This is from the “better late than never” folder. I received an email a while back from Hot Dog Profits Premium member Mitch Teaske. I replied to him but never posted his letter and pictures here on the ‘ol hot dog cart blog.
I just came across it again this morning and thought you would enjoy it…
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Steve,
Hello I hope things are well for you. I just wanted to drop you a line and let you in on my big event! Your going to like this. This is the second year in a row that I have had the privilege to provide hot dogs to the veterans ceremony participants here at the Ft. Vancouver Barracks in Vancouver, WA. Working alongside a big list of volunteers and organizations including National Parks Service, Lions Club International and the Clark County Historical Society, we were able to have 1000 Hot Dogs donated to us by Foster Farms. Buns were donated to us by Sysco Foods along with all the mustard, ketchup and relish we could ever use for so many dogs.
I started cooking the dogs at 10am and was feeding them out by 11am. We had a huge assembly line set up so as I pulled cooked dogs out of my EZ built cart my team would bun and wrap them up. In the span of an hour and a half we had cooked and wrapped all 1000 dogs. Everyone grubbed and had a good time. Yes we had leftovers, Haha! I truly enjoy giving back to the community and this was such a blast.
I just wanted to let you know that my cart is now 3 years old and has seen a lot of events and busy days but yesterday was a true test of what it was capable of. 1K dog in 1.5 hours! WOW! If anyone has doubts on if your EZ cart can hold up to high demand this should put it to rest. I am including a pic of my well used cart taking a breath and a photo of our assembly line. It oughtta make you smile. Thank you for all that you do.
God Bless the USA
Mitch Tieaskie
Mitch’s Magic Dogs
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Great job Mitch! Looks like a finely tuned machine you have there, keep up the good work (and sorry it took me so long to post this)!
And yes, God Bless the USA – and all of our veterans and their families for all the sacrifices you have made!!!
-Steve
click the picture for a larger view
Were these actually SOLD like the headline reads, or were these given away for free?
Thanks!
Joanne: Wow would that be a great day if theses were actually sold! The dogs were dontated and given away to all the Veterans and Folks that came down to the ceremonies for Memorial Day! I provided the cart and dog slinging expertise to the cause! Such a fun time! Mitch T.
Just think if had charged for them dogs. You did a great service thanks from a fellow American woman slinger
I would just like to know how it’s done… I don’t think the physics work to get a total of 125# of meat (assuming 8 to 1) to 155 degrees by either boiling or steaming off a cart in a 1/2 pan in that brief amount of time…
Assuming a total of 9 – 10 minute periods of time in 1.5 hours… I would need to get 110 hotdogs to 155 degrees (the minimum) by either boiling them all for 2 minutes or steaming them all for 4 minutes… the problem is, you put 110 hotdogs in a boiling 1/2 pan and A.) you immediately cool the water B.) They barely fit.
If you get the first batch to boil enough so the product hits that 155 degrees, the problem then becomes the second batch of 110 hotdogs again cooling the water and not fitting in a 1/2 pan… And the clock is ticking… I think what you end up with is not really cooking the hotdogs, but warming them up somewhat…
I’ve been trying to cook a high quantity of hotdogs in a short period of time for years. I would love to be able to feed 150 people off my cart during a 30 minute lunch break for example. Then get the next 150 fed during the next 30 minute period. But the reality is; I’m better off using a large roaster and starting earlier, than cooking off my cart or anyone else in my area’s cart. But then then that way it’s a company picnic, not a hotdog “experience”…
As always, any tips are appreciated…
The E-Z Built has not one but three 1/2 size pans. We usually use the pan on the left for cooking dogs, the middle pan for hot hold, and the right pan for steaming buns. However, when we do large events we can use all three of those pans in rotation to cook the dogs. That gives us 3X the production capability.
WOW! If I had one day like that I could retire for the winter! (I think) God bless your service, whatever capacity you are or were in.
That’s really moving but it can be done if all you are doing is heating the meat and handing it off to the bun and condiment crew. The E-Z Built Hot Dog Cart has a total of three half size pans. If you use them all at once in rotation it gives you a LOT of capacity.
Tom: It all came down to a well-organized assembly line! While I heated up the dogs (100 or so at a time), the rest of the volunteers bunned and boated up the dogs! I don’t think I looked up from the cart for about 45 Minutes. It was a fast moving ordeal but truly possible! The EZ Cart was rocking!
Kinda gives a new meaning to ” slinging dogs “. What a rush that must have been!
