Master BBQer.

Any BBq PROs out there?

I'm BBqing for 200 on Sunday.
The most I've done before is 45 friends at a party or 90 public at a venue.
I'm just supplying myself and the grill. My only remit is that I won't grill rubish.

Any tips for coping with that volume?

What kind of menu and are you the only cook? Used to work on a pro team for the Houston Rodeo years and years ago. 18 wheeler with a 20' Smoker and a 10' Grille

I have a 4ft charcoal grill, I'm the only cook (but will not be serving). It's a budget menu $6 a head but I'm not shopping.

How big is your grill? If it were me, I'd be smoking pork shoulders for Pulled Pork sandwiches.

Here's about 70 pounds of pork Boston Butt cuts getting ready to smoke for 22 hours. It yielded about 40 pounds of meat and would make about 200 sandwiches.



Here they are after 20 hours.


Here's what the finished product looks like.


If you can't smoke some meat, I recommend chicken quarters and brats.

If you have any say in the menu, and can smoke, then Ed's Idea is always a crowd pleaser. If you want some variety, Brisket can be served in MANY ways, Chicken is a REAL tough one to pull off well, because if you do not time it correctly, it will get slimy on you (chicken has a very short "premium" serving time) Sausage is an easy crowd pleaser with very little effort. Ribs can be a pain in the arse unless you will have help prepping them (removing the membrane off the inside) Can you give us some idea of equipment or how much input you have to the meats being served?

Whoah...200 heads on a 4-foot charcoal grill...you're gonna be a busy bee!

When you say "barbecue", what do you mean? burgers? dogs? steaks? chicken? or actual pork barbecue?

I think you should just send 'em all to Edwort's house!

I smoked some ribs and a chicken a couple of weeks ago on My first brew day. It was a pretty good day! Nothin like smoking and brewing all in one day!

Well with 4 foot 200 people and a budget it will be grilling not real BBQing.

I managed the 90 last year without a problem. I have a meeting to attend on Friday so I'll be laying the ground rules then. If they want on the bone chicken then it'll have to be 90 cooked and fetched straight to me hot for finishing

I'd go burgers & brats for that crowd. If I was over there, I'd be glad to volunteer to help cook (as long as my glass was kept full)

I'd be glad of the help and you'd be welcome.

Now for the bad news. I have to drive to the Venue so I can't drink!

you have know idea how hungry you just made me Ed.

Ryanh1801 said:

you have know idea how hungry you just made me Ed.

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Yeah, I'm making myself hungry. I need to whip up some of these. Jalapenos, stuffed with cream cheese, minced garlic & a smokie link, then wrapped with bacon and smoked with hickory for 45 minutes till the bacon is crisp.

EdWort said:

Yeah, I'm making myself hungry. I need to whip up some of these. Jalapenos, stuffed with cream cheese, minced garlic & a smokie link, then wrapped with bacon and smoked with hickory for 45 minutes till the bacon is crisp.

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AAAAND you officially suck for that picture...


*off to find something to eat*

I hate you!!! Im eating a ground turkey patty made on my cheap ass grill with some grilled veggies.

Then again, there's alway wings..



Or Johnsonville Brats...



Maybe some ribs...



Or just 4 beer butt chickens!



Anyway, it's time for dinner!

Is that one of those ifamous green eggs? Is that made of ceramic? looks cool...

Brewing Clamper said:

Is that one of those ifamous green eggs? Is that made of ceramic? looks cool...

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Yep, that's the Big Green Egg. The ceramic cooker, grill, smoker, oven. My "other" obsession.

Yeah, with that kind of info Orfy, I would deff. go with hamburgers and sausages. Fast and easy, just watch the flame up. If you ever make it to Dallas, Gimmie a shout. I'll break out the smoked BBQ

Food porn!! :rockin: The pics of the ABTs (Atomic Buffalo Turds, aka stuffed peppers) are makin' me hungry! Gonna break out the spares tomorrow now for sure!

Orfy, that is one hell of an undertaking. If I was cooking for that many, I'd make up a rider that specified two-way transportation, someone to haul a few kegs of homebrew, and some to keep you topped off.

EdWort said:

Yep, that's the Big Green Egg. The ceramic cooker, grill, smoker, oven. My "other" obsession.

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Yeah Edwort, smoking and BBQ-ing are one of my other hobbies as well. Unfortunately I am not fortunate enough to have a BGE! I am rockin' the ECB (el cheapo Brinkmann) right now, as well a a Kenmore gas grill. Do you frequent any BBQ forums? I am at the The Smoke Ring.
It's a pretty good forum, but I had a mishap while updating my personal info and now my password doesn't work!


If you like guns then we're 3 for 3!:cross:

OMG.... ED.... DAMMIT.....


chowgasm!


Now i gotta go find a smoke... dammit....


Ize

I concur with Ed, Orfy. At that volume and budget you want something that isn't going to eat up your grill space and be low cost. A big aluminum tray of pulled pork is a great idea, and about half the volume of the food comes from the rolls which you don't have to put any effort into. You'll be able to plate up easy and fast.

Yeah chicken would have to only be finished on the grill as you say. Ribs are out of the question for that size crowd and grill. Even burgers are going to give you back up, I guess it all depends on how fast you want to get everyone served up.

