Operation Thanksgiving Turkey 2011 (with pr0n)

Grafixgibbs · 12-20-2011, 07:49 AM

This was the fourth year of Operation Thanksgiving Turkey (OTT). The first year we smoked 40 turkeys to feed 40 needy families in our area and this year we smoked 300. We involved our community and church to gain a pool of volunteers.

This year we had two churches involved. The first was First Baptist Church of Fort Mill. They were gracious enough to let us use their huge parking lot to camp out overnight and smoke the turkeys as well as their kitchen to prep all the turkeys. We cooked 250 of the turkeys there. The second church was Tega Cay Baptist. They prepped and cooked 50 of the turkeys.

A few weeks before Thanksgiving we started to collect donations of $20 per turkey meal and names of volunteers to help prep, cook, clean and deliver the turkeys. A couple of the main volunteers work with local food pantries and other organizations to identify the families who are going to receive the meals. Another person lines up all the food and I was tasked with lining up the smokers to use.

Tuesday evening starts with a crew of people cutting the vegetables that we stuff the turkeys with and lining up the bags of groceries to be paired with a turkey to go to a family.

Chopping the veggies.

Groceries ready for turkeys.
The turkeys are brought from the grocery store and put into one of the large fridges. We then have a crew open, rinse, stuff and rub the birds. They are put back into the fridge until there is room for them on the cookers. With the six cookers, we were able to fit about 160 turkeys on at a time.

We cook the turkeys starting Tuesday night until the last turkey is done cooking Wednesday afternoon. This year was a rather interesting cook. We had eight cookers at our site and two of them we could not get to go above 150º so we were unable to use them. We were also hit with rain and wind which made it hard to keep some of the cookers up to temperature. We cook at about 275º and pull the turkeys off when the breast is 165º and the legs are 175º. The turkeys took about six hours to cook.

Starting the fires.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v9R2UjbLcT...0/IMG_0149.JPG
Loading the turkeys on.

The cook site.

Once the turkeys are done we run them back to the kitchen to be carved and put in the fridge until it is time for delivery. Families and couples deliver the turkeys and are able to share with the families that receive them. Some of the recipients from previous years have started to volunteer with OTT and pay it forward.

Turkeys on the cooker.

Checking the temperatures.

Ready to carve.

Carving.

Thanks to all the volunteers who donated time and money to make it possible for 300 families to have a Happy Thanksgiving.

It amazes me how everything seems to come together at the last minute to pull off an operation like this.

brickie · 12-20-2011, 08:01 AM

Awesome work you guys do there!!!!! These are the stories I really like to hear about.

It's just a shame in the greatest country on the planet that their is a need for this though. No family in this country should have to worry about eating.

brickie

Hugo · 12-20-2011, 08:10 AM

respect, great job!

Grafixgibbs · 12-20-2011, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brickie

Awesome work you guys do there!!!!! These are the stories I really like to hear about.

It's just a shame in the greatest country on the planet that their is a need for this though. No family in this country should have to worry about eating.

brickie

Thanks.

We are specific on the people we target. There is an income bracket that has enough not to be on the food pantry assistance and enough to provide their basic needs but not enough to do something like a thanksgiving meal.

But you are correct, no one in our country should go hungry.

Just Pulin' Pork · 12-20-2011, 10:28 AM

Very cool! Just read this post and had to say job well done! I love reading these kind of posts! Thanks for sharing!

gtr · 12-20-2011, 10:32 AM

That is extremely cool - fantastic work sir!

Randbo · 12-20-2011, 10:32 AM

Great Job! That is a lot of turkeys! amazing!!!!

Phubar · 12-20-2011, 10:40 AM

Thanks for the reportage!

milehigh · 12-20-2011, 11:00 AM

God bless you and all the volunteers.
thank you for sharing.

Paul

Grafixgibbs · 12-20-2011, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Randbo

Great Job! That is a lot of turkeys! amazing!!!!

yes it is a lot of turkeys. I got up on thanksgiving and smoked one more.

BigBobBQ · 12-20-2011, 01:55 PM

I must say, great work. I always like to see stories like this. Thank you and all of your volunteers for helping out the ones in need.

