So let's say you're going to have a big ol' party, and you want the tables groaning (or at least sighing) with q. You're cooking for an eclectic crowd that's pretty much guaranteed to like anything made out of meat, and you've got one WSM to work with. What would you plan to cook if you wanted to have the most possible quantity of a reasonable variety of smoky delicious meat things?
Q for a crowd
- Thread starter Mary M
- Start date
Jeff T Miller
TVWBB All-Star
As you read here you will find many different things to cook. That you will have to ultimately answer.
A suggestion I have though is pork butt, brisket, chuck roll, or chuck roast all keep well. By that I mean you can cook it few days ahead of time and reheats well. Doing one or some of those ahead of time frees up the smoker for shorter cook items like ribs, chicken, fish, whatever for the day of the party. You could go even further ahead but you should freeze instead of fridge.
Oh and don't forget a smoked meatloaf. MMMMMMMMM.
It doesn't get any better than that. meatloaf works well indirect on a grill also.
A suggestion I have though is pork butt, brisket, chuck roll, or chuck roast all keep well. By that I mean you can cook it few days ahead of time and reheats well. Doing one or some of those ahead of time frees up the smoker for shorter cook items like ribs, chicken, fish, whatever for the day of the party. You could go even further ahead but you should freeze instead of fridge.
Oh and don't forget a smoked meatloaf. MMMMMMMMM.
Bill Hays
TVWBB Platinum Member
4 butts would give you the most for the least but take the longest.
2 butts over a brisket would give your eclectic crowd something to rave over.
A couple butts on the bottom with several shifts of ribs on top to be reheated would be the way I’d go.
Fatties and/or ABT’s could be added in the above mix where you can.
If you have access to a grill, gas or charcoal, that opens up the playing field big time. Chicken, whole or in parts, burgers, dogs, veggies, … …
Take pics!
Oh, and what Jeff said too.
2 butts over a brisket would give your eclectic crowd something to rave over.
A couple butts on the bottom with several shifts of ribs on top to be reheated would be the way I’d go.
Fatties and/or ABT’s could be added in the above mix where you can.
If you have access to a grill, gas or charcoal, that opens up the playing field big time. Chicken, whole or in parts, burgers, dogs, veggies, … …
Take pics!
Oh, and what Jeff said too.
Okay, that's some yummy food for thought. I like the basic strategy of "do some big hunks of stuff in advance and smaller stuff on party day" -- that will let me finish up with a mess o' chickens and such. I'm wondering if you did a butt-and-brisket overnight, so it was done mid-morning, how would you keep that until dinnertime, and how would you reheat?
I do also have a gas grill (Weber, of course) but I think that will mostly be used for corn and other vegetables.
Also, what are fatties and ABTs?
Thanks,
I do also have a gas grill (Weber, of course) but I think that will mostly be used for corn and other vegetables.
Also, what are fatties and ABTs?
Thanks,
Joe McManus
TVWBB All-Star
fatties = a sausage log thats been smoked, maybe w/ some rub on it
ABT - atomic buffalo turds (well she asked!). Jalepeno peppers stuffed usually w/ cream cheese infused w/ some bbq meat and rub like spice, bacon wrapped and smoked till the bacon's done. Sometimes they're grilled.
If its a typical collection of people who don't usually have Q, you can't go wrong with butts or briskets. If I was wanting to impress people, I'd do brisket. Unless you're from TX or OK, its just not something you normally get.
ABT - atomic buffalo turds (well she asked!). Jalepeno peppers stuffed usually w/ cream cheese infused w/ some bbq meat and rub like spice, bacon wrapped and smoked till the bacon's done. Sometimes they're grilled.
If its a typical collection of people who don't usually have Q, you can't go wrong with butts or briskets. If I was wanting to impress people, I'd do brisket. Unless you're from TX or OK, its just not something you normally get.
I've been cooking my brisket the day before as it relieves me of the worry about when will it be done. I follow a procedure that I found on epicurious.com.
When the brisket is done, cool it for an hour. Wrap it in foil and chill. Rewarm it wrapped in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes.
The only problem with this method is that when you carve it, your guests will take samples. Last time we did this, my wife did not get any...tom
When the brisket is done, cool it for an hour. Wrap it in foil and chill. Rewarm it wrapped in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes.
The only problem with this method is that when you carve it, your guests will take samples. Last time we did this, my wife did not get any...tom
Tim Dickey
TVWBB Member
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Mary M:
Okay, that's some yummy food for thought. I like the basic strategy of "do some big hunks of stuff in advance and smaller stuff on party day" -- that will let me finish up with a mess o' chickens and such. I'm wondering if you did a butt-and-brisket overnight, so it was done mid-morning,<span class="ev_code_RED">how would you keep that until dinnertime</span> and how would you reheat?
I do also have a gas grill (Weber, of course) but I think that will mostly be used for corn and other vegetables.
Also, what are fatties and ABTs?
Thanks, </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Brisket and pork butt should be cooked to an internal temp somewhere between 185* and 200*.