What Steve says is true- Use all three 1/2 size pans and you have significant capacity. I do several large events and have zero problem cooking the meat. If I need extra capacity I can add a big pot of water to a second stove top that is just like the one I have installed in my cart.
We just did 1016 Cheeseburgers in a day in Poland 🙂
Nice Doug!
Truly amazing matey !!
That be one busy day fer sure !!
And thank you for remembering our vets and giving back !!
Bless you my friend.
Arrrrrrr !!!
1St Mate Jim.
Indeed.
It is imposable to sell 1000 in 1.5 hours? That is almost 12 hot dogs per minute. What agout Prep-Time if they were pre cooked?
He started an hour before. Just served heated dogs. Other guys did an assembly line for buns and toppings. This was a volunteer operation.
Tom: You need to replace your stove with a double or triple Cast Iron Camping Stove. They can generate over 200+ degrees. Cooking time can be reduced to a little over 1 minute or so especially skinless. Natural Casings will take a little longer. But you can cook 20 to 30 at a time per pot. You need (2) cooking pots for the dogs. It can be done. I generally do 300 to 500 in 4 hours.
Steve, you are right, it is possible. I did an event for my daughters foster care agency where I served 500 in almost 11/2 hrs with ease. To pull it off you had to carefully plan it.
Bubba Bing Bubba Boom
Ka Ching Ka Ching
Blessings
Chappy
Bing, Ching!!! Way to go Chappy!
Great job done by all involved. My hats off to you.
The way I cook for the masses at some of my events. Is I start out with 80 1/4 # dogs in a full deep pan, ready and hot to go. Then open up, as my supply goes down. I have turkey fryer going filled with water and boiling with the turkey basket. When I dump a pack of 20 dogs in the basket, recover the pot. They are done in about 4-5 minutes(starting as slack dogs) to 165 temp. (I check each batch) then remove basket and drop in my full deep pan, then returning the basket back to the pot and refilling with more dogs. I have served close to 100 people an hour this way(includes taking $,handing out drinks) I do not dress my dogs since I only offer mustard,dill relish,celery salt and, ketchup. (I know 165? yes, I find that my dogs plump really nice at that temp).
“sell em all” jerry
Thanks for the turkey frier used as an auxiliary boiler tip. That’s smart!
Still a Fan of Quality not Quanity
Me too Joe, however there are companies who will pay a slinger $700 – $1000 (after food costs) for a massive hot dog giveaway. A lot of my people love those gigs.
Thats right Steve I was hired by a local Ford dealer to give away hot dogs and soda, THEY BOUGHT.
I was paid $400 for my time and equiptment.
I will do that every chance I get.
Jim
J R FOODS
Right on Jim!
I’ve served up up to 700 dogs in a 3 hour period and what I do is I get a batch boiling in the half size pan and I have twice as many in my full size pan heatimg up. Once the ones in the boiler are hot enough I transfer them into the full size pan and serve from there, by the time I get through most of the dogs in the full size pan, I’ll have another batch of dogs ready to go from the boiler.
That’s what I do too hermano. Good to hear from you!
Have a problem with this
show me the money, where is the cashier?
this is nothing but a cattle call
This was a benefit for Veterans, Joe. The meat, buns, and condiments were donated by very generous people. Mitch served the dogs for free.
Good morning everyone, i am looking for event’s festivals to go to. Anyone can you help thanks
There are several festival websites online that list festivals by state, town, etc. Just Google festivals.
Steve, I absolutely love what Mitch did above. Serving 1,000 hot dogs to veterans in about an hour. Wow! I have several hot dog cart questions regarding the cart’s limitations, if any?. I’m going to be building my cart on an 8 ft. trailer and using 2×3’s for my frame.
I’m assuming that he was cooking approximately 70 hot dogs or so in his full-size steam pan at one time. My questions are:
1) How much extra water would you add to make sure all the hot dogs get cooked evenly? Clearly you could add to much water or not enough. I know the more water you add, the longer it will take to heat it up, etc.
2) Are there weight concerns regarding the amount of water/weight you add to your cart frame/aluminum flat bar rails, etc. Obviously, the more water you add, the more weight you are adding to your cooking area/cart frame/cooking flat bar rails, etc. I’m going to have two full-size pans side to side and I’m wondering if I should be concerned about this much weight being supported by the cart frame, etc. or do you think it can handle it with no problems.
I use enough water so that it comes up to about two inches below the top of the pan when fully loaded with dogs. The move water volume you have, the less it cools down when you add cold dogs. Water weight isn’t a concern in a properly built cart.