BBQ Is Social

I may not like "people", but I care deeply for my friends. And I like to cook. And there is no such things, from what I have seen, as a small amount of barbecue. A small pork shoulder is 8 pounds. A small brisket is still a few pounds of meat.  And who in their right mind would just want one rib?

So most of the things you would smoke come in large quantities. So what do you do with all of that food? You could have pork shoulder every meal for a week and a half. Or, better yet, you can invite some friends over.

There are two main reasons why barbecue, more than most methods of cooking, are conducive to social gatherings

1. As stated above, prime barbecue food involves mass quantities. It's not uncommon for me to have over 20 pounds of meat in the smoker at any one time.
2. The cooking method is about as close to set it and forget it as you can get. Load up the fuel, light it, put the meat on when the fire is ready, then come back in 3 to 12 hours (depending on what you are cooking) when it is done.

Most days when I'm cooking for friends it goes something like this:

1. Get up early and start the fire.
2. Fire is ready, put the meat on.
3. Go take a nap for an hour or two.
4. Get up again and clean the house, get the other food ready, run out to forget the 3 things that everybody always seems to forget when they are having guests over.
5. Guests come over. Do whatever it is you do with your guests that is fun.
6. Pull food off the smoker.
7. Eat.
8. Go do more fun stuff.
9. Eat some more.
10. Guests leave.
11. Look at the pile of dishes and say screw it, they aren't going anywhere, I'll clean them tomorrow.

As much as I love grilling, grilling takes time away from your guests because you have to be there tending the food. Other than removing the food from the fire and pulling the pork, cutting the brisket, etc. the time away from your guests is minimal. Hell, a nap is usually part of the cooking process!

I love having my friends over. I love that they enjoy what I cook. And I love that I can hang out with them while the meal is being prepared. It doesn't get any better than that!