Either one will keep safely in a 170* oven for hours. Being as they've already been cooked to a higher temp than you're holding them at, there's no danger of overcooking. Just leave them whole, and foil them extemely well until just before serving. Holding them in this temp range also serves the purpose of a good long "rest".
Tim
PS- Maple sausage wrapped w/ maple bacon makes one sweet fattie.
Okay, that's some yummy food for thought. I like the basic strategy of "do some big hunks of stuff in advance and smaller stuff on party day" -- that will let me finish up with a mess o' chickens and such. I'm wondering if you did a butt-and-brisket overnight, so it was done mid-morning,<span class="ev_code_RED">how would you keep that until dinnertime</span> and how would you reheat?
I do also have a gas grill (Weber, of course) but I think that will mostly be used for corn and other vegetables.
Also, what are fatties and ABTs?
Thanks, </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Brisket and pork butt should be cooked to an internal temp somewhere between 185* and 200*.
Either one will keep safely in a 170* oven for hours. Being as they've already been cooked to a higher temp than you're holding them at, there's no danger of overcooking. Just leave them whole, and foil them extemely well until just before serving. Holding them in this temp range also serves the purpose of a good long "rest".
Tim
PS- Maple sausage wrapped w/ maple bacon makes one sweet fattie.
Jeff T Miller
TVWBB All-Star
Since it is a party I would imagine you will want the oven for other use. I have kept 4 pork butts warm in a cooler for 6 hours of rest and I checked the temp before pulling. Therm showed 150 which is well above danger zone. I find briskets cool much quicker because of being so flat. Putting in with a couple of butts will surely streach it out some.
I do butts and brisket a day ahead all the time. I pull the pork and put on a sheet pan to cool quick and refrigerate. I put the pork in a deep pan and add a mix of water, apple juice, and cider vinager. Cover with foil and reheat around 250 for about an hour. For the brisket, I remove the point when the flat is done. I foil the point and it goes back on the heat for another hour or 2. After the rest I remove the fat from the point and put in a pan that is holding the flat. I slice the point and break it up. I foil the flat and point and throw in the fridge. I add water and juice to the flat and use sauce on the point and reheat the same way as the butts. The fat from the point helps the flat stay moist. Definately don't slice the flat too far in advance.
I do butts and brisket a day ahead all the time. I pull the pork and put on a sheet pan to cool quick and refrigerate. I put the pork in a deep pan and add a mix of water, apple juice, and cider vinager. Cover with foil and reheat around 250 for about an hour. For the brisket, I remove the point when the flat is done. I foil the point and it goes back on the heat for another hour or 2. After the rest I remove the fat from the point and put in a pan that is holding the flat. I slice the point and break it up. I foil the flat and point and throw in the fridge. I add water and juice to the flat and use sauce on the point and reheat the same way as the butts. The fat from the point helps the flat stay moist. Definately don't slice the flat too far in advance.
I have just one WSM as well. I catered a lunch for 32 people (butts & brisket) last Friday. What I did was I cooked the butts all day Thurs, then vacumed sealed it for freshness. I cooked the brisket overnight on Thurs, pulled it about 9am and rested it in a cooler until just before the event. They loved it, very very happy clientele.
Tim Dickey
TVWBB Member
A few oven heated bricks (not over 185*) wrapped in a towel will help keep it warm longer. It's also a good idea to preheat the cooler.
Thom,
The order was for 6lbs Pork, and 8lbs Brisket, probably a little heavy for 32pl but that's what they wanted. I brought some pint containers with me so they could take home what was left, which they did..."all gone, nothin left"
I cooked two 8lb butts which yielded 9lbs or so cooked, I sold the difference to another customer. With the briskets I cooked two 11 lbers which yielded about 9lbs after trimming and smoking, "talk about cutting it close."..
Don't know what I would have done different, except maybe using bigger briskets and making my sauce and slaw the night before. I found myself scrambling at the last hour or so.
On a funny note, once I got my pans heated up and the food started to get hot, the smell throughout the building was driving people absolutley crazy!!. They literally were coming out of the woodwork. Pretty funny stuff..
The order was for 6lbs Pork, and 8lbs Brisket, probably a little heavy for 32pl but that's what they wanted. I brought some pint containers with me so they could take home what was left, which they did..."all gone, nothin left"
I cooked two 8lb butts which yielded 9lbs or so cooked, I sold the difference to another customer. With the briskets I cooked two 11 lbers which yielded about 9lbs after trimming and smoking, "talk about cutting it close."..
Don't know what I would have done different, except maybe using bigger briskets and making my sauce and slaw the night before. I found myself scrambling at the last hour or so.
On a funny note, once I got my pans heated up and the food started to get hot, the smell throughout the building was driving people absolutley crazy!!. They literally were coming out of the woodwork. Pretty funny stuff..
Bob H.
TVWBB Hall of Fame
Mary, if I were cooking for your big ol party I would probably serve your guests Q that is a little different from the usual. The menu meats would include applewood smoked turkey breast, hickory smoked pork loin roast, and smoked beef ribeye roast using apple and mesquite. Appetizers would include bbq wings, shrimp and italian sausage meatballs. This would be too much for just a single WSM, but a borrowed kettle and your gas grill could help out.