Plan for Big Cook (~50 people)

[bbq_esq]

So, the second revised plan for this Saturday:

Pulled Pork - cook Friday in PBC, pull and store Friday then serve Saturday in big crockpot with some extra liquid and sauce

Brisket - I'm still on the fence here. Option (a) is to hang late Friday, go to sleep for a while then wake up to wrap and finish, followed by long hold in oven until serving time OR Option (b) is they go in earlier on Friday (butts will be done or wrapped elsewhere), plan to have them "done" by around midnight Friday then a much longer heated hold in the oven until serving time. (b) is a little easier but I haven't done that long of a hold and running the oven for 12 hours in June doesn't sound fun. I shall ponder this.

Hot dogs - easy, cooked day of

Queso - prepped Friday, onto SnS Friday morning before party, served in smaller crockpot

Pork belly burnt ends - cook on SnS Friday (or PBC if I have room but doubt it with two butts), then finish with the braise Saturday. I'm doing these with an Asian sauce, maybe just Bachan plus some garlic and ginger.

Pulled chicken sliders - Following Malcolm Reed's recipe for these. Pulled chicken (just gonna buy rotisseries at Costco), make the mixture Friday, onto sliders Saturday and finish in the oven or on gasser to warm through.

[STEbbq]

I’d go for option a, assuming you have an alarm set up in case of a major problem. I am not really sold on super-long hold times. I think 2-3 hours is the minimum though.

[HawkerXP]

I saw in our Costco that they have already pulled chicken in bags from their rotisserie chicken. Save a step.

[bbq_esq]

STEbbq that is how I am leaning, as I haven't done that length of a hold. I've found 3-4 to work very well. I have a Thermoworks smoke so I can keep an eye on the barrel temps (basically just monitoring for big temp drops), and it should be ready to wrap by the time I wake up at 6am

[bbq_esq]

Update here - butts cooked and shredded yesterday. They came out great. Going into crockpot shortly with some apple juice and sauce. Easy.

pork belly cubes on SNS kettle now. Timing didn’t work out for cooking day before as we had another party to attend. Figures. Either way I’m not worried about timing for those.

queso is prepped and ready. Plan to pop those on the SnS once the PBBE are done so I can serve hot. Have a small crockpot for that.

buffalo chicken sliders (Malcolm Reed recipe) are all set except for the chicken 😂 have to get the pre pulled bags from Costco when I get the cake. Not a complicated process and will probably just heat them up on the gasser for ease.

two briskets went on last night around 12. Barrel ran at around 250 all night but I don’t stress over the PBC temps anymore. Got them out around 5:30 am. Bark was set but the color was eh. Not the meteorite I like to see, little reddish. I will say I didn’t like either of these packers. Butchering was poor and point was small on both. I wrapped in oven to 198, pulled and let the carryover take it to 203. Let them rest until back to like 150 now in oven which holds around 160-170. I have a feeling I could end up chopping these. Just two ugly briskets lol

and of course two big packs of thumanns ready to rock on the gasser

[Draznnl]

Everything looks great. Love all the pics.
But seriously, sounds like you have things under control. Good job.

[bbq_esq]

Draznnl haha too frantic for pics. But it all went very well. Pork belly burnt ends were the biggest hit I’d say, and that was my first time doing those so I am happy camper

[bbq_esq]

Okay just one pic, my post clean up pulled pork sammich.

[bbq_esq]

I am doing this party again this year - promise there will be pictures this time!!

Menu so far, based on what I learned last year and what I feel like cooking:

Pulled pork

Street tacos (marinate flap meat, grill hot and fast and chop it up, serve with diced onion/cilantro, not home-made salsa and tortillas). Grilled on the kettle.

Wings - i know these are finnicky to get right for a party but I've made them for smaller groups in the PBC and they are a hit. Nothing else getting cooked in there day of the party so those are going out hot from the barrel

Pork Belly Burnt Ends - will try to make day before and finish day of this year. Last year I was thwarted by my brother's engagement party and a few too many tequilas (still managed to get my briskets on the smoker though!)

