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It’s no secret that choosing BBQ catering for engagement parties, rehearsal dinners, and wedding receptions is all the rage right now. Whether your main concern is being on trend, keeping costs low, appealing to a variety of tastes, or simply being able to provide a type of cuisine that everyone knows and loves, choosing barbecue covers all of your bases. “You can dress it up or dress it down and still pull it off without a grill in sight!”

BBQ us a Tried and True Crowed Pleaser

When thinking about what your wedding menu will be, the hardest part is finding something that will please the majority of your guests. Perhaps this is why you are asking “is BBQ catering right for a wedding?” With all the dietary restrictions out there today, you have to consider who is gluten free, who is vegetarian, who is allergic to dairy, etc. Just thinking about all of these factors is enough to give you a headache, let alone trying to find a catering company who can accommodate them all without charging an arm and a leg or serving something that resembles salted cardboard.

Another worry couples often face is how to serve a high quality meal without being overly ostentatious. Bechamel, au poivre, herbs de provence, while these ingredients might be delicious, and some of your guests would be stoked to enjoy them, you don’t want the rest of your guests eating something they can’t pronounce or feel embarrassed to order. You also don’t want to be spending a fortune on food that most guests will not truly be able to appreciate. Is BBQ catering right for a wedding? Yes! Offer your guests multiple choices of BBQ meats, add on some potato salad, coleslaw and baked beans, supplement with corn cobettes, a garden salad, or black bean burgers and you’ve pleased everyone, including the kiddos and gram and gramp 😉

BBQ is, and has been, the Quintessential Social Cuisine of America

With roots reaching back to colonial times, BBQ has been a part of American history, tradition, and culture since the birth of our country. You’d be hard pressed to find someone today who has never enjoyed BBQ. Instead, more than likely the mention of BBQ will excite people to share their stories about their favorite hole in the wall BBQ place or their favorite type of sauce, or the best brisket they have ever had.

The important social, political, and cultural gatherings of barbecues have spanned three centuries and its cultural significance remains important today, and with good reason! “Barbecue allowed an abundance of food to be cooked at once and quickly became the go-to menu item for large gatherings like church festivals and neighborhood picnics,” says Claire Suddath at Time.com.

When asked about why they chose to celebrate their big day with BBQ, Asha and Jay proclaimed, “We knew we wanted a wedding that celebrated not just us, but allowed our families a chance to spend meaningful time with each other….We decided to focus on creating a space that would foster creating a community.” With weddings often being the largest and most meaningful social event a couple will put on in their lives, it seems undeniable that the answer to the question “is BBQ catering right for a wedding?” would be met with a resounding yes.

YES, THEY ARE DIFFERENT AND IT MATTERS

With phrases such as, “put some shrimp on the barbie”, products for our backyard that claim to be, “BBQ grills” and recipes for, “BBQ chicken wings” the majority of us assume that the term barbecue is synonymous with grilling, when in fact, they are two very different techniques. If you have ever been given a sideways glance from any BBQ connoisseur when discussing the backyard barbecue you are hosting for the fourth of July, it is probably because you mean to say that you are grilling in your backyard, not barbecuing.

SO WHAT’S THE BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BARBECUING AND GRILLING?

To put it simply, time, heat, smoke, and cuts of meat. Barbecue is cooked with coals at low temperatures using indirect heat, often for 2-20 hours, while grilling means to get a quick sear with direct heat at high temperatures. “When you barbecue you are cooking with a slow circumvented unit of hot air with the lid closed. Grilling is done with the lid up and you’re cooking with direct heat on the bottom, instead of all around the source.” Explains Ken Hueston, owner of Smoken Bones Cookshack in Victoria, BC.

THE TIME, THE HEAT, THE SMOKE, THE MEAT

Traditionally, with barbecue, you have meats such as ribs, pork shoulder, or brisket. These cuts of meat have to cook a very long time to tenderize at a very low temperature. (Think about what would happen if you tried to grill a pot roast…yuck.) In addition, you have the added flavor of the wood smoke, which is a distinguishing characteristic of different regional BBQ styles.Smoke is the essence of barbecue. it is what differentiates barbecue from other types of cooking. One of the 5 tenants that make Bird Dog BBQ’s Oklahoma Style BBQ is smoking with white oak exclusively. The result of barbecuing is beautiful meat candy with a subtle smoke flavor that literally melts in your mouth.

