Re Learning!

[hdsrob]

Hello all,

Getting back into smoking after a few years away.

When I was a teenager we smoked all the time with an ECB, and then a custom built smoke house. We lived in OK, and had 15 acres of mesquite, so you can guess what we burned (we didn't even use charcoal).

Later in life I was in the BBQ biz, and ran several Sonny's Real Pit Bar-B-Q locations for a franchisee in FL. This was all done with white oak (split logs) in gas fired Southern Pride smokers (large rotisserie, and smaller stationary models), and trailer mount "propane tank" style smokers. We made a good product, but it really lacked the artistry of the back yard smoke.

Now I am relearning to smoke on the square version of the ECB. This is my first foray since I got the smoker, and I'm doing a picnic (with a rib rub) today, over hardwood charcoal, 80% oak, 20% hickory, and a couple of pieces of mesquite thrown in during the day. Tomorrow I'm going to do a few racks of spare ribs, and a whole chicken over mesquite.

It's nice to smell like smoke again!

This looks like a great site, and seems to be full of great helpful people who like to mod their smokers, looking forward to spending time here!

Rob

 

[richtee]

Hey Rob...welcome to SMF! Man those Southern Pride pits are pretty dang good especially in a commercial environment. I did a review on a chain up this way "Red, Hot and Blue" and they use them too.

But like ya say... a pitmaster with an ECB can give 'em a run for their money. ;{)

Welcome again... and do some reading and then some asking if ya can't find it! Enjoy!

 

[sumosmoke]

Glad you're here Rob, nice to have someone that had some inside chain restaurant information join the site!! Was always wondering if the Sonny's food was really smoked on site or just sent in from a distributer and heated up on site.

This is a great place that will have you jumping back into smoking in no time at all!

Are you still in FL? If so, welcome from your neighbor on the east coast!

 

[ron50]

Glad to have you onboard Rob! You are most welcome here. I'm sure you will be able to add a lot of knowledge to our group and hopefully you can take someting away with ya as well.

Enjoy the weekend.

 

[pdigg]

Welcome aboard. Sounds like a busy, and delicious, weekend!

 

[ronp]

Welcome aboard, good to have ya.

 

[hdsrob]

Thanks guys,

SP makes great machines, especially for a set it and forget it type of situation. Until about 15 years ago most of the Sonny's still had a pitmaster that smoked everything by hand. As I understand it they lost a few stores to fires in the middle of the night, and started looking at the gas fired smokers.


@Sumo: I updated my profile, but I am in Palmetto, just south of St Pete. Yea Sonny's still cooks it all on site. They use a two stage method. Everything gets cooked in a rotisserie to 85% done, and then gets pulled out and goes into the cooler for the night. The next day it goes into a smaller smoker up in the pit are and reheated / finished to be served to the customer. I know that Woody's BBQ uses the same method as well.

Thanks again to all that replied, I am quite sure that I have more to learn than give, but I will do what I can.

 

[kookie]

Welcome to the smf............Lots of great people and info here...............