Essential BBQ tools and accessories

[Woodman1]

Rory, I use three washtubs in my operation. One with hot water and soap. One with hot water for rinse. One with 1 tsp bleach to 1 gallon of water. Just dip your rag in the solution and wipe what you need sanitized. Use cool water for the sanitizer as it will slow the bleach from evaporating.. You could use a spray bottle as well, but you need to dip dishes and utensils to be legal. Woody

 

[Rich Decker]

I think the difference is the 'Cambro' plastic wall thickness seems to be, well,thicker. The hot meat also doesn't come in contact with the plastic, it's in food service pans. I love mine and use it constantly for competitions. Last weekend I bet most teams had them in their arsenal. I can hold 8 foil pans in my pit's warming box but I seem to like the Carlisle better. I have a food holding nightmare in July, I'm cooking for a KCBS judging school. We need to cook food for 108 turn in boxes. That's a lot of lettuce.

R

 

[Uncle Bubba]

Hey Woody, was is the wall thickness in a Cambro type product vs. a cooler? The Cambros do seem to be more dense than coolers and they seem to have more insulation around them if you look ay the thickness of the walls vs. the bottom and sides of a cooler. Hit both with the wooden end of a hammer and you will feel and hear the difference in density or hardness. They both work well as I have used both and continue to do so. It's all in what you like. I would have to say if you didn't have the uprights you'd have to use a cambro type product for panned foods. I too have heard of coolers splitting from the heat but have never seen it or experienced it first hand.

 

[Pigs On The Wing BBQ]

I have been using Coleman X-treme's for a few years now. I just fill them a 1/4 full of boiling water a 1/2 hour before loading them up with 1/2 pans. They fit well and are $22.00 bucks at Wally world. I can fit 6 half pans in there with little trouble. Trick is to use a piece of cardboard between each layer of 2. News paper works well on the bottom for a easy clean up.

 

[ScottyDaQ]

I've had a pre warmed coleman cooler crack with the brisket wrapped in foil, AND a towel. My luck I guess.

 

[Pigs On The Wing BBQ]

That's odd, I know a bunch of other guys that use them also with no problems. One guy I know preheats his with a 1200 watt hair dryer. You might want to give them a call for a replacement. I would.

 

[ScottyDaQ]

That's odd, I know a bunch of other guys that use them also with no problems. One guy I know preheats his with a 1200 watt hair dryer. You might want to give them a call for a replacement. I would.

You don't think they'd be like ..... "You did what, and put what in it?....It's a cooler Sir." :grin:

 

[K Kruger]

I'm going to sound like an idiot here, but could someone please explain the proper procedure for using bleach to sanitize stuff? Do I put it in a spray bottle? Do I need to dilute it? I assume I spray and wipe down, then after that do I need to rinse with water or anything?

Just FYI: Sanitizing is only effective if the articles being sanitized are washed well first. I realize most HD codes require sanitizing but most HD codes are based on the FDA Food Code and I can tell you right now that neither the FDA nor local HD inspectors have any research study that shows if you wash but don't sanitize you get sick. HACCP does not validate sanitizing as necessary either--just washing.

I'm not telling you to forgo sanitizer if your HD requires them. I'm just saying that if your intention is to prevent possible illness and not just follow the law washing is key, not a sanitizer. Imo, bleach--even diluted--is too harsh a chemical to use on ready-to-eat food contact surfaces. One of the oxy-clean-type products that are based on hydrogen peroxide and alcohol are safer. Barring that, a spray of H2O2 followed by a spray of dilute vinegar is better.

Washed and rinsed or washed, rinsed ad sanitized items should air dry. One sees a 10:1 reduction in pathogenic bacteria from air drying.

Articles should be scrubbed in warm soapy water with a brush--never a sponge or scrubby. It's best, of course, if you can drain or dump the wash water very frequently. Running rinse water is best as well but at least change the rinse water frequently--I'd use the oxy stuff or the hy-per/vin succession on RTE contact surfaces if I was not able to rinse under flowing water. Air dry.

Keep in mind that food-borne illness comes mostly from the fecal-oral route (inadequate handwashing of the cooks OR the diners who, unfortunately, we can't monitor), inadequately cooked food, inadequately washed produce that was served fresh (uncooked), and cross-contamination from putting or prepping RTE food on surfaces that were inadequately cleaned after they were used for uncooked non-RTE food. This last one is especially important when cooking in situations where running water and a variety of sinks aren't part of the equation. If you can keep RTE foods separated from non-RTE foods you'll go a long way in preventing that potential of FBI transmission. Having bowls, containers, cutting boards, knives, etc., that are ONLY used for RTE foods will help in this regard.

Good luck on your endeavor.

 

[Captain Morgan]

great info, thanks Kevin