cooking for a 12 people on the go (park, beach)?


 
P

Pinny

TVWBB Super Fan
Hi all,

I'm starting to plan for bbq season (ie: the part of the year normal people will grill with me), and I'm getting worried.

We do lots of family outings to parks and beaches, and I need a way to cook up lots of food on the go. We'll typically be a party of about 12, so I would be looking for enough grilling area to cook 2-3 whole chickens, a bunch of burgers/hotdogs, and a side like corn. And everything needs to be done around the same time.

So basically, I'm asking, what are your ideas for grilling/smoking for a couple families on the go? We have a van, but filling it up with lots of 22" kettles is a pain. Something stackable or collapsible would be ideal.

Thanks!
Pinny
 
What is your time line? Do you plan to BBQ during the day as YOUR activity while kids and others play? For instance can you smoke 3 chickens for 2 hours and then shove them in a cooler wrapped in foil and reconfigure for burgers and dogs?

Charcoal only?

I can't wait to see what the masters come up with on this one.

I think you need a simple contraption like a 2'x4' metal box with adjustable grate height to pit grill chicken and then lower for dogs etc.
I saw a guy using something like this with a long grate suspended from an A-frame and chains.
quadpod.html

www.firepies.com

The box he had folded flat some how with chain keeping the corners together.
 
all kinds of stuff can be used. are open flames allowed at all the places you go or are you lomited to charcoal in a container or just gas ?
 
Maybe mod a 22 kettle by shortening the legs. There should be some guidance in the "Mod" folder.

Wiht one kettle you should be able to cook 3 birds and later do the burgers, dogs, and anythng else. Also maybe just grill bunch of boneless chicken thighs or thin cuts of beef like skirt steak.
 
A weber Q series gas grill should work, just find which size fits your needs and go from there.
 
I like the idea of a large grate over a fire pit. The Q would be cool too. If your clan likes mexican... Check out this:

Southwest Discada

I made over 100 tacos at a tailgate last fall. It works great for huge amounts of food. I heated it with a portable turkey fryer propane burner.

Smokey Joe Platinum is a good portable kettle.

Research Brazillian style grilling... They are masters at cooking lots of food on an open fire. They put the meat on squared-off spits to be easily turned while cooking.

The folding V-style portable charcoal grills could work to hold a fire for Brazillian style cooking.

The mini-wsm is a great smoker to have too.
 
You're planning on cooking all that at once AND have it all ready at the same time?

If so, plan on taking your 22" OTS and 18" WSM.

You could box them up in cardboard boxes so you could pack them and other stuff together without worry of getting coal dust and grease all over everything.
 
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