12-20-2011, 07:49 AM	#1
Grafixgibbs is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 12-18-09 Location: Fort Mill, SC	Operation Thanksgiving Turkey 2011 (with pr0n) This was the fourth year of Operation Thanksgiving Turkey (OTT). The first year we smoked 40 turkeys to feed 40 needy families in our area and this year we smoked 300. We involved our community and church to gain a pool of volunteers. This year we had two churches involved. The first was First Baptist Church of Fort Mill. They were gracious enough to let us use their huge parking lot to camp out overnight and smoke the turkeys as well as their kitchen to prep all the turkeys. We cooked 250 of the turkeys there. The second church was Tega Cay Baptist. They prepped and cooked 50 of the turkeys. A few weeks before Thanksgiving we started to collect donations of $20 per turkey meal and names of volunteers to help prep, cook, clean and deliver the turkeys. A couple of the main volunteers work with local food pantries and other organizations to identify the families who are going to receive the meals. Another person lines up all the food and I was tasked with lining up the smokers to use. Tuesday evening starts with a crew of people cutting the vegetables that we stuff the turkeys with and lining up the bags of groceries to be paired with a turkey to go to a family. Chopping the veggies. Groceries ready for turkeys. The turkeys are brought from the grocery store and put into one of the large fridges. We then have a crew open, rinse, stuff and rub the birds. They are put back into the fridge until there is room for them on the cookers. With the six cookers, we were able to fit about 160 turkeys on at a time. We cook the turkeys starting Tuesday night until the last turkey is done cooking Wednesday afternoon. This year was a rather interesting cook. We had eight cookers at our site and two of them we could not get to go above 150º so we were unable to use them. We were also hit with rain and wind which made it hard to keep some of the cookers up to temperature. We cook at about 275º and pull the turkeys off when the breast is 165º and the legs are 175º. The turkeys took about six hours to cook. Starting the fires. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v9R2UjbLcT...0/IMG_0149.JPG Loading the turkeys on. The cook site. Once the turkeys are done we run them back to the kitchen to be carved and put in the fridge until it is time for delivery. Families and couples deliver the turkeys and are able to share with the families that receive them. Some of the recipients from previous years have started to volunteer with OTT and pay it forward. Turkeys on the cooker. Checking the temperatures. Ready to carve. Carving. Thanks to all the volunteers who donated time and money to make it possible for 300 families to have a Happy Thanksgiving. It amazes me how everything seems to come together at the last minute to pull off an operation like this. __________________ CatchaFire for Q. Q 4 Fun Blog BBQ is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy. KCBS Member CBJ 55 gallon Texas Grill (deceased), CS-680 Louisiana Grill, Charbroil R2 unit, Weber Performer

12-20-2011, 08:10 AM	#3
Hugo Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 02-15-11 Location: Ede, The Netherlands	respect, great job! __________________ Hardeware: WGA / UDS (mini) / COS / Smokey Joe - Member of the Lowland Smokers

12-20-2011, 10:32 AM	#6
gtr somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 10-16-10 Location: Culver City, CA	That is extremely cool - fantastic work sir! __________________ 50" Klose BYC, Spitjack XB85, 22.5 WSM, Backwoods Chubby, UDS, WRK, 26" & 22.5" Weber Kettles, Jumbo Joe, WGA, WSJ/MUDS, Kanka Grill, a piece of expanded metal I throw over the fire pit sometimes, Stealthy Black & Vol Orange Thermapens Displaced East Tennesseean Proud recipient of a Tick Former outlaw MOINK baller, now IMBAS Certified, but still lookin' over my shoulder. "Relax, it's only BBQ." - Bigmista, 2013 "Don't worry about playing a lot of notes. Just find one pretty one." - Miles Davis Avatar by my son! WTFWGALD?

12-20-2011, 10:32 AM	#7
Randbo is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 06-06-11 Location: Brookings Oregon	Great Job! That is a lot of turkeys! amazing!!!! __________________ 3 UDS, One charcoal eating fire breathing home bulit trailer pit,

12-20-2011, 10:40 AM	#8
Phubar somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 04-24-09 Location: Utrecht,TheNetherPharkinglands	Thanks for the reportage! __________________ -TG -WGA (3) -UDS (S,M,L) All fueled by [COLOR=lime]Ecobrasa[/COLOR] Coco Briquettes [URL="http://lowlandsmokers.blogspot.com/2011/06/lowland-smokers-workshop-hei-en-boeicop.html"]Lowland Smokers[/URL] Dutch BBQ Champion 2011 - 2012 [URL="http://lowlandsmokers.blogspot.com/2011/06/lowland-smokers-workshop-hei-en-boeicop.html"]Lowland Smokers[/URL] Dutch BBQ Champion 2013 Low 'n Slow WGA Ambassador

12-20-2011, 08:01 AM	#2
brickie Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 04-15-11 Location: Plano,IL	Awesome work you guys do there!!!!! These are the stories I really like to hear about. It's just a shame in the greatest country on the planet that their is a need for this though. No family in this country should have to worry about eating. brickie

12-20-2011, 10:28 AM	#5
Just Pulin' Pork is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 03-08-08 Location: Overland Park Kansas	Very cool! Just read this post and had to say job well done! I love reading these kind of posts! Thanks for sharing!

12-20-2011, 11:00 AM	#9
milehigh is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 10-23-07 Location: Butte MT	God bless you and all the volunteers. thank you for sharing. Paul __________________ There is a huge difference between the guy who knows it all and the one who wants to know it all.

12-20-2011, 01:55 PM	#11
BigBobBQ Babbling Farker Join Date: 07-19-11 Location: Live Oak, Florida	I must say, great work. I always like to see stories like this. Thank you and all of your volunteers for helping out the ones in need. __________________ Char-Griller Akorn, Webber 22.5 grill, performer, UDS.

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