


> That's the realization I came too was somethings could not be cooked on site due to time constraints. Pulled pork is one of those items that does not suffer at all from rewarming. I just thaw it out and throw it in a foil pan add a little juice cover and start rewarming in the smoker if I have room or it goes right to the steam table.
> 
> Briskets actually have little noticeable difference served the next day rewarmed. I do not slice until ready to serve however.
> Honestly most people would never know the difference if you smoked it the day before or not.



What temp do you bring your briskets back up to? Are you bringing them back to temp in the smoker?


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## Uncle Honey (Mar 2, 2018)

3montes said:


> I have most always had early access to event sites so it's never been much of a problem for me. Pulled pork I always have vac sealed and frozen ready to go. I try to keep 30lbs of pulled pork in the freezer at all times. Ribs I have always done on site and that is one of my most requested smoked items. Briskets I have done the day before at home and then reheated at the site the next day. Turkey breast, chicken, beef or pork tenderloin have always been done on site.
> 
> I have my own 3 bay portable propane fired steam table so I can set it up and get it warming whenever I need to. No waiting to get access to a building to plug into power or looking for extension cords. Roasting pans and other electric warming devices draw too much power and have a tendency to trip breakers.
> I found chafing pans to be a pain always making sure they stay lit outdoors and swapping out empty fuel cans and they never seemed to keep food warm enough to my liking.
> ...


Thank you for the info... I was wondering the same mine arrives next weekend cant wait to start smoking on it


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## cajun cooker (Apr 9, 2018)

bigsyd said:


> Now that is the type of information I was looking for. You've giving me some clarity as I was somewhat stuck putting my plan together.
> 
> To be able to do Pop-ups and some catering, I think a lot of smoking will be required to be done in advance. I'm so stuck on the way my BBQ taste fresh off the smoker. That is the experience and product I want to push. However, in some cases some things will have to be reheats. I think its going to boil down to creative solutions.
> 
> Thanks for your reply.


Hello I own a company that manufacturers custom bbq pits and smokers I also own a concession / catering business 
We specialize in poultry mainly 2lbs turkey legs. We serve our food right off the smoker because there is no substitute for fresh. We only stick to food items that can be served fresh for two reasons. First of course flavor fresh is best so if you want to be the best thats how. next profit does it really pay to spend 20 hours to prep and cook if you do not need to.
I can do pulled chicken and turn a smoked batch out every 90 min and it is .99 a lbs huge profit little work. Smoked burgers 35min very tasty big profit. 2 lbs Turkey legs 350 degrees 90 min after 24 hour brine beautiful the people love it. Why slave over a cooker for hours for the same amount of money or worse less money :( 
We help people start up food businesses when they purchase our equipment so if your interested look us up. cajunsmokers.com Our catering business is the Black Iron wood fired grill.


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