Free BBQ menu template for smokehouses
Updated October 20, 2026
Open our free BBQ menu template, add your meats, plates and sides, and download a print-ready PDF or a landscape counter board: it's the Bold board design, dark with a smoky brown accent and a heavy Anton heading, brisket and pulled pork by the half pound and pound, ribs by the half and full rack, and sides by the single or the pint. No sign-up, no email and no watermark. Below: how to set a price per pound from what you pay for raw meat, and the Food Code rules for smoking and holding.
In short
- The template: Bold board, brown on dark, Anton heading; Meats by weight, Plates, Sides.
- Price from yield: a brisket that sells 45% of its raw weight turns $5.20 a pound raw into $11.56 a pound cooked, before trim, labor and wood.
- Smoking for flavor needs no special permit under the FDA Food Code; smoking to preserve food needs a variance.
- Beef cost 3.5% more and pork 0.7% less in September 2026 than a year earlier (BLS).
What's in the BBQ menu template
It opens as "Hickory Hollow BBQ, smoked low and slow, sold by the pound".
| Section | Example items | Sizes |
|---|---|---|
| Meats by weight | Brisket, Pulled pork, Pork spare ribs, Smoked sausage | ½ lb / 1 lb; half rack / full rack; per link |
| Plates | Two-meat plate, Brisket sandwich | One price |
| Sides | Mac and cheese, Coleslaw, Pinto beans, Cornbread | Single / pint |
Print it as a landscape counter board to hang over the cutting station. Doing events too? See the catering menu template.
Worked example: price per pound from yield
You buy raw meat and sell cooked, trimmed meat. The yield is the share of the raw weight you can sell. Weigh yours: it depends on the cut, the trim and the cook.
| Brisket (example numbers) | |
|---|---|
| Raw packer brisket | 14 lb at $5.20/lb = $72.80 |
| Sold weight after trimming and smoking (example yield 45%) | 6.3 lb |
| Meat cost per sold pound | $72.80 ÷ 6.3 = $11.56 |
| Template price | $30/lb |
| Meat cost | 38.5% |
| Same brisket with beef up 3.5% ($5.38/lb) | $11.96 per sold pound, 39.9% |
At a 40% yield the cost per sold pound would be $13.00. That's why BBQ joints that weigh every cook price with confidence. The template's half pound at $16 works out to $32 a pound, a little more than the full pound, which covers the extra handling of small orders. Put your own yields in the recipe cost calculator, then check prices in the menu price calculator.
Smoking and holding: the Food Code rules
From the FDA Food Code 2026, which health departments adopt in some edition:
| Rule | Food Code 2026 | What it means for BBQ |
|---|---|---|
| Smoking | A variance is needed before "smoking food as a method of food preservation rather than as a method of flavor enhancement" (§ 3-502.11(A)), and before curing (§ 3-502.11(B)) | Smoking brisket for service is flavor. Smoked meats you plan to keep as preserved products, or cure, need your health department's approval |
| Hot holding | Hot food held at 135°F or above; whole meat roasts cooked to the Food Code's roast schedule may be held at 130°F or above (§ 3-501.16) | Hold sliced and pulled meat at 135°F; check with a probe thermometer |
| Cooking | Whole meat roasts such as beef and pork have their own time and temperature table (for example 145°F for 4 minutes, or 130°F for 112 minutes); poultry 165°F (§ 3-401.11) | Smoked brisket and pork shoulder are usually cooked far past these minimums; smoked chicken must reach 165°F |
| Reheating for hot holding | Food cooked, cooled and reheated for hot holding must reach 165°F for 15 seconds (§ 3-403.11) | Yesterday's brisket, reheated for today's line, goes to 165°F first |
Copy-ready BBQ menu (Word or Google Docs)
[SMOKEHOUSE NAME] · [Wood] smoked, sold by the pound Open [days and hours] or until we sell out · [Address]
MEATS · ½ lb / 1 lb Brisket .......... $[ ] / $[ ] Pulled pork .......... $[ ] / $[ ] Pork ribs .......... half rack $[ ] / full rack $[ ]
PLATES · [Two meats, two sides] .......... $[ ] SIDES · single / pint · [Side] $[ ] / $[ ]
Our sides use milk, wheat and eggs. Tell us about any food allergy.
Pre-orders for whole briskets
Whole briskets and party packs need notice. On Menuthere's Lite plan (US$17 a month) customers can pre-order for a date and time. Start with your free ordering page (50 orders a month at 0% commission), with ½ lb and 1 lb as sizes on each meat.
FAQs
Is this BBQ menu template free?
Yes. Edit it and download it as a PDF or an image for free, with no sign-up and no watermark.
How do I price brisket per pound?
Divide what the raw brisket cost by the pounds you actually sell after trimming and cooking. A 14-pound brisket at $5.20 a pound that sells 6.3 pounds costs $11.56 per sold pound in meat alone, before labor, wood and sides.
Do I need a permit to smoke meat?
Smoking for flavor is ordinary cooking under the FDA Food Code. Smoking as a way to preserve food, or curing, needs a variance from your health department.
What temperature should BBQ be held at?
Under the FDA Food Code, hot food is held at 135 degrees Fahrenheit or above. Whole meat roasts cooked to the Food Code's roast schedule may be held at 130 degrees or above.
Is there a BBQ menu template for Word?
The menu maker downloads PDFs and images, not Word files. Use the copy-ready layout on this page in Word or Google Docs.
Sources (2)
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Food Code 2026: § 3-502.11(A)–(B) (variance for smoking as preservation, curing), § 3-501.16(A)(1) (135°F; roasts 130°F), § 3-401.11(A)(3) and (B) (poultry 165°F; whole roast table incl. 130°F/112 min, 145°F/4 min), § 3-403.11(A) (reheat to 165°F for 15 s). https://www.fda.gov/food/fda-food-code/food-code-2026 (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI Table 2, September 2026: beef and veal +3.5%, pork −0.7% (unadjusted, 12 months). https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.t02.htm (accessed 20 Oct 2026)