Southern Pride of Texas
Smoker Maintenance & Repair
250 articles on smoker care, BBQ tips, industry news, and more.
Thermocouple Replacement: The Procedure Your Maintenance Schedule Is Probably Missing
Step-by-step thermocouple replacement for commercial smokers, including diagnostics, part sourcing, and the calibrati...
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What BJ's Hiring a Darden Marketer Tells Us About Where Casual Dining Is Headed
BJ's Restaurants taps a Darden executive as brand president. Earl breaks down what this means for commercial operator...
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Why Your Rotisserie Chain Will Fail (And How to Stop It Before It Does)
The chain and spit system is the most common mechanical failure point in rack smokers. Here's how to maintain it prop...
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Smoked Burgers and Dogs: The High-Margin Menu Items Nobody Talks About
Commercial operators overlook smoked burgers and hot dogs. Here's how to run them profitably without babysitting your...
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What Chick-fil-A's Protein Push Means for Operators Already Running Smoked Menus
Chick-fil-A testing smoked proteins signals where fast-casual is heading. Here's what that means for operators who al...
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Lee's Famous Recipe Adds a 10-Piece Box and Nobody's Talking About What That Actually Means
A regional chicken chain adding a menu item tells you more about commercial kitchen capacity than any equipment broch...
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When Your Gas Assist Won't Light: A Technician's Guide to Burner Diagnosis
22 years of service calls taught me the real reasons gas-assist burners fail. Here's how to diagnose before you call ...
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When to Grab a Wrench and When to Grab the Phone: A Real Decision Framework for Smoker Repairs
Know which commercial smoker repairs you can handle yourself and which ones require a technician. Specific guidance f...
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What NRN's June Numbers Actually Mean for Your Equipment Decisions
Breaking down Nation's Restaurant News June 2026 data on smoked protein margins, equipment ROI, and what operators sh...
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What Slim Chickens' Drive-Thru Push Tells Us About Where Quick Service Is Headed
Slim Chickens' Fly Thru format signals a shift in QSR design. Here's what commercial kitchen operators should take fr...
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What Pura Vida Miami's Executive Hiring Spree Tells Us About Where Fast Casual Is Headed
Pura Vida Miami pulled execs from Sweetgreen, Shake Shack, and Oakberry. Here's what that means for commercial kitche...
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My First Low-and-Slow Whole Chicken: What Actually Worked and What I'd Do Different
Travis breaks down his first attempt smoking whole chickens low and slow on a commercial rotisserie — real temps, tim...
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