Co-Worker wants me to smoke ribs - How much should I charge?

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If you are following Health Dep't. regulations, there's no extra work... AND your customers can look at the Health Dep't forms that you are doing what's required to provide safe to eat foods....
I don't see the problems..... Looks like a Win-Win situation....
If you feel it's too much work to provide SAFE to EAT food.... You are in the wrong business....
 
I am kinda with some other folks ask for little extra meat or charge nothing. Its "as is" and you just do it as a service to a person you like. (if you don't like her why bother). i am firm believer in service and think that if you do it for the fun of doing it good things will come your way too. The rewards of friendship and doing good out weighs $75 in my book all day.

Just my $0.02
phatbac (Aaron)
 
I also tell the person its to replace what i have to use to smoke the food for them plus my time doing it.

some have gave me meat in return and that works well also
 
I am kinda with some other folks ask for little extra meat or charge nothing. Its "as is" and you just do it as a service to a person you like. (if you don't like her why bother). i am firm believer in service and think that if you do it for the fun of doing it good things will come your way too. The rewards of friendship and doing good out weighs $75 in my book all day.

Just my $0.02
phatbac (Aaron)
I have to agree with that . Makes you wealthy in another way .

If you want to do it , but don't have the money to fund the cooking cost , make a list and tell her what you need . Let her price it and buy it all . Talk about any concerns you have , if there are any . Then all you have to do is cook .
 
I've cooked for people and never charge because I have the time and love doing it. The folks I have cooked for provided everything I needed to get the job done. On every occasion, I always receive a hand shake of appreciation with at least a hundred placed in my hand.
 
My first thought was that you should insist on using the ribs that YOU want to cook. I wouldn't want my name on a cut I wouldn't otherwise put in my smoker, because someone didn't know or wanted the cheapest.

Around here, and this is among friends, the fee is a 30-rack of Pabst, another if more show up to sit around the smoker. That has led to friends and neighbors chucking their gas grills, people asking for a smoke just to make a day of it here, and one guy starting his own builds for himself and family. We have a friend in town with a bigger Lang, and he lends it freely.....same thing, a box of beer and he'll deliver it and usually stay until he and the smoke are both done. Once money is introduced, it becomes work.
 
What caught my attention is that the event isn't until August. Right now it sounds like it is six racks of ribs. No big diddelly-do. Have her throw you a few racks for yourself and enjoy. Money changing hands is a slippery slope.

BUT................. if there's one thing I've learned about events that far out in the future, they can quickly grow out of control, and all the co-worker will remember is you agreed to do the ribs. Before you know it you might be committed to doing 12 racks, or 20, or more. Never underestimate one person's ability to take advantage of another person's kindness. If you agree to do it, be sure to set limits.
 
I would do it for 2 slabs of ribs and have a free dinner... You have to cook your dinner anyway...

I agree with Dave, Just ask her to throw a couple more racks in the equation. Chris.

I am kinda with some other folks ask for little extra meat or charge nothing. Just my $0.02 phatbac (Aaron)
I agree with these folks: have her buy enough extra meat that you get to keep some, and get a "free" meal out of the deal.
 
For sure the health depts. are getting harder and harder to deal with. We do a lot of events for non-profits and its unreal the requirement now to suit the health dept. But then again seems like forever now you are reading where people got sick at some event and this just makes it harder for all.

Warren
It seems that as soon as an exchange of money is made you are the one that carries all the blame. Dave has the right idea, and it is not a big deal to smoke some ribs for a friend. if she is your boss you might get promoted.
 
$50 sounds good I think, but like others have said once money is involved a certain quality is going to be expected from the product.
 
And again keep it food safe so it doesn't haunt you.

In my previous statement I was not downing the health dept. Just stating that to meet food safe requirements is getting harder and by all means keep it food safe.

Warren
 
If your smoking the ribs I wouldn't let anyone get the meat for me. When you get the meat you know what you have.
You might want to look into buying a case as it would probably be cheaper.
Most cases have 9 racks and I have seen a few with 18. So you might want to check how many are in a case.
 
I do mine for free "refreshments", food, and the great conversations. Just my two cents. Plus most of my friends see the supplies and just throw 10-15 bucks each to keep the Smoke Tool Box stocked with pans, foil, charcoal, and other stuff I'm forgetting. I tell em listen I'm trying something new and you bastards are my guinea pigs. They usually tell me what they like and don't. If they were paying me to prepare them there would never be any experimentation and I would feel bad about my screw ups.
 
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I usually charge the cost of the food. so if meat cost 40, I charge 40. This is purely for bulk though. If it is otherwise I charge 10 for 1 Cornish hen, 10 for a pound of bacon, 10 for 1.5lbs of pulled pork. These aren't huge mark ups but doing so pays for all the meat supplies and usually what I throw on there. So the time spent making everything provides me free meat.
 
I do mine for free "refreshments", food, and the great conversations. Just my two cents. Plus most of my friends see the supplies and just throw 10-15 bucks each to keep the Smoke Tool Box stocked with pans, foil, charcoal, and other stuff I'm forgetting. I tell em listen I'm trying something new and you bastards are my guinea pigs. They usually tell me what they like and don't. If they were paying me to prepare them there would never be any experimentation and I would feel bad about my screw ups.

This is pretty much how it goes around my place too for any get together. Every one else brings drinks, desserts, any sides they want, etc. and we hang out while the smoke rolls. I usually either end up with some cash for supplies at the end of the evening (early the next morning, whatever) or a bag or three of Royal Oak lump shows up along with everything else. It isn't uncommon for oak, cherry, or pecan splits to show up for the wood pile either.

I smoke just about every Tuesday and I rarely fill the whole smoker on my own unless it's the holidays or I'm stocking up on bacon or something. My coworkers know if they want something smoked they just have to make arrangements to have it to me before Tuesday, be it the protein in question or cash to buy what they want. I've never asked them to throw in cash for supplies because I'm going to smoke whether they bring me something or not but I haven't had a coworker yet who didn't throw some cash my way to help offset the cost. To me it's a lot better system than smoking for pay for coworkers. I'm free at any time to say I don't have room that week and I don't have to feel obligated about a time table.

I take experiments to work quite often and those jerks tell me how bad it was....I mean offer constructive criticism. There is sliced pork tenderloin in the work fridge right now actually from yesterday for them to critique.
 
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