Hot dogs - because kids and who doesn't like a nice tube steak

Any sides will be store bought (Costco)

[Santamarina]

This year’s menu sounds just as good as last years!

I’m a huge fan of cooking early and doing long holds. Even those street tacos can be cooked early. Grill, chop, and vac seal/Ziploc bag. Toss it in some warm water and open when ready. They’ll taste just as good as fresh off the grill, and all you have to do at meal time is warm the tortillas!

[bbq_esq]

update menu:

As of now about 50 or so people. About 30 adults, more than half men, and around 20 or so kids.


Pulled pork

Brisket - decided to bring this back after about 15 people asked if i was making it again and I am a people-pleaser lol. Also, had a prime packer in my deep freeze begging for smoke. It's also relatively low stress since I used a long heated rest - the only hitch there was my oven decided it was going to take the summer off and the replacement won't arrive until after the party. So, I picked up a 22 qt turkey roaster for about $60. Going to play around with it to gauge temps but I think it will work.

Bacon wrapped chicken bites - Wings out, too finnicky and frankly wings are just expensive to feed a crowd. I'll make myself some wings in the near future as I am craving a smoked wing. Basically, take boneless skinless thighs, cut into bite size pieces, wrap half slice of bacon and season. More work in advance but easy to throw on the PBC an hour or so before the party. Huge hit last time I made them, even my extremely picky FIL ate multiple. I'll either toothpick them individually or just use my larger metal skewers for a bit less work.

Pork belly burnt ends - Again, I considered dropping these but another one people asked if I was making, and only way I am going to use up the whole belly in my freezer. Not sure if these will just be another day of cook (starting early of course) or if I do the initial smoke Friday and then the wrapped cook and finish Saturday. Probably just do it day of as the party isnt until 2pm and I'm up around 6 (kids are fun!)

Hot dogs - picked up a pack of Thumann's at Costco, an extremely tasty frankfurter. Maybe it is a regional thing, but aside from the 1.50 Costco Dog, I very rarely find people making or serving all beef dogs in NJ. The standard hot dog for my life has always been a pork/beef natural casing dog. Just a musing, don't want to start a weenie war.

Costco sides

Will post pics as I go. Planning to trim up and start dry brine on brisket tonight!

[realdocBBQ]

Thumann's... haven't seen those at Costco, but I might look for them. Could be regional, like you said. Sounds like a solid plan! Good for you, man! I'd like to do a big cook sometime - haven't cooked ANYTHING in... I dunno, 3-4 weeks, it seems.

[bbq_esq]

realdocBBQ I am looking forward to it, the weather has been so bad here that I am way off my typical bbq quota.

as for Thumanns, I’d guess regional. They are definitely made in NJ. Costco price is just really really good vs anywhere else, assuming you want 5lbs of hot dogs

[bbq_esq]

Pics from brisket trim. Was much happier with this Costco prime vs the last few primes from Wild Fork (also I believe it was $15 off). I haven’t perfected my trim of the top side far so scalped it a few times but I not worried about, more of an annoyance. I also have a tendency to create that weird narrow spot on the point after I carve out the biggest hunks of fat but looks fine smoked and sliced so whatever. No binder just a SPG (2 parts black pepper, 1 part salt, 1 part Lawry’s, 1/2 part granulated garlic.

Side note - I trim fairly aggressively so I have a ton of scraps. I’m never quite sure what I should use for ground meat. I have at least a pound of filet trimming I plan to grind up as well so the big chunks of fat will work to get to 80/20ish, but is there anything that I shouldn’t grind up? The softer “mushy” fat? The oxidized scraps? And I’d think I’m fine refreezing the brisket scraps if the end goal is hamburger eventually?

[Michael_in_TX]

Your questions on the trimming are the same as mine! I'm never quite sure how to separate it all out....or if it even matters.

[SheilaAnn]

It all sounds great! If you can do anything ahead of time, do it!!

