Well things got busy as always but everything was a huge success. Of course I failed on the pictures but here is some brisket shots. No leftovers aside from about a quart of pulled pork which is fine by me.
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Everything looks fantastic, great job.Comment
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Again, sorry there weren't more pictures. When I get that last hot dog in the pan and crack a beer, it's hard to remember to do anything else (plus people were already swarming lol)
Brisket - big success, the turkey roaster worked like an absolute charm for heated rest. Held the brisket at 150-155 perfectly. I wish I had done 2 briskets as it was very popular, but I haven't figured out how to get the bark I want (like this time) with 2 in there.
Pulled pork - always a hit, no complaints there. Shredded into big pieces on Friday, into crockpot Saturday morning with some apple juice and juice from a jar of maraschino cherries (though it would complement the cherrywood smoke). Lightly sauced with dino bbq honey garlic. Very popular and my 2 year old son ate 2 whole sandwiches. Enough leftovers to freeze for a future meal or some football season nachos.
Pork belly burnt ends - I cooked a whole belly from Costco (had to remove skin) and not a nibble left. I grabbed a few bites just as I served, hard to beat those. MeatChurch The Gospel, then braised in some light brown sugar, unsalted butter and hot honey.
Chicken wrapped bacon - seasoned with MeatChurch Voodoo, which is a bit salty, so maybe a different rub or unsalted bacon next time, but just me being nitpicky. These were the last thing out as I was riding on the end of the PBC charcoal from the PBBE and I wanted the bacon to crisp, but worked out fine, just took some time.
Smoked cream cheese - no complaints here. MeatChurch Gospel and some pepper jelly. Nice way to get peoples attention to the food table before everything else came out.Comment
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Sounds like you had a rousing success. Well done!Comment
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Well, it's that time of the year again (sort of - it's cold and rainy here still), but time to start planning my cook for 2 months from now.
I expect the numbers to go up a bit, because I can't have anything be easy.
Some history:
Big bday party for my son at end of June, has become my big "look how good I can Q" event:
First year I did pulled pork, brisket, smoked queso, pork belly burnt ends, buffalo chicken dip sliders (Malcom's recipe) and of course hot dogs . Second year it was similar, did a smoked cream cheese app instead of the queso - the queso is great but hard to keep from congealing even in a small crockpot, and the cream cheese is so easy to throw and keep the hungriest people at bay while I finish up. I also did Malcom Reed's dirty bird chicken bites instead of the sliders, also a hit. Basically, chunk of chicken thigh, wrapped in bacon, rubbed and smoked.
I am planning this years cook. Last two years, I did everything on a Pit Barrel Cooker, SnS kettle and a old gasser, which basically served as real estate for keeping things warm or if something was finishing covered (pork belly for example).
I am planning this years cook, and I'd appreciate any ideas. My set-up now includes a Primo XL and a Grilla Primate (4 burner griddle/gasser). The old gasser is gone, but I still have the SnS and PBC (stored as my wife will not tolerate that many visible cookers)
-The pulled pork is always going to be in because it's so easy and is a crowd-pleaser - I will usually do those overnight on the PBC, hold them until an hour or so before the party and then pull them and pop in a crockpot. Easy.
-Hot dogs have to be in because of all the kids, and again, easy. Usually someone wants to help and I put them on dog duty (an honor and a privilege). Those just go on the griddle this year.
-Pork belly burnt ends are hard to skip - they are such a hit, I don't cook them often and they are pretty easy. I usually prep night before, smoke in the morning, then cover and braise closer to "service", before giving them a few minutes uncovered before they go into a chaffing dish. That said, the only other thing I was considering was party ribs. I love making Malcom Reed's Asian-style ribs, and I think they'd be about the same cook as the PBBEs. The prep is frontloaded, get them in some smoke for a few hours in the morning, into a pan to braise a bit then uncover to finish. Only thing I am I'm thinking is that the PBBE is a bit more forgiving. You go over with ribs, no bueno.
-I don't think I am doing brisket this year, partially because of the prices, and because it takes the most babysitting. I have a really nice big prime packer in the freeze, but I am going to save that for my birthday in July. I was thinking of getting a few tri-tips, get them in some smoke in the morning with the goal of having them to like 110-115 an hour or so before the party, hold them, then sear off on the Primo when things get going. Slice em, serve with some chimichurri, maybe some slider rolls, be a hero. I don't mind doing SOME grilling when people are there, and cooking big roasts is easier then flipping a ton of smaller stuff.