Grilling, on the other hand uses cuts of meats that are delicious when cooked quickly, such as boneless chicken breasts, hamburger patties, steaks, or seafood.Characteristic grilled flavors come from fat that drips off the meat hitting the heat source and generating smoke that seasons the food slightly. You might, (like me), love char on the outside of everything, an option only available with the direct heat of a grill.

THEN, YOU’VE GOT THE HISTORY

The history of barbecue goes back centuries and different techniques can be found all over the world. From Hangi’s in New Zealand, to Indian Tandoori, barbecuing is deeply rooted in a variety of cultures. In our own culture, you will also find a sense of identity surrounding BBQ.“Whether you call it barbecue, BBQ or Q, it’s more than a way of cooking, it’s myth, folklore, and American history.” proclaims culinary historian Sylvia Lovegren.

WHAT ABOUT THE SAUCE?

BBQ Sauce might be the culprit of all the confusion.Ted Lee blames the sauce for the blending of the terms “grilling” and “barbecue.” As more prepared sauces came on the market in 1950s and 1960s with the growing popularity of outdoor grilling, more people started using the terms interchangeably, he said. Barbecue sauce usually refers to a specific type of sauce that can be used on meats cooked on a grill, barbecued or even cooked in an oven. Yet the techniques of barbecuing, grilling, and oven cooking do not require sauce of any kind.

SO, TO BBQ OR GRILL? WHICH ONE IS BETTER?

Really, there is good answer here, it all depends on what you are going for. If you want an easy task resulting in quick, seared meat with mild char then grilling is the way to go. If you want a day long experience resulting in mouth-watering meat candy, then BBQ all the way. Or, you can always just come into Bird Dog BBQ and let us do the work for you 😉

With a plethora of options to choose from, it can be hard to decide on the best smoker for BBQ restaurants. However, it becomes easier once you break it down in to the what, why, and how behind creating the best BBQ in a commercial setting. Understanding the process behind smoked meat can shed light on how certain equipment functions to create the flavors, textures, and appearance of the mouth-watering meat we all can’t seem to get enough of.

FROM FIRES TO BBQ RESTAURANTS: THE HISTORY OF SMOKED MEAT

Perhaps the most famous “smokers of meat” were the Caribbean natives who smoked it on a rack over a smoky fire, a setup they called “barbacoa” (one possible etymological origin of barbecue). In America, Kansas City native, Henry Perry was the pioneer of restaurant BBQ in 1907 and by 1932 was deemed, “The Barbecue King” not just because he was first, not just because he eventually had 3 restaurants, but because, “the special way I prepare my meats. Cooking only over a fire made from hickory and oak woods the meat gets that delicious flavor which is the cause of the tremendous popularity of barbecued meats.” From here, it was game on for BBQ Restaurants, which started popping up all over the United States with various styles and techniques leading to the regional styles we have today.

Innovation was bound to happen, as the popularity of BBQ restaurants grew and in 1968 inventor Herbert Oyler of Mesquite, TX, started to build wood-fired smokers with shelves that revolved around an axle like a Ferris wheel, allowing all the meat to get even heat and smoke, and increasing capacity. During the same time in the early 1970’s Ole Hickory was started to solve the same problem: the need for better, more consistent ways to smoke meat. Since there was no way to control the heat, cooking consistency and the need for constant attention were continuing problems. 

Fires, temperature control and direct labor were big problems for the barbecue industry using brick pits, steel barrels and other similar contraptions. David B. Knight, founder and President of the company, uses the experience gained from the early days of the barbecue restaurant and the knowledge gained from pit design and use to help others stay on the cutting edge of the barbeque industry.  

HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST SMOKER FOR COMMERCIAL SMOKED MEATS

There are a variety of commercial smoker options BBQ restaurants can choose from. The offset smoker, the electric smoker, the wood fired oven, the wood fired gas smoker, coal pit and a pellet smoker/grill are the most popular types. Each of these different units contribute unique taste, appearance and texture qualities to the finished product. “Purchasing the right one for your restaurant is imperative, because the smoker you choose will directly impact daily operations in the kitchen as well as the flavor and texture of the food smoked.” – https://www.business.com/articles/commercial-smoker-guide-restaurants/  

At Bird Dog BBQ, we choose to use wood fired ovens from Ole Hickory Pits. Why? Jess Pryles, a cook, author, and TV personality specializing in the field of meat, with a particular expertise in beef, explains perfectly: “The wood fired oven produces excellent quality barbecue, but requires (depending on how deluxe the model is) little if any human interaction after the initial meats are loaded, aside from adding in the occasional log. Operators still need to know what temp to cook at, and figure out how long their meats take, but once they have that dialed in, the rest is a cake walk. So basically, these units have all the flavor without most of the difficulties and laboriousness of offset pits. It’s a tough combo for a commercial restauranteur to resist.”  

Within the wood fired oven style smokers, there are even more options.

• Offset smokers are known for their ability to imbue foods with a rich wood and smoke flavor. The downside for commercial use is that they require an expert hand and lots of attention.

• Vertical or Upright Smokers are popular in restaurant kitchens because they take advantage of vertical space. Upright smokers tend to be low-maintenance and easy to use. They utilize digital controls that allow users to set times and temperatures in advance, making them ideal for overnight or all-day smoking.
• Compact Smokers are built to fit underneath commercial charbroilers. This type of smoker is best for restaurants that only have a few dishes requiring a wood-infused flavor, as their capacity is limited.
• Rotisserie Smokers are intended to smoke meats as they rotate. The design allows for evenly cooked meats and puts out a quality, consistent product without the need of continuous monitoring from employees.

At Bird Dog BBQ, we use the final type on the list, the rotisserie smoker. We specialize in consistent, quality, oak smoked meats and this style of smoker allows us to deliver the highest quality product, every day, to every guest at our 3 locations.  

WHAT MAKES BIRD DOG BBQ AND OTHER BBQ RESTAURANTS CHOOSE OLE HICKORY PITS

If you want to be able to smoke with real wood in an urban area, Ole Hickory is the only way to go. Though our Ole Hickory Pits smokers are identified as being, “gas fired and wood enhanced” this description can be flipped, depending on the user’s intent and attention. At Bird Dog BBQ, and at many other real BBQ restaurants who choose this type of smoker, the ability to switch to gas is utilized only when absolutely necessary. In our case, we use it when we need to start the smoker or when the wood needs to be reignited to continue to burn at the desired temperature. What we don’t do, is throw in 1 piece of wood and then let the gas take over, (a common practice by chain BBQ restaurants to decrease costs as well as attention required by employees). The ability to tailor these smokers to the specific needs/desires of your restaurant puts them at the top of the list.

During the 10 years the owner of Bird Dog BBQ worked in BBQ restaurants throughout Oklahoma, Missouri, and Florida he learned that Ole Hickory Pits put out the best smoker for commercial BBQ. In fact, these smokers were the only automated smokers the best BBQ restaurants used, and as a result he became familiar with the quality, versatility, and durability of Ole Hickory Pits smokers. 

We can all use flowery language, but specifically, as a restaurant owner here are a few specific factors in our decision:

1. All Ole Hickory Pits smoker parts are interchangeable throughout the sizes. They can also be found at most hardware stores.
2. Ole Hickory Pits provides excellent customer service. For 14 years, Bird Dog BBQ has had the same account representative. Enough said.
3. When it is necessary to order parts or have someone come in to do a repair, the work is always consistent and of high quality.

Don’t believe us? Check out the BBQ Brethran, where the pros all agree,  

“My friend buys Old Hickory exclusively for competition and his catering simply because they stand behind the product.”

“I’ve never heard a single bad thing about Ole Hickory and the food which comes off of them is fantastic.”

John Snedden, The owner of Washington’s four Rocklands Barbeque and Grilling Company restaurants has been cooking over an all-wood fire since he opened his first outlet in Glover Park more than 20 years ago. “The all-wood experience, you just couldn’t beat it. It was always more unique and more flavorful.” Snedden, who uses red oak and hickory, says that all-wood cooking is a constant challenge. He cites safety — “we’re dealing with a live fire” — along with labor­-intensiveness and ever-rising wood costs. So, why not install an oven? “We ask ourselves that, and it’s very simple,” he says. “At the end of the day, if we do it right, it’s a superior product.”  

We hear you John Snedden, and at Bird Dog BBQ we will continue to serve the best BBQ Colorado Springs has to offer. 

If you search for Oklahoma Style BBQ on Google, you won’t see very many results. That is because it’s something that is a bit hard to define! Cave Tools blog will tell you, “Oklahoma barbecue is a combination BBQ styles from Texas and Southeastern areas. This includes the types of BBQ sauces that are similar to Kansas City and Memphis with their tomato-based barbecue sauces and Texas’s style of meat like brisket and ribs.” We would agree!  

Full Custom Gospel BBQ will tell you in their blog, “Oklahoma Style Barbecue is usually described in terms of what it’s not: it’s not as saucy as barbecue from Kansas City and what sauce it has can be similar to K.C.’s with ketchup as a main ingredient. It’s not as tangy as Memphis barbecue and not as vinegary as what they serve in North Carolina. It’s not as dry as most classic Texas barbecue, and it’s not inclusive of just one kind of meat: both pork ribs and large cuts of beef (like brisket) play a major role.” We would also agree! At Bird Dog BBQ, we break it down even further. For us, Oklahoma Style BBQ has 4 main components.  

OAK SMOKED MEATS

The first component of Oklahoma Style BBQ is Oak Smoked Meat. We believe meat should taste mostly like meat. A smoky flavor is great, but you shouldn’t trade the taste of the meat for the taste of the wood. Unlike smoking with hickory or mesquite (which are very pungent woods), oak has a mild flavor which allows for thorough cooking while preserving the taste of the actual meat. 

SAUCE ON THE SIDE

Beware of BBQ that comes pre-sauced…a lot of places use it as a way to “revive” or disguise an over-cooked, dried out piece of meat. Our gluten-free BBQ sauces are our secret weapons and possibly the most powerful in the arsenal. Like any other BBQ joint, we have mild, hot, and x-tra hot. However, in our persistence to be different, we have original, unique recipes you won’t find anywhere else…like our Wasabi-Q sauce. We make them all from scratch, in-house, every day without a drop of water added. As amazing as they are, they must follow some basic rules, the most important being that they should be an option…not a requirement. 

COUNTER STYLE SERVICE

We have a counter-side service line format where you can see the product and you can watch and talk directly to the people preparing and plating your food. The personal interaction between the staff plating the food and the customer ensures a sense of pride in the preparation of your food. This is Oklahoma Style BBQ at its finest. Want to test a sample before ordering? No problem. Just ask; but remember there is a line of people waiting patiently behind you ☺ 

VALUE

Along with our streamlined service format and low overhead, this is where value, the fourth and final component of Oklahoma Style BBQ, really starts to hit home. If you order a pound of brisket or pork and 10-25% of it is fat, that is a significant loss in value…not to mention it’s kind of gross. We trim virtually all the fat out/off of the brisket and pork so if you order a pound of meat, you get a full pound of 100%, delicious meat. That said, some people like the fat. If that’s the case, we’ve got tons of it and we can add it to your plate. It will be IN ADDITION to (not part of) the designated weight of your order and it will be free of charge. 

To all of you BBQ connoisseurs out there, (we know there are lots of you), let us know what constitutes Oklahoma Style BBQ for you! Better yet, let us know what style of BBQ you prefer and why. After all, BBQ styles across the USA are defined by the people who make it and the people who eat it! Let’s all add more to the Oklahoma Style BBQ discussion so we can make a name for ourselves on the list🙂