BIG JIM’S CATERING
ABOUT BIG JIM’S CATERING
Humble Beginnings…
‘For verily I say unto you, that whosoever shall say unto this mountain, “Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea”; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.’
Big Jim’s Rolling Smokehouse and Mobile BBQ Kitchen
Big Jim’s Smokin’ Butts Rolling Smokehouse and Mobile BBQ Kitchen is a Grade A Certified, Licensed, Insured and Recognized OFFICIAL FOOD VENDOR by the State of Florida. We are ready to cater your event or feed you from our mobile location. Find us on the map, our calendar, or just put your nose in the air and take a whiff… You Can Smell Our Butts For Miles.
About Big Jim…
Big Jim began his BBQ career in L.A. – that’s Lower Alabama – in 1996. Since then, he has enjoyed outdoor cooking, meat-smoking and serving delicious foods to hungry followers. Early on, he was brought into the team of a very successful local BBQ pit-master. He worked as a runner, a go-fer and an apprentice for this talented and hard-working pit crew. He was the one getting the wood loaded on the trailer, fetching the pans and learning the routine. During his time as a side-kick / apprentice, he learned the lost art and trade of direct-heat cooking. Direct-heat BBQ-ing is the true southern method and is the only way to get the full flavor and taste of real southern BBQ.
I’m often asked, ‘What kind of BBQ do you make?’
“I’m often asked what style of BBQ I serve, St. Louis, Kansas City, North Carolina, Texas, etc.
…My answer is that I cook a true southern style of BBQ. The Big Jim’s award-winning style of BBQ. You get to taste what I have learned with over 30 years of cooking BBQ. I’m very serious about my trade and the quality of the product I produce. The key ingredient to consistently producing a quality product is humility. You have to be told your food is good without it going to your head.
Each time I fire up my pit, I make food like I’m cooking for a king. You get my best effort every time…”
The direct-heat BBQ method is the most difficult method of cooking BBQ, but produces the best taste and highest quality flavor of all methods. Direct-heat BBQ is a strategy that requires more attention to the meat and the pit while searing and encapsulating the meat and the juices. The meat is put directly over the flames so you really have to watch it. The direct method cooks the meat faster but still gives it the visually distinctive smoke ring and unique flavor of the wood that you use. The main difference between direct-heat and slow & low is with direct-heat you get to taste the flavor of the meat, wood, and spices used on the meat. The natural juices from the meat make the biggest difference. Slow & low almost always requires you to use an artificial flavor injection in your meat to keep it from drying out during the very long cooking process. As a result you taste the flavor that the cook decides to give you as opposed to the natural flavor of the meat. At Big Jim’s, we don’t use injectors and what you taste is all natural. There are very few all-natural, direct-heat BBQ cooks around anymore. That is just one reason why Big Jim’s Smokin’ Butts BBQ is so unique.
Big Jim and Friends Sampling the Award-winning Southern Smoked ‘Candy Apple’ Ribs
He was on this team for almost ten years before venturing out on his own. He moved to Dade County in 2005 and found himself on his own, away from his team and mentor. How he became a Florida BBQ Champion was fast and easy for him. He says “I was asked by a friend who knew me from the team in L.A. to cater a law enforcement event for around 200 people. That was an easy number because we had done it a hundred times. But this time I was on my own. I didn’t even have my own pit yet. I borrowed a pit from a co-worker and put on this event right by myself. I cooked on this pit directly over the fire and by the end of the day, I was being told it was the best BBQ ever.” He was officially a solo act. From there, he ordered a specially built pit that suited his style, and began cooking and catering all kinds of events and parties. All with the same blessed results and responses from his friends and buyers… “Best BBQ Ever”.
At its heart, Big Jim’s Catering has always been about bringing people together. From the early days of Big Jim’s Smokin’ Butts to the events we serve today, the goal has never changed—take care of people, serve great food, and make every gathering feel special. It’s the smiles around the table, the conversations that happen over a shared meal, and those moments that linger long after the day is done that matter most. That’s what drives everything we do, and it’s why we treat every event like it’s our own.
Today, Big Jim’s Catering proudly provides wedding catering, corporate catering, and full-service event catering throughout Vernon, Panama City, and surrounding areas. From elegant grazing tables to complete event setups, we work closely with you to create a seamless, memorable experience tailored to your vision. Whether you’re planning a once-in-a-lifetime wedding or an important corporate gathering, we’re here to make it easy, reliable, and unforgettable. Contact us today to check availability and start planning your event.
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Request a quote for BBQ catering, grazing tables, or event catering near you now. Dates fill quickly, and Florida folks love our beautiful grazing tables and catering spreads.
Monday – Saturday 9a – 5p
Weekends & Holidays by appointment
Weekends & Holidays by appointment
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3550 Fanning Branch Rd., Vernon, Florida 32462