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Selling BBQ

MrCookingNurse06
MrCookingNurse06 Posts: 106
in EggHead Forum
Hey hey

does anyone sell bbq? I’m not talking about a restaurant but more of the weekend warrior type. 

I’ve thought about selling butts before, and am actively looking to get a 250 gallon offset on a trailer. 

But I’ve started to get request for pulled pork and wings. I’m going to put a pen to paper and see what some decent cost would be. I’m just thinking of word of mouth for a weekend here and there “smoking 10 butts who wants one” or similar selling pans of a few pounds of wings. 

Any experience or thoughts would be appreciated. 
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Comments

  • Canugghead
    Canugghead Posts: 12,816
    Ping @MaskedMarvel

    canuckland
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  • lkapigian
    lkapigian Posts: 11,386
    Really depends on your area and so many factors… calculate your break even point and go from there 

    Break-Even Point (in units) = Fixed Costs / (Sales Price per Unit - Variable Cost per Unit)

    Ex pork butt cost / (what you plan on selling your pork butt- wood labor etc) 

    account for loss on butts briskets etc 

    or the lazy way, see what the highest and lowest in your area sell similar, split the middle lol

    I have a target of what I want to net per person and go from there, I’ll also do a “ you buy it I’ll cook it “ price 

    check your local health department 
    Visalia, Ca @lkapigian
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  • BeanHead
    BeanHead Posts: 319
    I don’t sell, it but I kind of trade with friends. They will give me a couple bottles of wine or bourbon or help with cutting firewood or something and the meat and I give them back meat. It is kind of a select few folks who are like me and don’t want a Texas style salt lick when they have dinner. Or friends who like to hunt and fish but are not good at cleaning and cooking game or smoking fish. Perhaps you could start with a trade kinda system and work your way up to dealing with the legal end of food safety checks and handling cash. 
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 33,930
    DoubleEgger said:
    My .02 would be to keep it simple. Butts only. 

    Don’t take on too much too soon. The food biz is a hard way to make a buck. 

    Get some insurance. One lawsuit and you lose everything you have. 

    cash only from an unmarked van in a supermarket parking lot.......?
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 33,930
    edited May 2
    BeanHead said:
    fishlessman said: cash only from an unmarked van in a supermarket parking lot.......?
    That is the only way to buy tamales. 

    we used to get maine shrimp on the side of the road till the population crashed about 10/12 years ago. very tiny but ohsogood if you had the patience to peel them
    Maine Shrimp
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • MrCookingNurse06
    MrCookingNurse06 Posts: 106
    @DoubleEgger

    yea the health department legal side is annoying. I’ve done some research in to that and basically need a comercial kitchen and an inspection then insurance. 

    I’m thinking about just making ten butts to friends but may just not be worth it. 

    I brought 20 lbs of wings to work Wednesday and a few people are begging me to smoke for them. 
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  • MaskedMarvel
    MaskedMarvel Posts: 3,302
    Canugghead said:
    Ping @MaskedMarvel

    Thanks! :)

    MrCookingNurse06 said:
    Hey hey

    does anyone sell bbq? I’m not talking about a restaurant but more of the weekend warrior type. 

    I’ve thought about selling butts before, and am actively looking to get a 250 gallon offset on a trailer. 

    But I’ve started to get request for pulled pork and wings. I’m going to put a pen to paper and see what some decent cost would be. I’m just thinking of word of mouth for a weekend here and there “smoking 10 butts who wants one” or similar selling pans of a few pounds of wings. 

    Any experience or thoughts would be appreciated. 
    I do this with fair regularity and moderate success. What’s your questions? I’ll answer whatever ya wanna know that comes from my experience.


    Large BGE and Medium BGE
    36" Blackstone - Greensboro!


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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 23,165
    fishlessman said:
    DoubleEgger said:
    My .02 would be to keep it simple. Butts only. 

    Don’t take on too much too soon. The food biz is a hard way to make a buck. 

    Get some insurance. One lawsuit and you lose everything you have. 

    cash only from an unmarked van in a supermarket parking lot.......?
    You are talking my language now! Huge fan of the shady parking lot meat swap (do not google that)
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 23,165
    MrCookingNurse06 said:
    @DoubleEgger

    yea the health department legal side is annoying. I’ve done some research in to that and basically need a comercial kitchen and an inspection then insurance. 

    I’m thinking about just making ten butts to friends but may just not be worth it. 

    I brought 20 lbs of wings to work Wednesday and a few people are begging me to smoke for them. 
    @cazzy had a clandestine bbq operation going for a while. He would take preorders and sell to people in his neighborhood. He has like 11 kids so I think he’s basically a little league coach full time now but he had a decent little gig going there for a while. 
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 16,760
    The Cen-Tex Smoker said:
    @cazzy had a clandestine bbq operation going for a while. He would take preorders and sell to people in his neighborhood. He has like 11 kids so I think he’s basically a little league coach full time now but he had a decent little gig going there for a while. 
    Heck, just hosting a well-advertised, out-of-pocket single tailgate before a Little League game, if you’re a coach, could jump-start a “personal” BBQ business.  

    "Old age is a thing.. last night I was in bed for 20 min when I heard the pizza guy cough. Then I remembered I came to my room for my wallet."

    Ogden, UT, USA


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  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 19,333
    Y'all and your parking lots...

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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  • YukonRon
    YukonRon Posts: 17,174
    caliking said:
    Y'all and your parking lots...
    Would you rather us just show up in your driveway? 
    "Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

    XL and MM
    Louisville, Kentucky
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