Southern Pride of Texas
Smoker Maintenance & Repair
240 articles on smoker care, BBQ tips, industry news, and more.
What the BJ's Restaurants Executive Hire Tells Us About Where Casual Dining Is Headed
BJ's taps a Darden marketing exec as brand president. Here's what operators can learn from this move about kitchen ef...
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That Gray Coating Inside Your Smoke Chamber Isn't Decorative — Here's When It Needs Work
How to inspect, prep, and reapply refractory coating in your commercial smoker. Specific signs of wear, surface prep ...
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Cracker Barrel's Comeback Play, KFC at the Table, and What These Menu Pivots Mean for Commercial Operators
Major chains are making bold moves — Cracker Barrel fighting back, KFC testing table service. Here's what operators r...
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When Your Southern Pride Won't Light: A Real Walkthrough of Gas-Assist Burner Diagnostics
Step-by-step burner troubleshooting for Southern Pride gas-assist smokers, from ignition failures to uneven flames. W...
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Two-Piece Pork Shoulders: Why the Industry Shift and What It Means for Your Yield
Pork shoulders now arrive in two pieces more often than whole. Here's the operational impact, yield math, and how to ...
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The First Rack I Ever Pulled Off a Smoker Changed Everything I Thought I Knew
Earl recalls his first smoked pork ribs in 1987 and what that rack taught him about temperature, patience, and why sh...
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Those Ugly Briskets Aren't Dead Yet: A Pellet Grill Rescue Operation
Ray explains how to salvage tough, bark-less briskets from a pellet grill cook gone wrong—and why it happened in the ...
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The Phone Call You Don't Want to Make: Knowing When to Fix It Yourself vs. Calling for Backup
A practical guide for commercial operators on which smoker repairs you can handle and which ones require a technician...
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The Maintenance Log That Actually Saves You Money (And What Most Operators Get Wrong)
A practical guide to tracking commercial smoker maintenance—what data matters, what doesn't, and how a simple log pre...
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The Cleaning Schedule Your Commercial Smoker Actually Needs (Not the One You're Probably Doing)
A realistic maintenance schedule for commercial smokers — daily, weekly, monthly, and annual tasks that prevent costl...
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What Tom Berry Gets Right About Building Restaurant Concepts That Actually Work
COJE Management Group's founder built a portfolio on travel-inspired menus. Here's what commercial operators can lear...
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What Restaurant Chains Get Wrong About World Cup Promotions (And What It Means for Your Smoker Operation)
Big chains chase World Cup traffic with gimmicks. Smart operators use high-demand events to showcase what they do best.
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