Ooh I know...Brisket man. You could get a few really nice size Briskets on there. Add some smoke to the grill somehow, paper thin slice (yeah a prep phase, but if you aren't plating...). Serve it on rolls with maybe some onion, jalapeno slice...etc.

Drunkensatyr said:

If you have any say in the menu, and can smoke, then Ed's Idea is always a crowd pleaser. If you want some variety, Brisket can be served in MANY ways, Chicken is a REAL tough one to pull off well, because if you do not time it correctly, it will get slimy on you (chicken has a very short "premium" serving time) Sausage is an easy crowd pleaser with very little effort. Ribs can be a pain in the arse unless you will have help prepping them (removing the membrane off the inside) Can you give us some idea of equipment or how much input you have to the meats being served?

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Missed this, yeah I second the Brisket.

I've grilled for 100 before. The only thing that was able to meet demand were the hot dogs (good ol' fashioned American frankfurters!) I was on a little backyard bbq and kept loading the grill up with dozens of dogs and they cook quickly.

I fit burgers in where I could, but there was always a back log on the burgers.

Dogs or sausages would probably be the easiest way to go, for you especially!

More food pr0n!

Grilled corn & bbq beans:


Pulled pork:

Mmmmmmm!!! BBQ Porn! I just have to contribute to making everyone else hungery tonight.........Damn It.......now I have to get some thing to eat.

Cheers

Well the BBQ was set for 2PM and it started raining about 12pm and didn't stop.
We had a meet to a 10am to decide. I swayed the vote to go ahead and decided to cater for hundred instead of 200.

I lit at 10.30
11 am put on a full leg of goat
12 I put on a tray of peppered potatoes for roasting.
followed by
50 chicken portions (microwaved to start them)
50 brats
50 burgers
2 sides of salmon
10 mackerel
5 butter nut squash
8 sweet potatoes
1 pan of onions cooked in the chicken stock

Popcorn
chocolate sauce and toasted marsh mellows.

1 gallon of HB fruit wine and a keg of Hobgoblin.

That, my friend was a busy day

I smoked a brisket yesterday :fro:

talleymonster said:

Yeah Edwort, smoking and BBQ-ing are one of my other hobbies as well. Unfortunately I am not fortunate enough to have a BGE! I am rockin' the ECB (el cheapo Brinkmann) right now, as well a a Kenmore gas grill. Do you frequent any BBQ forums? I am at the The Smoke Ring.
It's a pretty good forum, but I had a mishap while updating my personal info and now my password doesn't work!


If you like guns then we're 3 for 3!:cross:

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I'm a Weber Smoky Mountain Smoker guy myself, check this out: http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/ This is an awesome site, full of like-minded engineer-type folks who love to tweak their grills. There are actually pro BBQ teams who just use a couple of these and do very well.

I really like the BGE, but couldn't justify the cost (You could buy 2 WSM's for 1 BGE). Ed- Out of curiosity, what size BGE's are you working with? Definitely a sweet setup!:rockin:

EdWort said:

Yeah, I'm making myself hungry. I need to whip up some of these. Jalapenos, stuffed with cream cheese, minced garlic & a smokie link, then wrapped with bacon and smoked with hickory for 45 minutes till the bacon is crisp.

Click to expand...

DUDE!:rockin: I am SO making these! I have buckets of jalepenos coming into season in the garden...can't let them go to waste.

Man! This forum is like crack!:cross: I come here for beer, and end up fueling my other obsession; barbeque!

ScubaSteve said:

I really like the BGE, but couldn't justify the cost (You could buy 2 WSM's for 1 BGE). Ed- Out of curiosity, what size BGE's are you working with? Definitely a sweet setup!:rockin:

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Yeah, they cost more but last forever. I also smoke my pork for 22 hours on a single load of lump charcoal. Buy one at an egg fest and save some bucks.

I have two Larges, a small, and two mini's. It keeps me in Que nicely.

That's a hell of a cook time! One thing I like about the BGE is you can get it up to around 800-1000F and do pizza and baked goods. The WSM is great, but just can't hang with those temps. Damn Ed, now I've got eggs on the brain!

Back when I graduated from college my folks wanted to get me a gift, and I asked for a large BGE. I knew I would use it until it turned to dust. They talked me into getting a class ring because it was more traditional, and I never wear the damn thing!

The BGE comes with a lifetime warranty. Lasts a long time as long as you don't drop it or tip it over.

You can always sell your class ring.....;D

EdWort said:

The BGE comes with a lifetime warranty. Lasts a long time as long as you don't drop it or tip it over.

You can always sell your class ring.....;D

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Considered that...probably wouldn't get much for it. I know this sounds juvenile..but dude...my Mom would kill me

EdWort said:

Yeah, I'm making myself hungry. I need to whip up some of these. Jalapenos, stuffed with cream cheese, minced garlic & a smokie link, then wrapped with bacon and smoked with hickory for 45 minutes till the bacon is crisp.

Click to expand...

This sounds awesome! I'm definitely adding this to my recipes, I'll have to make them soon too. I've made something similar, take a bitesize cupe of lamb or beef and stack a 1/4 of a fresh jalepeno on top, then a small chunk of pineapple, then wrap in bacon and skewer and smoke/grill. You get heat,sweet,meat,smokey,salty,bacony all in one large bite. Delicious.

True dat. I'm smoking about half my jalepeno and tomato crop tonight...results to follow!