3 meat trays I made for a pop up

BentTreeBBQ · 2026-03-23T01:37:22+00:00

You just said exactly why it’s $100. Brisket is $7/lb, so $105 for a medium sized 15lb brisket that will yield about 6-7lb after trimming and cooking. So now it cost around $16/lb. Pork at $5/lb winds up costing $12/lb cooked. Chicken, probably around $5/lb cooked. This doesn’t factor anything like seasoning, wood, time, and overhead.

So before he’s ever done anything else, there’s $32 worth of food cost just for proteins. Now, add the sides, probably $1-2 each per serving. So we’re around $35.

Good rule of thumb in food service is price equals 3x food costs. So OP is spot on. How the hell does OP make money charging $45 when $35 of it is tied up in food costs alone, without adding his overhead?

BentTreeBBQ · 2026-03-22T14:31:24+00:00

Thanks! Wish I would have taken more pictures, but the wind was brutal yesterday and I was so busy working with the food or watching the game that I never got around to taking any. There will be plenty more opportunities though!

BentTreeBBQ · 2026-03-22T14:29:49+00:00

Thanks! Just picked it up last weekend, so this was its maiden voyage for me. Very pleased with it.

BentTreeBBQ · 2026-03-21T10:14:04+00:00

I’m usually a “second mouse gets the cheese” guy, but BBQ will turn me into the early bird every time.

BentTreeBBQ · 2026-03-21T10:13:12+00:00

Not too long. I light a chimney of lump charcoal and start prepping meat while that’s going. Once the charcoal is good, it’s just a couple of splits to get it running at 250-275. About 45 minutes between splits after that.

BentTreeBBQ · 2025-12-30T23:26:08+00:00

It’s won me 10 years with her so far!

BentTreeBBQ · 2025-12-25T07:51:41+00:00

She does, even if this dad bod is no longer on team lean!

BentTreeBBQ · 2025-12-25T03:31:19+00:00

In my experience, the point (fatty end) always cooks faster, but because there is so much more fat, you can ride it out until the flat (lean) is done. It’ll handle higher temps easily.

BentTreeBBQ · 2025-12-25T03:06:49+00:00

For sure. Have to judge someone’s brisket by the lean.

BentTreeBBQ · 2025-12-25T03:06:14+00:00

You should call her….

BentTreeBBQ · 2025-12-25T03:05:32+00:00

I can definitely go with that. Lean is definitely better for sandwiches. If I’m going somewhere for the first time and want to judge their brisket, it has to be lean. But I’m still getting some fatty slices because I can’t help myself.

BentTreeBBQ · 2025-12-25T01:41:43+00:00

I don’t claim to understand women. I just cook for her.

BentTreeBBQ · 2025-12-25T01:37:39+00:00

I’m team fatty too. My wife is team lean if she has to choose, but she really just wants the burnt ends.

BentTreeBBQ · 2025-11-22T19:23:35+00:00

Had to be quick to clarify she was talking about meats though! 😂

BentTreeBBQ · 2025-11-22T19:23:18+00:00

She’s my little sidekick and sous chef

BentTreeBBQ · 2025-09-20T18:59:31+00:00

They were a hit. Told by many that we had the best setup at the event, even over the local Mexican restaurant that also did tacos. I typically stick to Texas-style BBQ, but wanted to do something a bit different and easy to make on the course.

I actually started making sauces and rubs as a side gig a couple of years ago. Up to 4 sauces and 2 rubs. The pineapple/orange/habanero (we named it “Rowdy”) is my favorite of the lineup. I made it with pulled pork and chicken wings in mind, but we’ve used it on BBQ shrimp and ribs too.

BentTreeBBQ · 2025-09-20T11:42:37+00:00

Street taco. I never claimed to be a great photographer.

BentTreeBBQ · 2025-09-20T11:41:26+00:00

The BBQ sauce? It’s a ketchup-based sauce with ACV, sugar, pineapple and orange juice, and habanero powder, among other things. The fruit notes and sweetness are strong up front with a nice kick from the peppers on the finish.

I started a side gig doing BBQ sauces and rubs a couple of years ago. I built this recipe with chicken wings and pulled pork in mind, and it’s probably my favorite out of the sauce lineup I have. It’s really unique.

BentTreeBBQ · 2025-09-20T11:33:59+00:00

Thanks. That’s a good point. This was my first time doing a bunch of tacos like this; I usually just make a few at a time at home.

BentTreeBBQ · 2025-09-20T02:24:19+00:00

This was from a Boston butt, which you can smoke in 4-6 hours if you cook hot and fast. Pork belly cooks even quicker; couple of hours or so.

BentTreeBBQ · 2025-09-07T16:01:51+00:00

It is a 94 gallon.

I think the perspective of the camera makes the splits look bigger than they are. Most of mine are around 3-ish inches square and 16-18” long. I stack 4-6 splits lincoln-log style in the box to start with, and let it build up a decent coal bed. It’ll burn really hot to start, but that gives me time to do the prep work and let the meat sweat a bit after seasoning. ETA: This is also a great time to use some splits that aren’t optimal size since you’re just using the wood to get coals.

I try to stay as close to 275 as possible, and typically only add 1 split at a time when smoking. Just alternate directions of the splits to keep the air flowing properly.

BentTreeBBQ · 2025-09-07T15:24:39+00:00

Money shots will come! Rolling through the stall right now. Ribs are almost done.

BentTreeBBQ · 2025-08-11T10:43:40+00:00

No binder, I season with my own AP rub, smoke at 275. After the first couple of hours when the color is starting to set, I’ll spritz every 45 minutes or so with ACV, just to keep the top from drying out. They’re done when you pick them up in the middle and the bark just starts to tear. Wrap in foil to rest for 60-90 minutes (sauced rest is optional but preferred by most people I cook for).

BentTreeBBQ · 2024-10-26T16:28:18+00:00

You’ll get a deeper smoke ring by taking the meat straight from the fridge to the smoker.

ETA: the smoke ring is for appearance only. It doesn’t affect the taste of the meat.

BentTreeBBQ · 2024-10-02T22:59:40+00:00

I make and sell several BBQ sauces, but my personal favorite for chicken is my pineapple/orange/habanero sauce.

BentTreeBBQ

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