-I like to have a chicken option, even it gets wrapped in bacon. The dirty bird bites are great, obviously some prep to do but I don't mind that, and hard to overcook. I was also considering Malcom Reed's bourbon brown sugar skewers, or something similar (chunks of chicken thigh on disposable skewers) - again, good amount of prep, but then you just cook them off whenever, likely on the gas grill or the Primo XL. The upside of the dirty bird bites is that those just cook all the way through in the PBC and then go into a pan. I thought about pulled chicken but just too much work and tendency to dry out in my experience if its not pulled right before "service".
I'd like to somehow put the Primate to use, given all the cooking space. I make a mean Oklahoma onion burger, but making that many burgers is not my idea of a fun cook - that's an "under 10" cook IMO.
Only other thing I could think of was doing some cheesesteak sliders, which would be very easy if the meat/veg are all prepped and ready to go, but I don't really need another beef option.
I will probably just do the smoked cream cheese - the queso is so good, but its a mess and hard to really keep it looking good, even in a crockpot. The cream cheese I just put in a cast iron skillet, cover it with rub and hot pepper jelly then throw it on early and serve with club crackers.Comment
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Sounds like you've got it covered!
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Wowza! Need a sous chef? All looks great. How about for beef, do a chuckie and shred and set up a minimal street taco station? By minimal, I mean limes, pico or cilantro/onion mix and a couple salsas. Add tortilla chips and it doubles as pre-feast nibbles. Kick it up a notch and make:
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A VERY BIG cook for me would be 10 people. Anything bigger than that is handled by a local caterer. You have my sincerest appreciation & accolades, bbq_esq, for just attempting an endeavor of that magnitude.
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bbq_esq
I have done Huli Huli marinated chicken thighs on my PBC several times and they are great. The coal basket in the bottom as normal, cook the chicken thighs in the normal rack position. Baste and cook till done and they can hold well in a foil pan. Something like this:
Huli Huli has pineapple with it. You could also grill some pineapple slabs.
Also, marinated flank steak if the tri-tip doesn't work. Hot charcoal and flip, flip, flip till done something like this:
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That Primo XL makes a fantastic overnight smoker. A bit different flavor than the PBC, but a full load of lump in the Primo will last 18-24 hrs easily. During the past several Christmas holidays I’ve ran mine for 36+ hours with just one refill (if I remember correctly) to cook for a string of meals. I use a Fireboard controller on it and it just cruises along. It does such a good job it (and a masterbuilt gravity series) gradually replaced my PBC.Last edited by Brian_M; April 30, 2026, 04:03 PM.Comment
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bbq_esq
For the flank steak on the PBC I basically did this:
Drilled holes for a lower grate position, used my hinged grate at the lower grate position, then set the charcoal basket on the hinged grate. It raises the basket 12”. There have been other times I used fire bricks between the hinged grate to raise it more. Be careful you have a steady setup.Comment
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I decided that cooking tri-tip for a crowd this size is just going to too much slicing. Of course, Mrs. BBQ-Esq came up with a great idea - I made an incredible cheesesteak the other week, she suggested why not do that on some King's Hawaiian rolls. I love the idea - I can do all the prep before, have my meat and veg ready in a foil pan, and it's a relatively quick, low stress cook. When I did it myself, I took some ribeye end trimmings and sliced them up myself, for this I am going to talk to my buddy at the good butcher shop and ask him to just slice it up for me (probably choice ribeye). Probably end up costing less than either brisket or tri-tip as less meat will go further with the onions, peppers and cheese.
So far:
Pulled pork - usually cooked overnight in PBC or Primo, no wrap, held in the oven for as long as necessary, then pulled and into a crockpot at least an hour before the party. Served with rolls and pickles.
Hot dogs - no explanation needed, just roll 'em on the griddle and into foil pan over sterno.
Pork bully burnt ends - prep night before, cook morning of, these I like to finish uncovered as people are arriving. I've done them enough that they don't stress me out, and again, you just take the pan and pop it on the sterno.
Cheesesteak sliders - as discussed
While I offered to just get sides from Costco, my wife wants to make those, which probably means potato salad and orzo salad, both very good and filling options.
I like to have a chicken option, but I might skip it this year. Otherwise, probably just some smoked cream cheese for a quick app.
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