North Carolina pulled pork trailer in Austin, TX? I must be crazy.

Indeed, I must be. Well, here I am, starting month two of owning and running a North Carolina pulled pork food trailer, and boy let me tell you, it is stressful. Honestly though, if you had told me four months ago I would be doing this I wouldn't had believed you. I have no background in cooking or in the food industry, I have been essentially doing all sorts of either finance or retail since I left the USMC in 1997, but I worked with my current business partner at my last job and learned that he had some BBQ talent, and it just so happened that we both got completely fed up with our last employer and decided to break free and pilot the course of our destiny.

There have been some hurdles and lots of restless nights, but we both figure that success will not be easy, so we accept it and carry on. Our place is called Curlys perfect pig, and we are located near the university of Texas campus. We do slow smoked pulled pork in the Carolina's style; less smoke than the standard Texas stuff, we use hickory instead of mesquite, and our finishing sauces are vinegar based, so they are thinner, lighter, tangy, and used to highlight the flavor of the pork, seasoning, and smoke. We also do pulled smoked chicken, and things like beans and hush puppies and of course slaw.

Anyways, now that I'm working so many hours my desire and ability to brew has been shattered, so instead of looking at new recipes, and discussing home brew I will probably spend more time in the general chit chat location with y'all.

Let's discuss stories that people have had in either opening a small business in or outside of the food industry. I would love to hear about your struggles, solutions, wisdom or general knowledge in self employment. If you have questions for me just ask, I'd love to talk about it.

Do.... Want...

The BBQ in the region of Alabama where I live is very closely derived from Carolina style... IMO that is the way to make BBQ. I wish you success! May the hickory gods smile upon you!

Woot! I work off 15th and my coworkers are huge BBQ nerds -- we have a half-dozen green eggs and a few cabinet smokers in the parking lot We'll have to come by and see what you have.

What time do you close?

Also, if you want a website, I'd love to do one for you since I'm currently working on building out my portfolio. PM me if you are interested.

Rhamilton, we are located just off 29th and Guadalupe, well, 29th and Rio Grande to be exact. You can't miss us, we are a big pink trailer. Come on over, tell whoever is behind the counter (either Jay or myself) that Damon sent ya. Btw, we close at 7pm Monday through Saturday.

Right now our menu is pretty sparse and items come and go as we are trying to figure out what people buy or don't buy, but we are predominantly pulled pork plates and sandwiches as well as pulled smoked chicken (probably going way as people don't buy it).

As far as our website we have one, but it's mostly just a placeholder as we can't afford to pay to have it done by a professional that would charge his going rate. Like I said, it's a struggle, but better than working or someone else. Also, as a self employed man I get to pick which 15 hours a day I work!

Good luck! I love smoked food! I was thinking people might want a half or quarter smoked chicken rather than pulled, then I realized Texans are probably more into eating the big animals

SharonaZamboni said:

Good luck! I love smoked food! I was thinking people might want a half or quarter smoked chicken rather than pulled, then I realized Texans are probably more into eating the big animals

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Yeah, it's a challenge. In most parts of Texas it is not considered BBQ unless it is brisket and/or ribs slathered in sauce (which I do love), but thankfully this is Austin, and people tend to be a little more open minded here, but a day doesn't go by that I get told it isn't Texas BBQ (which it isn't) unless it is brisket. Sigh...

Hopefully we stay in business, but this is still Texas and Memphis and Carolina style BBQ places come and go even here. I'll just have to make it work. I would happily take and or all advice from anyone that is offering.

BrewN00b said:

Yeah, it's a challenge. In most parts of Texas it is not considered BBQ unless it is brisket and/or ribs slathered in sauce (which I do love), but thankfully this is Austin, and people tend to be a little more open minded here, but a day doesn't go by that I get told it isn't Texas BBQ (which it isn't) unless it is brisket. Sigh...

Hopefully we stay in business, but this is still Texas and Memphis and Carolina style BBQ places come and go even here. I'll just have to make it work. I would happily take and or all advice from anyone that is offering.

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Carolina>Texas>Memphis

I lived in Memphis... and NEVER understood how they got the hype! There is a reason that Bob Gibson's has kicked so much butt (pun intended) at the Memphis BBQ cook off... Gibson's is Northwest Alabama BBQ... which, as I said earlier, is closely derived from Carolina...

You will preach the gospel of BBQ and they will see the light!

Best of luck! I love smoking ribs (they are all I have the patience for!), but love ALL types of smoked BBQ. I hope you succeed!

There used to be a barbecue place called Ed Carnivores at that intersection. I worked for TFB, Conans, and Miltos when I lived in Austin.

Airborneguy said:

Best of luck! I love smoking ribs (they are all I have the patience for!), but love ALL types of smoked BBQ. I hope you succeed!

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Thanks! We've got really great BBQ, and we are certainly no stranger to long hard hours, however a little luck sure would help.

tgreene7 said:

There used to be a barbecue place called Ed Carnivores at that intersection. I worked for TFB, Conans, and Miltos when I lived in Austin.

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Yeah, that's what I'm kind of worried about...that intersection has been ten different places in twenty years. That tells me a sad story, one in which I care not to repeat. You still in Austin?

I love me some BBQ, Texas and NC happen to be my favorites! I'll be sure to stop by next time I'm down that way! :fro:

If I get a chance to head to Austin in the near future I'll come by and check it out. Love BBQ of any kind.

Well, one good thing about being self employed is that I can take the time and post from work on my iPad. To any of you that own a small business or will be opening a small business let me state one thing, get an iPad. Seriously, this is easily the best business tool for small businesses, and this is coming from someone who has historically hated the Apple cult of personality. I use it as a Point of sale system (I take credit and debit through Square, which is WAY cheaper that merchandising services through the bank), my partner Jay and I have hooked up our books to the cloud so we both have real time status on what business is like regardless of where I am in the country, and it is just plain fun.

Anyways, the trailer is up and running. Come on in and I'll hook you up with some extra pork goodness on your plate. Get the corn bread, I make the best pan fried corn bread that you never had. Hopefully though, I can use some of the home brew equipment And skill I've accumulated and start selling home made, natural sodas like vanilla creme, cola, and root beer. Oh yeah, REAL natural botanical root beer. Yum.

BrewN00b said:

Well, one good thing about being self employed is that I can take the time and post from work on my iPad. To any of you that own a small business or will be opening a small business let me state one thing, get an iPad. Seriously, this is easily the best business tool for small businesses, and this is coming from someone who has historically hated the Apple cult of personality. I use it as a Point of sale system (I take credit and debit through Square, which is WAY cheaper that merchandising services through the bank), my partner Jay and I have hooked up our books to the cloud so we both have real time status on what business is like regardless of where I am in the country, and it is just plain fun.

Anyways, the trailer is up and running. Come on in and I'll hook you up with some extra pork goodness on your plate. Get the corn bread, I make the best pan fried corn bread that you never had. Hopefully though, I can use some of the home brew equipment And skill I've accumulated and start selling home made, natural sodas like vanilla creme, cola, and root beer. Oh yeah, REAL natural botanical root beer. Yum.

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I tell you what, you offer old timey sodas soda shoppe style and you'll have people flocking to you. There's a place here in Huntsville, used to be called King's Candies...recently got bought, but they have an old school soda fountain and they do everything. All the flavors, phosphates, everything. It's the best.