Demand hots up for Stu’s Smokin’ Barbeque

Demand hots up for Stu’s Smokin’ Barbeque

A New Zealand-designed and manufactured hot and cold smoking barbeque, is taking off with Kiwi barbeque enthusiasts.

Stu Weatherhead, director of Moveable Feasts, one of Christchurch’s leading location catering and event management companies, has already sold a pilot batch, and will be having more manufactured in the New Year.

Spotted by him when on a visit to the mid-west United States in 2006, Weatherhead brought back with him a 1.5 tonne American barbeque which became part of the Moveable Feasts equipment and has since fed 50,000 people.

Weatherhead adapted the style for New Zealand and is now producing it in smaller domestic sizes – priced from $2400-$3200. His original version for the local market, the Mare, has now been joined by another, the Gelding.

Buyers so far have included farmers – he sold successfully at the Royal New Zealand Show at Show Weekend – people with holiday homes in the Marlborough Sounds, and Aucklanders.

“People who do their own fishing and hunting are big fans. In fact, once people see the barbeque in action and taste the food, they’re hooked.

“Kiwis don’t know this style of cooking, but in the next few years they will. Americans are into this in a big way, and in the mid-west, they’re fanatical about it. Anyone can turn a gas bottle on and ignite a flame, but enthusiastic BBQ lovers will enjoy years of this style of cooking.”

Because of the long, slow wood-smoked cooking process, and the rubs and mops (bastes and marinades) which are applied, a tasty melt-in-the-mouth meal results.

“It is so different; it’s a method of cooking we don’t use. It is economical and the flavour and tenderness is fantastic.

“And it is a cost effective way of cooking for a crowd because you can use cheaper meats. It doesn’t mean you are compromising on quality or taste, because the slow cooking process –it can take four hours for ribs, three hours for sirloin, and two hours for lamb – means not only do you get an amazing taste, but also, the meat just melts in your mouth.”

Stu’s Smokin’ Barbeque at Moveable Feasts is in demand for at least 30% of the company’s business.

The meats are either dry rubbed with various spices and left to sit for 12 hours, or given the mop or marinade treatment and left to sit for a similar period. The heat chamber on the Smokin’ Barbeque is then brought up to 120deg, with charcoal the primary heat source and one small piece of manuka wood added at the start of cooking. No gas is used.

During cooking, mop is added to the meat every 20 mins to keep it moist and tender. The smoke is controlled by chimney outlets, and an infusion of spiced fruit is added to the steam valves in the fire box, evaporating into the cooking chamber to give moisture and flavour.

Weahterhead’s company smokes its own salt, garlic, mushrooms, tamarillos, and peppers to make the rubs and mops, as well as chutneys and relishes

Moveable Feasts has fed school reunions, birthdays, anniversary functions, gala dinners, weddings, launches and corporate events for 25 years, taking its 12m state of the art mobile rig to locations the length and breadth of the South Island. The arrival of Stu’s Smokin’ Barbeque has added another cost-effective option for clients when planning their menus and events.

ENDS

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