My big cook for nearly 100 people
 

Well, it was this weekend, my grandpas celebration of life. I posted about a week ago about using a drum ive never seen used. Well, this is the result.

Lawrence Derwood Patton
Born in Wingate, Texas 1/22/1934, Died in Sacto Ca on 1/29/2013 79 years old.Survived by Wife Nancy of 57 years, 3 Children, Susan , Larry and Richard, Grandsons, Adam, Troy and Trevor. Sisters Joyce, Betty, Brothers, J.S., Sonny, Darrel and Dennis. Korean War Veteran USAF (1953-1957). Worked at Aerojet General, Rancho Cordova CA for 35 years as a Quality Control Rep. also for Sears and Roebuck, and JC Penny, in shoe sales for 25 years. Private services will be held. Celebration of life will be held at the family home, Saturday 2/23/2013,Noon on.http://i588.photobucket.com/albums/s...ps7e13274e.jpg

Well, it turned out good, and busy. We planned on 100 people. We had two, twelve pound briskets, 42 pounds of SL ribs, 25 brats and 20 pound ham. Ham and brats werent in the pic.
http://i588.photobucket.com/albums/s...ps4cbb234c.jpg

Trimmed the briskets and seasoned with salt pepper and some random stuff found in the kitchen. Ribs were rubbed with McCormick grill mates sweet and smoky rub (which was fantastic, btw)

Got up at 4 am to start the weber kettles, did a ring of fire with KBB and RO briq with oak and apricot chunks. A 10 inch CI pot in the middle, no water and threw the briskets on. Way way faster than i thought to cook, but it was a good thing, it let us cook all the ribs at the same time. No prep pics, for we prepped at midnight and i was tired. BUT, here is a finished pic. I was amazed at how well the kettle did it, especially for my first ever ring of fire and brisket all together. I could barely pic it up out of the alum tray without it falling apart. Nice smoke ring and all.
http://i588.photobucket.com/albums/s...ps2069f019.jpg

Next were the ribs, 12 racks of em.
http://i588.photobucket.com/albums/s...ps0103f075.jpg
put three in my smoker, and three in each kettle and the last six hanging in my gramps drum.
http://i588.photobucket.com/albums/s...psb44907d0.jpg
These also, all of them came out great, even though i had trouble with my gramps drum, we got it worked out and chugging along, it was its last cook, as the bottom of the barrel was rusted mostly through. Not bad for 30 years of cooking.
http://i588.photobucket.com/albums/s...psf194a7ef.jpg

And the finished ribs, we actually had two of these trays filled, and four racks we hadnt even cut yet.
http://i588.photobucket.com/albums/s...ps008fc02d.jpg

I enjoyed the cook alot, it was hectic, and running around from thing to thing, it was still fun, and all the happy faces eating and all the handshakes and compliments after the meal, was all i needed. The ribs didnt even need sauce on them, just the rub.

Thanks to all the BBQB out their that has helped me tune skills since i started my smoker to make this all happen.

Also, a picture from Thanksgiving.
http://i588.photobucket.com/albums/s...psec8e6901.jpg
Top center: Me. Middle Row LtR: My dad, My grandpa, my uncle, my brother. Bottom Row: my other brother

Congratulations. Some fine looking 'que there. :clap2:

I want you to do a new thread on your grandpa's drum when you get rested up. Very interesting concept.

Cooking for that many is hard, good job

Bravo! Looks delicious.

I dont know how it works, i just threw a hibachi of oak and briqs in the main drum, and used the side to control the airflow with a piece of metal and a brick.

Not one person knew how he used it. Its a secret he took with him, lol.

It makes you feel good inside when you do something like this for Folks. :clap::clap:

Looks like a great cook. I think you discharged your responsibilities in an honorable fashion.

Congratulations to you!

Great family
In China we can never have such a big family again.
The forced family plan makes every family lonely

Great looking family; great looking cook.
Sorry to hear about your loss :-(

Your grandpa's drum looks very interesting :-)

Yeah thats to bad about not being able to have a bigger family, family names are important, and being limited only dwindles the name.

Thanks Scott, oh and i KNOW your talking about the cook as in me, lol.
Its ok, we all knew what was happening so it wasnt a surprise, but sucks to know ill never talk to him again, you know.

It IS interesting, i have no idea still on how it is supposed to work.

It might be like an offset drum where the fire was in the outer ring and the smoke draws inside and up the drum. Might have had a lid with a flue even

Be worth experimenting some. Don't get rid of it.

I don't want to hijack this thread though.

Looks like you did a great job....

Now they can only get better...

The hijack on this is fine by me. Interesting you say that, because some one mentioned it could be like that, but i couldnt see how it would decide to go into the drum and not just out of the outer ring. Next time im down there (they live in sacto, about an hour and half drive from here) I may try this out somehow.

Looks like a wonderfully delicious and fitting send-off.

Good on you Mate.:clap::clap::clap: