Reviving old meat market smokehouse for restaurant

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greensmoke
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Reviving old meat market smokehouse for restaurant

Post by greensmoke » Fri Mar 15, 2013 11:56

Hello All!
This is my first post but I have used the forum to find answers before so thank you. I actually won a cooking competition (i was definitely the dark horse) with the knowledge gained from the Marianski's books, site and forum.

Anyway, I'm a professional chef looking to add a restaurant/food service to my brothers existing tavern. The building was built as a meat market/processor in 1905 and then added onto in the 1930's and 1960's closing in 1972 due to supermarkets rise.

The pictures below are one of two side by side chambers built later in the buildings life 1930-60's. There's an original chamber on the other side of the building but you can see light through the bricks so I think this would be the best to use. The internal dimensions are 4'x6'x~20' with the firebox access on the first floor.

Does anyone have experience running a smokehouse this size?

My concept is going to based on wood fired cuisine with bbq and specialty rotisserie items (i.e. porchetta, goat). I really think I could be successful using this smokehouse for salmon and bacon. Two things that sell well on menus and here.

Have a look and let me know what your thinking.

Cheers,
Mike


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ssorllih
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Post by ssorllih » Fri Mar 15, 2013 12:54

What dimension is vertical?
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Walleye1
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Post by Walleye1 » Fri Mar 15, 2013 13:46

Greensmoke

Although not identical, there is one setup similar here. It's in a butcher shop. There's is built in the same fasion, manonry, a big row of steel double doors probably 20 feet long. The interior would be similar diamentions except they are all connected if I remember correctly. What I mean is you could walk in one door and out another. The one thing that is different is it doesn't have the fire on a lower floor. This setup has large steel fire boxes on the floor. If I remember correctly there was a gas pipe burner in the back as well. This could have been used as a log starter or to regulate the heat.

Very cool idea to revive the old setup! :wink:

Mike
greensmoke
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Post by greensmoke » Fri Mar 15, 2013 18:13

ssorllih wrote:What dimension is vertical?
Its about 20 feet from the fire box floor to the ceiling. And, the same size all the way up 4' wide and 6' deep.
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Post by ssorllih » Fri Mar 15, 2013 21:48

Kinda sorta have to treat it as a batch process smoker I should think. Not much room to shift things around. What manner of structure is in there for hanging. If you are rather lean you could fit racks along each side and have hanging space above and still be able to work in there.
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greensmoke
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Post by greensmoke » Sun Mar 17, 2013 21:49

I was thinking about hanging everything that goes in there. Currently there is no structure but a sturdy concrete wall to anchor to. I agree with you on the batch cooking.
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Post by ssorllih » Sun Mar 17, 2013 22:56

Have some 2x4's fastened on each side spaced a foot or so apart going up as high as practical. Then you can lay sticks or wire rack shelves across.
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