Advice needed for over night brisket smoking

BeastMode · Nov 27, 2016

Me and my wife will be retiring in about 6 months and will going full speed ahead with bbq catering from a bbq porch trailer. I have experience with vending festivals snd cooking for the masses in areas with a lot less restrictions than where we will be relocating to. I have tons of research on HD regulations for this new area and was actually lucky enough to talk to someone one or twice.

The HD requires a daily commissary visit for servicing (a licensed kitchen or restaurant is not allowed). I understand operating and prepping from home isn't allowed so how do any of you roadside vendors do your brisket and pulled pork to have it fresh and ready by lunch on a daily basis? I really prefer not to reheat and sell it as "fresh".

The HD requires a set up within 500 ft of a public bathroom (for my/employee personal use) and the one time i was fortunate enough to speak to the HD, he hinted a a scenario that i could actually park the trailer at my house for overnight cooking as long as i was within 500 yds of a public restroom. I asked him how other bbq vendors did it throughout the city but he says he had no idea.

Is reheating my only option? If anyone can offer any advice and share experiences it would be greatly appreciated.

HBMTN · Nov 28, 2016

In Virginia we just need a HD inspected kitchen whether it's a trailer or in a building. There are no bathroom rules for employees, we are not allowed to put seating out for people to eat unless we have bathroom with handwashing station. We cook fresh for every event but I guess if they won't let you then you don't have a choice but reheat it. Funny how rules differ from one place to another.

ooootis · Nov 29, 2016

BeastMode said:
Me and my wife will be retiring in about 6 months and will going full speed ahead with bbq catering from a bbq porch trailer. I have experience with vending festivals snd cooking for the masses in areas with a lot less restrictions than where we will be relocating to. I have tons of research on HD regulations for this new area and was actually lucky enough to talk to someone one or twice.

The HD requires a daily commissary visit for servicing (a licensed kitchen or restaurant is not allowed). I understand operating and prepping from home isn't allowed so how do any of you roadside vendors do your brisket and pulled pork to have it fresh and ready by lunch on a daily basis? I really prefer not to reheat and sell it as "fresh".

The HD requires a set up within 500 ft of a public bathroom (for my/employee personal use) and the one time i was fortunate enough to speak to the HD, he hinted a a scenario that i could actually park the trailer at my house for overnight cooking as long as i was within 500 yds of a public restroom. I asked him how other bbq vendors did it throughout the city but he says he had no idea.

Is reheating my only option? If anyone can offer any advice and share experiences it would be greatly appreciated.

I had planned on smoking right on the trailer with a Southern Pride SRG 400. Also a 1/2 bath on the rig so as not to inconvenience anyone. With the setup I have shown below in my area the only thing beyond the trailer would be water certified from my home and receipts for proper disposal of black and grey water. No commercial kitchen or commissary of which my county has none.

RangerJ · Nov 29, 2016

Where in Texas?

This sounds like Houston, which I did for 18 months and survived before opening our brick and mortar.

The daily commissary thing is a huge obstacle in the BBQ business. This means you have to uproot your trailer and move it every day.

Bathrooms are easy, find a spot bar / hardware store whatever, get the owner ( who will probably charge you to be there) to create a letter authorizing you to use their facilities during business hours.

The solution for many of the other obstacles is better not discussed in public.

You can email me @ jurena175 at outlook dot com.

ooootis · Nov 29, 2016

"The solution for many of the other obstacles is better not discussed in public."

10/4 my sentiments exactly.

BeastMode · Nov 29, 2016

RangerJ said:
Where in Texas?

This sounds like Houston, which I did for 18 months and survived before opening our brick and mortar.

The daily commissary thing is a huge obstacle in the BBQ business. This means you have to uproot your trailer and move it every day.

Bathrooms are easy, find a spot bar / hardware store whatever, get the owner ( who will probably charge you to be there) to create a letter authorizing you to use their facilities during business hours.

The solution for many of the other obstacles is better not discussed in public.

You can email me @ jurena175 at outlook dot com.

Wow Houston is the exact location! They seemed to really make it hard for the bbq guy in thd city limits. I'm assuming that's why it seems to be a lot more bbq trailer set up just outside the city limits where they are not as strict based on the setups I've seen.

We haven't settled on our area yet but more than likely we won't be living inside the city limits. I imagine uprooting and towin and out of the city and traffic has to be a pain. I am just looking to have a compliant operation based on the strictest standards in case i do have to occasionally set up inside houston limits..

Btw, now that i recognize your name here i do remember reading and stoping by your restaurant. I had already eaten but i had a chance for your awesome ribs! I will definitely look to pick your brain outside of a public forum.

RangerJ · Nov 30, 2016

They make it almost impossible.

