Educating the In-Laws

Don't know if it is a southern thing, but pretty much every bank in town has a smoker they use for community events. This isn't a community event really, but if any of your family work at a bank or know someone who does you could probably have a nice piece of equipment to work with.
 
Dang! What would have been had you headed South?

I agree with the others, cook ahead and vacpak. Dry ice in the chest. Vacpack actually can taste better than the day you cooked it. Low stress, low drag.
 
Toast said:
Dang! What would have been had you headed South?

I agree with the others, cook ahead and vacpak. Dry ice in the chest. Vacpack actually can taste better than the day you cooked it. Low stress, low drag.
Click to expand...

I wasn't saying that he could do that if he was heading south. I was saying that if he had any relatives working at a bank in Maine he could see if they did the same thing. I have never been to Maine so I don't know if that is a common thing there or not.
 
pit barrel cooker shipped straight to maine then u don't even need to bring rubs just use ones that come with it. leave it for them or ship home its a win all the way around.
 
IXL said:
If it were me, I'd purchase a drum smoker and have it shipped to them prior to your arrival. After the big event, you could choose to, based on how the whole exercise turned out, leave it with the family so they can embark upon the hallowed Barbecue Road in style, and with a capable unit (that you could use the next time you were visiting), or just ship it back to MO if her relatives can't figure out why you tried to poison them with smoke-borne carcinogens after forcing them to swig beer for hours while delaying dinner. This option would give you a drum smoker, which we all want, all of us....

In the end, either way you win. Good luck with it!
Click to expand...

^^^^^^
This
 
As much as I love the uds, in this case I would go there, pick up a kettle, and edumacate them.

A kettle can turn out some of the best q, it's very compact for those places where houses sell for $500 a square foot, it's not imposing, it's ubiquitous, and they can grill some amazing burgers or brats or what not.

That's called a win win win situation
 
pharp said:
Don't know if it is a southern thing, but pretty much every bank in town has a smoker they use for community events. This isn't a community event really, but if any of your family work at a bank or know someone who does you could probably have a nice piece of equipment to work with.
Click to expand...


I'm in Pennsylvania; lived in a lot of small and moderate sized towns throughout the state and I've never known any bank to have or operate a smoker. Closest thing here is the occasional fire department that does "BBQ" chicken. Basically chicken halves cooked hot and fast in a brick/block pit over hot charcoal with an herb/vinegar sauce.

That being said, it sounds awesome and I think its a practice that should be signed into law. Kudos to the Arkansawyers.
 
I’d consider doing a combination of things. Assuming you need a decent amount of food for the event, cook in advance and reheat as others have suggested. I’d also have them grab a kettle off Craigslist and supplement it with some food you cook there - might do a bunch of appetizers.

Could buy and take a slow and sear with you to make it really easy but could also just use some firebricks. Keep or leave the slow and sear when you leave
 
How many people are going to be at this reunion and what do you want to cook? I think that is going to be the deciding factor on what kind of smoker you need.

Buying a Slow n Sear to take with you and then picking up a cheap Weber Kettle out there would be a good option if you don't have to feed a large amount of people. Shipping a PBC there is also a good option if you want to feed a larger group of people.

At least you have a lot of time to figure out the best option.
 
The amount of people willing to provide smokers/equipment, etc on this thread is unreal. This site never ceases to amaze me with it's generosity.

Well done, Farkers!!!:clap2::clap2:
 
Sorry I dropped off the planet for around 48 hours... flu bug got me and had me laid in bed the last couple days.
The size of the gathering fluctuates and it's an all day/weekend thing at one of the Aunt and Uncles homes down near Stockton Springs, ME (Coastal View, absolutely stunning) The head count varies, some come Saturday, some come Sunday, some in the mornings, some in the evenings, I think we had 72 last year at the final tally. I would probably be looking at cooking for maybe 1/4 of that number (The diehards who stay for the weekend and stay locally, some have to make a 2-3 hour drive from their homes in MA and surrounding areas.)

