This weekend is Memorial Day Weekend and for the past three years, we have hosted what we refer to as “The Meatfest” at our house in early celebration of Memorial Day. This year will be no different except that the people on our guest list have mostly all agreed to drive to our house out in the boonies instead of respectfully declining to do such an odd thing in the past. We have 35 positives so far, a record, which strikes both great joy and great terror in my heart, Joy because parties mean beer and beer is fun, Terror because cooking enough dead cow, pig and fowl for 35 people is a rather large challenge.
I drove up to Rehoboth Ranch this morning to get the brisket, ribs, chicken and sausage. Their available briskets were a little on the small side so I’m going to add a regular non-grassfed, unorganic, fatty, Omega-6 having, Albertson’s one to ensure enough food. Also, because they do grassfed beef, the briskets are infinitely more lean and I worry about what I might produce on my virgin experience in smoking a lean brisket. This worry was compounded as the proprietor explained how it had a tendency to dry out if you screwed up. Yay Anxiety!
The Oprah brisket will go on the smoker tomorrow AM for its long, 18 hour journey from “big chunk of inedible gristle” to “sweet mother of mary that is good shit heaven on earth”. It should finish up around midnightish, plus or minus a couple of hours. The Richard Simmons brisket will make a smoky appearance on Sunday morning promptly at 6 AM to ensure readiness by 2 PM (it’s a much smaller brisket, remember so it shouldn’t take more than 7 hours). Richard will finish up in the oven starting around 10 and the ribs will do the smoky dance of love in his place. Chickens get violated around 11 and the sausage will just get thrown on the grill to warm and crisp up, being fully cooked all ready.
We’ll have the usual assortment of BBQ sides and condiments. We may have margaritas. We hope to not have rain but that’s up to the BBQ gods at this point. I may or may not write about updates as the weekend progresses, depending on how it progresses relative to being ready at 2 PM on Sunday for the hordes.
May 22, 2009 at 2:01 pm
Sounds like a great selection of meats,and a lot of work.My only concern on the grass fed brisket,would be that it got to dry.We butchered one of our 3yr old steers,straight of the pasture,had most of it ground up,but did keep the tenderloin,and cut it into 2″filets, little fat cover.I did some on the grill last week along with the fed “angus” ribeyes.Both were very good,folks that had’nt tried the “native”beef,were pleasantly surprised.I send a lot of cattle to backgrounders,so what ever helps our industry,I try to support.Hope you have a great get-together.
May 22, 2009 at 7:11 pm
brings a couple of tears to my eyes. one, i’m bummed we’ll be out of town for the annual anniversary getaway. two, as a vegetarian and former grill fiend and meat lover, i am thoroughly sad that such wonderfulness will be on offer and that even if there i wouldn’t be able to enjoy it. stupid GI tract.
i hope the rains stay off and you crazy kids have a ball! we’ll send you a postcard from ft. worth (can’t go too far with little ‘uns left at the ‘rents, doncha know).
May 26, 2009 at 10:58 am
*Drool*
That is all.