Get your rig approved and stamped by the city in case you need to come into town to do anything. Or just get your county medallion and come in if you need to, take the slap on the wrist if they show up.

County areas are much more BBQ trailer friendly.

What you won't do,in Houston, is set up a shop like in Austin where you can tie into city sewer and water and squat. They don't allow it. Have to go to an approved city commissary every 24 hours. Its Que prohibitive and a total money grab.

Long story, short.. I basically said "catch me if you can". We rolled for 18 months to generate our following and get into the store.

Come by and see me or email, I'll give you as much info as I can.

Not trying to discourage you, I did it and was successful, just letting you know that in Houston, you'll need to dance in some grey areas.

bizznessman · Dec 1, 2016

Ok, I am probably going to ruffle some feathers with this. :wink:

It is true that "all the regs" are a real pain and actually become obstacles. They always say that they are "for everyone's protection". I do not believe this. I see them as a means of control for what are dubious motives.

#1) NO HD has the required number of personnel to truly inspect/enforce all of the regs on the books. Therefore the true motive is revenue generation and control. Also, some simple research will show that corporate food companies (large chains mostly) lobby heavily and even write these regs for the gov agencies to create a monopoly for themselves.

#2) Regs are not needed. That is what liability laws are for. If someone does not follow safe food prep processes the consumer can use legal remedies. They say that regs are to "prevent" bad practices. It is NOT possible to legislate behavior. :twitch:

#3) That being said, to avoid having your hard earned property stolen from you by government it is best to follow said regs. :shocked:

Ok, stepping down from the Soap Box....for now. :mrgreen:

kurtsara · Dec 4, 2016

bizznessman said:
Ok, I am probably going to ruffle some feathers with this. :wink:

It is true that "all the regs" are a real pain and actually become obstacles. They always say that they are "for everyone's protection". I do not believe this. I see them as a means of control for what are dubious motives.

#1) NO HD has the required number of personnel to truly inspect/enforce all of the regs on the books. Therefore the true motive is revenue generation and control. Also, some simple research will show that corporate food companies (large chains mostly) lobby heavily and even write these regs for the gov agencies to create a monopoly for themselves.

#2) Regs are not needed. That is what liability laws are for. If someone does not follow safe food prep processes the consumer can use legal remedies. They say that regs are to "prevent" bad practices. It is NOT possible to legislate behavior. :twitch:

#3) That being said, to avoid having your hard earned property stolen from you by government it is best to follow said regs. :shocked:

Ok, stepping down from the Soap Box....for now. :mrgreen:

I thought the regs were to keep food trucks the same as restaurants, without regs a guy could open a food truck on the street in front of a restaurant and sell a lot cheaper than the restaurant.

BeastMode · Dec 5, 2016

kurtsara said:
I thought the regs were to keep food trucks the same as restaurants, without regs a guy could open a food truck on the street in front of a restaurant and sell a lot cheaper than the restaurant.

Does that explain why some city HD regs are vastly different than others? I never understood why some citieswith strict regulations think they are so much safer than the next. The Houston imposed 500 yds within a public restroom is an example.

The fact that the HD said i could technically prep in the trailer and cook outside of my house as long as I'm within 500 yds of a public restroom for my or employee usage baffles me. I know damn well my bathroom at home is 100x cleaner than some random gas station bathroom. That's just an example but at the end of the day it's my dream to start off in a trailer so i have no choice but to obey most of the strict regs if i want to operate withn that HD jurisdiction.

bizznessman · Dec 9, 2016

kurtsara said:
I thought the regs were to keep food trucks the same as restaurants, without regs a guy could open a food truck on the street in front of a restaurant and sell a lot cheaper than the restaurant.

And that is the Free Market. What we have now is government using force to "balance the playing field". When in reality they are only in it for the revenue. :shock:

McDaniel1855 · Dec 12, 2016

bizznessman said:
And that is the Free Market. What we have now is government using force to "balance the playing field". When in reality they are only in it for the revenue. :shock:

Exactly my thoughts. What you are paying for in a brick and mortar store is more than the food. And they are justified in charging higher prices, generally. I don't want to eat from a food truck every meal. I wont do it if its bad weather, or if I have guests in for work. In other cases, I just want food. The market determines where I get my BBQ, Tacos, whatever.

Getting into the weeds a little here, so excuse me if this isn't allowed. One of the ways they squashed trucks for a long time here in Greenville was to force the permit to be registered to a physical address. And you had to serve from that address. So the business owners could have a truck or trailer, sure, but it couldn't move to where it was needed. They finally got away from this when the local food scene started to suffer, especially compared to Asheville, NC which is only 40 minutes up the road and seem to have no issues with people keeling over when the trucks moved. Houston is a bit of a bigger boulder to move than Greenville though, Good luck.

Advice needed for over night brisket smoking

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