Introduction
Business owners who have Lang Smoker Cookers were asked what they felt was necessary equipment for someone starting a business with a Lang. Well, the list was quite a long one, from something as simple as a putty knife to scrape clean the bottom plate to a portable sink with a separate hand wash area and a water heater for those on the go and competing. There are many different tool categories that you have to consider such as: fire maintenance, prep/wash area, food storage, safety and clean up. We will be going over general items, we do not recommend any particular make/manufacturer.
Fire Maintenance
No Fire, No Food. Seems pretty simple, but there are items you will need for good fire starting and maintenance. One most mentioned was the log splitter. You need something easy, fast and will split the wood to the size of your firebox. Several people mentioned electric log splitters while others mentioned one that works with a drill. Use the one best for your situation. You can use a propane torch, weed burner to start your fire. Time is money and you want to get your fire started as quickly as possible. Some Lang Owners have recommended that you get a draft blower. Remember, as important as starting your, being able to put one out safely is just as, or more, important. Make certain that you have a fire extinguisher rated for Grease Fires. For cleaning your fire box a fireplace set of a poker and ash shovel should be helpful. For your safety, either welder's gloves or silicone gloves can be used for this.
Food Prep/Wash Area
This all depends if you have a tandem trailer with kitchen area built in, a food truck or you could be prepping in your kitchen. If however, you are outside and need to prep your food, make certain that you have an area put aside for this. In order to stay covered, a pop up tent is always a good bet. Make certain you have a stable work/prep area and that you have plenty of clean water to wash up your knives and other utensils. Plastic gloves for your hands will help keep your product germ free and uncontaminated. As mentioned above, in a perfect world you could have a portable sink with a separate hand wash area and a hot water heater. It sounds amazing to have something that nice on the ground.
Cooking & Food Storage
Store your raw and prepared food correctly or you will face the problem of poisoning your customers or the judges. That is a no win situation. Make certain that your food has reached the correct internal temperature. For that you will need a really good thermometer. We have heard of a fireboard, a digital thermopen and wireless models to make certain your food at temp before taking it from your Lang. A spray bottle with juice/liquid helps keep your food moist. Food storage boxes are utilized for wrapped food. If you wrap, make certain to have plenty of supplies on hand. Silicone gloves will be handy when picking up meat to move, as well as working in the firebox, or tearing the meat apart. You want to make certain both you and your customer stays safe. Make certain you have aprons on for both food prep and cooking. Beware of cross contamination, so separate cutting boards are a must.
Safety
We have gone over some of the necessary items for safety previously. However, it never hurts to make certain everyone is on the same page when it comes to your safety. Keep your knives very sharp, you want to cut and prepare the meat and other foods, not cut yourself. Make certain you have heavy duty gloves so you don't end up with burns. The Lang is just like a very large piece of cast iron and will burn you badly. Make certain you have a fire extinguisher that is rated for grease. This is extremely important and one of our Lang Owners told us he was inspected two times and both times they wanted to see his fire extinguisher. Must be rated for grease or it will not help you.
Clean Up
A putty knife is a good inexpensive tool to scrape the bottom of the Lang. A wire brush should be able to take care of the racks. Make certain that you have a heat proof container for the grease drippings that will come out of the Lang Smoker Cooker. At this point some people choose to spray it out with water. Always make certain that you apply oil while still warm whether you use vegetable oil or spray oil to keep your Lang shining like new. Use the fireplace shovel to remove the ashes after they have cooled sufficiently so as not to cause a fire hazard when moving then to a storage bucket.
These are basic tool ideas that can be utilized by both commercial cooks and backyard cooks. Some prefer a stainless paddle to flip ribs, while others reach in with silicone gloves and do it that way. What we are trying to do here is give you some idea as to what you need to do the job correctly. We hope that this has helped a little and that if you have any questions or ideas for us that you will reach out to us at janmahlmann@netcetra.com.
Happy Smokin'
