Pit catering
Bay Area pit catering guide
Our pit cooks the food. Our crew brings it, carves it, and keeps it hot. Here is how a catering day works, how much to plan on, and how we hold food safely from pit to plate.
Where we cater
We cook at the smokehouse on Mission Street and serve San Francisco, Oakland, and the Peninsula, from backyard parties and weddings to office lunches and block parties. We plan menus for 15 to 200 guests. If your event is outside that range or that map, write to us and we will tell you honestly what we can do.
How a catering day runs
| When | What happens | Temperature |
|---|---|---|
| Night before | Brisket and shoulders go on the offset pit | 225°F–250°F |
| Morning | Meat reaches probe-tender, is rested wrapped, then loaded into Cambros | 203°F |
| Loading | Hot food probed and logged before it leaves | 145°F+ |
| Arrival | Crew sets up carving station, sides, and sauces. Temperatures checked again | 145°F+ |
| Service | Meats carved to order. Temperatures logged every 30 minutes | 145°F+ |
| Wrap-up | Leftovers packed, station cleared, event area left clean | – |
On-site carving stations
Brisket slices best the moment it is carved, so we carve at your event. A pitmaster stands at the station with a long slicer and a cutting board, and every plate gets cut to order, point or flat. Ribs are portioned from the rack at the station and pulled pork is dressed in vinegar in the pan. Guests get a short chat with the person who cooked their dinner, which is half the fun.
Cambro holding protocol
We transport and hold hot food in insulated Cambro carriers. Our standards:
- Preheat the Cambros. We warm each one with hot water before loading, so the walls aren’t pulling heat out of the food.
- Load hot. Food goes in at 145°F or higher, wrapped, with no dead space.
- Probe it. We check with a calibrated thermometer at loading, on arrival, and every 30 minutes during service.
- Hold above the line. Our target is 145°F+. The California hot-holding minimum is 135°F, and we keep a cushion above it.
- If it drops, we fix it. Anything that falls below the line is reheated to 165°F or discarded.
How much food to plan on
At a standard appetite, plan on half a pound of cooked meat per guest, plus three sides at about four ounces each. Meat loses about half its weight on the pit, so you buy roughly twice what you serve. For a precise number with your own menu and appetite, use the catering calculator on our homepage.
| Guests | Cooked meat | Raw to cook | Sides | Cambros |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | 7.5 lb | 14 lb | 11.25 lb | 1 |
| 25 | 12.5 lb | 23 lb | 18.75 lb | 2 |
| 50 | 25 lb | 47 lb | 37.5 lb | 3 |
| 100 | 50 lb | 93 lb | 75 lb | 5 |
| 150 | 75 lb | 140 lb | 112.5 lb | 7 |
| 200 | 100 lb | 186 lb | 150 lb | 9 |
Planning figures, rounded. Hearty crowds and big eaters need more. A Cambro holds roughly 30 lb of hot food for our purposes.
Common questions
How far ahead should I book?
As early as you can, especially for weekends and wedding season. Send your date, headcount, venue address, and any allergy needs to catering@babybluessf.com, and we will reply with options.
Do you serve guests with allergies or dietary needs?
We will do our best, and we will be honest about what we can and can’t promise. The pit handles pork, beef, wheat, dairy, and tree-nut woods, so tell us early about any allergies.
Can you cater at a venue without a kitchen?
Usually, yes. Our food is cooked at the smokehouse and held hot, so all we need is a table, power access if possible, and somewhere to park.
What does catering cost?
It depends on headcount, menu, location, and service style. Tell us about your event and we will send a clear quote.
Tell us about your event
Date, guest count, and neighborhood is all we need to start. Write to catering@babybluessf.com. Hosting a smaller get-together? Read our family BBQ game night guide.