[bbq_esq]

If you are looking to do more in advance, the PBBEs can be smoked the day before and then on Saturday can just to the final braise. I've done that before and didn't see any negative impact. And the braise is covered mostly, so can just stick it in the oven to free up a grill or make it one less thing to manage

Shift - I am thinking of doing this approach this year. I typically follow Malcom Reed's recipe. So, initial smoke until I get the color/bark I want, then braise in covered pan(s) with whatever liquid I am feeling at the moment then a final uncovered glaze. I'm thinking I do the first step (smoke), then the braise/glaze steps tomorrow?

[shify]

When I've separated the cook over two days, that's exactly how I did it. Smoke the first day and then the braise/glaze on day 2. The braise may take a bit longer being you are starting from cold vs. ~150 degrees, so just make sure to add that extra time into that part of the cook

[bbq_esq]

Was doing my final shopping and was possessed with the urge to make smoke cream cheese with pepper jelly and crackers. I am only human and the crappy weather here has me itching to BBQ.

Pork butts are on the PBC right, now will post pics when I check the color in a bit. Kosher salt, light coat of Lawry's and my honey rub. Basically a standard BBQ rub with some granulated honey in place of some of the brown/white sugar, plus a hit of korean chili flake, which is not spicy, more of a sweet/smokey profile. Should give it a nice color along with the cherry wood.

photo added - PBC running like a charm. Picked up some magnets, running with the vent nearly closed (mine isn’t flush), 2 holes covered, steadily around 260-270.

[bbq_esq]

Here we are at 168F. This point I’m gonna let them go. PBC is running like a dream, bought some small magnets for the rebar holes which are working really well and no fussing with the bars when I don’t need em.

Temps slowly going up but will wrap if necessary to get them done. Then will let them rest before I shred, into foil pans tightly covered and in fridge until tomorrow. Will warm in a large crockpot for service.

[bbq_esq]

Butt came off PBC about an hour ago, the barrel was trying her darkest but she was out of smoke. I have them in the turkey roaster to get to 195. Stalled pretty hard at 175 but I can wait all night (that is, midnight). I had a few pieces of the barked up fat cap that stuck to the grate and it was quite good. Brisket will get hooked and hung with new coal/wood around 11:30. Everything else is happening in the morning. Fortunately some family are coming by to hang with the kids so I can do my thing. Probably last update until I see the brisket in the morning.

[bbq_esq]

Pork pulled after about an hour rest. Came out very good. Wrapped in cling wrap and foil. Not much in the way of liquid in the foil, I did these fat side down so I’m guessing there was quite a bit of rendering.

brisket went on around 11:30. PBC settling nicely around 225. I expect that to creep up gradually. Will try to keep pics coming, if not, I’ll get some final shots.

[SheilaAnn]

You got this!!!!

[bbq_esq]

Well, 3:30 am update, which is never a good thing.

took a peek at my Smoke and was surprised to see both the barrel and the meat proving at 265! Not good, I assumed brisket somehow fell and is now toast. I double hook and this has never happened, nor I could imagine how so quickly.

anyway I go out into the damp night and my brisker is fine. Starting to bark up but still around 140 per thermapen and tough as hell.

I kept retrying to prove and kept giving me the same super high number. So I guess the probe went bad, or something. Brisket is back on probeless so now I’m just flying by the seat of my pants. Hopefully another 2.5 hours is fine because that’s when I’m checking again.

[realdocBBQ]

Wow, gotta love it when that happens! Nothing like waking up in the middle of the night, rolling over to check your phone for the temps and then bounding out of bed in a panic because of some reading. lol I'm glad it was just a probe error, though, thank goodness!

[bbq_esq]

I think it was the result of possibly using one good and one dead battery in the Smoke. So that is on me I guess. Lost an hour of sleep but I have little kids so I am accustomed to that.

[jfmorris]

Yeah, I've had a few Thermoworks probes go bad that way. Since I have a Dot AND a Smoke, I usually have a spare on hand, and last sale Thermoworks had, I ordered a couple of extra probes to have on hand... just for failures like this.

EDIT: Just saw it was the battery! Glad it was an easy fix...