And the outpouring of people willing to loan out equipment to a stranger is amazing, I am so glad I've joined this site! Y'all are awesome!
 
Suggestion for menu options to consider:

FATTIES! Imagine the reaction to the crowd of uninitiated of a breakfast of fatties, eggs, sautéed veggies, home fries, + shredded cheese +/- salsa for some awesome breakfast burritos. Drop the mic time.

Butts and chuckies. Both are relatively forgiving (depending on if you get a cooker to use or if you cook at home and transport...either way, they travel well).

Smoked meatloaf: Again, very forgiving if using a new to you cooker or easily transportable.

If you decide to go with a cooker on site, could always plan on making a few bazillion MOINKs. Always a crowd pleaser and they don't take long to heat.

Good luck! And, post pics. :p

Bruce
 
So, I’m going to be the one guy that swims upstream here. Its MAINE!!!! Lobster, cod, crabs, and whatever other seafood that heaven sent down. Stuff you just can’t get at home, and fresh as the morning dew. As much as I love my cookers & beef & pork & chicken, etc, its the last thing I’d worry about in Maine. I’d be more concerned with securing enough coolers & dry ice to take all that goodness back home. Then, you can experiment with grilled lobster & crab, smoked cod, etc. But that’s just me :)
 
DustyQ said:
I'm in Pennsylvania; lived in a lot of small and moderate sized towns throughout the state and I've never known any bank to have or operate a smoker. Closest thing here is the occasional fire department that does "BBQ" chicken. Basically chicken halves cooked hot and fast in a brick/block pit over hot charcoal with an herb/vinegar sauce.

That being said, it sounds awesome and I think its a practice that should be signed into law. Kudos to the Arkansawyers.
Click to expand...

Crazy how things differ from region to region and state to state! I bet us Arkansas folks would trade some bank loaned smokers for one of your TWO NFL teams :)
 
mjpmap said:
So, I’m going to be the one guy that swims upstream here. Its MAINE!!!! Lobster, cod, crabs, and whatever other seafood that heaven sent down. Stuff you just can’t get at home, and fresh as the morning dew. As much as I love my cookers & beef & pork & chicken, etc, its the last thing I’d worry about in Maine. I’d be more concerned with securing enough coolers & dry ice to take all that goodness back home. Then, you can experiment with grilled lobster & crab, smoked cod, etc. But that’s just me :)
Click to expand...

Oh believe me, I have had the coolers full of dry ice show up at my door with 4-6 2lb lobstah's still alive in them. There are certainly advantages to having family that lives in coastal New England, but they get tired of all that stuff up there, so in trade I want to provide things they wouldn't have (though smoking lobstah, clams, and mussels now sounds really tasty, but I don't have experience in that endeavor)

Any advice on that end out there too?
 
EricD said:
Straight up M******* here! I too, love Maine. Had a condo on Sunday River ski resort years ago. Have friends on Sebago lake too.
Back on topic..... I have a couple kettles, WSM and other toys. Your welcome to borrow any one of them. Either stop by my house (20min from the Pike, 20min from rt 495)
and we can strap it on your car, or you can cook in my backyard if you want, use my vacuum sealer, and finish your drive (about 3 hrs to Maine border).
Click to expand...

Absolutely awesome offer! Outstanding!
:eusa_clap
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

creek bottom
Meadow Creek Chicken Cooker
Replies
10
Views
661
Pife
P
NCGrimbo
Question for the pizza oven guys and gals.
Replies
12
Views
687
NCGrimbo
NCGrimbo
frognot
Texas Trash Pie for Dessert TD
Replies
7
Views
959
PitRow
PitRow
Headgear
Ribeye Roast in the Shirley
2
Replies
23
Views
445
Headgear
Headgear
snadamo
Too late for the throwdown - Kielbasa smoked on the LSG!
Replies
19
Views
467
snadamo
snadamo
Back
Top