Request for cooks in Oklahoma

[Garry]

I got this email from a relief worker in Oklahoma.

Garry

Hi - I worked a 12 hr. shift at Camp Gruber Saturday helping house the refugees in the barracks. Right now they eat MRE' meals. I was trying to organize a weekend later this month to get a group of "smoking people" to bring their smokers and prepare the meats for a big cook out. It would be for 2,000 or more.This is very early in the plan and it might be impossible. Wondering if you could provide some names of clubs or a website I might contact, phone number or suggestions would help since I can see you know what you are doing.

Thank you very much.

Terry Adair Coweta, Oklahoma (Blue Star mom)

dirtycreekart@valornet.com
_________________
Eat first, ask questions later!

[SmokinOkie]

Gary,

I'm in Oklahoma and I've already emailed her direct.

I also hope it's okay, but I copied here what I posted on my forum at CS. Saw this a short time ago and I'm just jumping in an volunteering.

Any Q'ers who want to help can contact me here, at the CS forum or via email:
smokinokie at thebbqzone dot com


Originally posted at the Cookshack forum::::

I know everyone is watching the tragedy and wanting to help in some way. If you can, donate to the charity of your choice.

If you can't and want to do SOMETHING and you live in Oklahoma, I may have an opportunity for you.

Oklahoma is one of the overflow states, we're starting to get groups from Louisana and Texas. There are 2 groups now housed in Oklahoma. One group of 1,500+ at Camp Gruber (in Eastern Oklahoma) and second group this week could be almost 3,000+ at Falls Creek (in Southern Oklahoma).

I know it's not much, but having lived on MRE's as they are now doing, they could use a good meal and I think Oklahoma BBQ could just be the thing.

Just saw this post at BBQ Search, and I'm going to help organize the BBQ'ers and anyone who wants to help (I say that and wait for the massive response):


quote:
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Posted by terry adair on September 05, 2005 at 11:23:54:

Hi- my name is Terry Adair.
Myself and 2 other Blue Star Moms spent a 12 hr. shift with the Red Cross at Camp Gruber helping the refugees get settled in their barracks.
Right now they will have breakfast and then lunch and supper will be MRE packs for all with some donated other foods from what I could see in the paperwork hand outs.
These people need some real food.
I was trying to organize a weekend later this month to have alot of "smokin people" bring their equipment and prepare the meats for a big cookout. It would be for 2000 or more. This is very early in the plan and it might be impossible.
Wondering if you could provide some suggestions, clubs, contact information of something being donelike this some place else to this capacity.. Any help you could give would be appreciated greatly.
Thank you very much.

Terry Adair Coweta,Oklahoma Blue Star Moms


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Just got off the phone with Stuart and Donna at CS and they jumped right in. Stuart is working to get me a FE750 (the old 2000) on a trailer. He's going to let me know tomorrow if I can get it this week.

I've also emailed Terry the organizer and given her the basic idea of how I can help organize and contribute, I'll let everyone know, who wants to help, what happens.

Here are my thoughts:

1. Smoker to cook the food. I'm working that one.

2. Volunteers. I'm posting in a few forums for Okies and Arkies and any locals who want to help, or anyone in general certainly.

3. Meat. Working on that one, but I'm waiting to find out about refrigeration stoage. I'm thinking I can cook a lot of butts and briskets in a large FE.

4. Sauce/Rub. I'm going to contact Head Country.

I've got more thoughts and ideas, but I wanted to get this out there.

I'd like to plan something over maybe two weekends. My first plan is this weekend.

First one place, then another.

Any volunteers?

You can post here if you have ideas, even if you can't help, you're ideas are welcome.

You can email me at:

smokinokie at thebbqzone dot com

I've had experience with this, as I was involved with the Oklahoma City Bombing where I worked as a rescuerer and I know the value of a hot meal.

BBQ'ers do CARE!

[allsmokenofire]

Hey guys(and gals),

Just wanted to give everyone an update on this thread.

We were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to cook lunch yesterday for around 1500 evacuees and volunteers at Camp Gruber.

Russ Garrett(Smokin' Okie) did a miraculous job of pulling this cook together. He got around 1500 lbs. of meat donated by The Oklahoma Beef Council, The Oklahoma Pork Council, Schwans, as well as a few others. He got an FE 750 loaned to him by Cookshack to cook meat. Rub was donated by Cookshack and Hasty Bake. Sauce was donated by Head Country. The cooks were Russ on the FE, Darcy Hicks from Ring of Fire BBQ team on a big J R, and me on my Kingfisher Kooker. The prep/slicing/saucing/wrapping crew was Merl and Carol Whitebook(KCBS Reps), Robert and Keri Cathey(PSO Hotwire BBQ team), Twila Garrett(Mrs. Smokin' Okie), Jeff Hughes(no comp team yet, but provided some awesome food for us), Don Hood(novice bbq'r, and very handy with a knife), Terry Adair(the Blue Star mom that planted the seed for this cook), as well as several other Blue Star moms. I apologize if I've failed to mention anyone here.

We started Friday night about 6:00p.m. prepping and seasoning 66 briskets. We loaded up the FE with 60 of them and put the rest on my Kingfisher and turned 'em loose. Around 6:00 a.m. we prepped and rubbed 50 whole pork loins and loaded the J R, again with the rest going on my Kingfisher. We started 50 lbs. of cajun sausage at around 9:30. At this point we had all 3 smokers loaded w/ around 1200 lbs of meat!

We started pulling briskets around 8:30. They were sliced/chopped, panned and put back in the FE to hold for pick- up by The Red Cross at 11:00. As soon as the briskets were processed, we pulled the loins and started the process again. Sausage was pulled and sliced around 10:45. The Red Cross vans were loaded with all the brisket, pork loin, and sausage around 11:15 for delivery to the 3 kitchens serving lunch. Sides that were served were macaroni salad and baked beans.

We had a request from the kitchen staff to see if we could smoke some chicken quarters for them for another meal. Russ agreed and asked that they be delivered after we got some of the meat off the smokers. Lo and behold, around noon they delivered about 540 lbs of FROZEN chicken quarters to be smoked. Again the FE and the JR were stuffed to the doors with frozen chicken quarters, which smoked about 2.5 hrs.

All in all it was a great time, a lot of work, and very gratifying to see a group of people come together to cook Q for those that needed to have their spirits lifted. I had the opportunity to make some new friends, and got to learn a few things from a couple of real good cooks. All of the group did a tremendous job of not only getting the food ready to serve, but cleaning up afterwards as well. I encourage everyone to find a way to help out just a little bit, if not for the Hurricane Katrina effort, then for those in your area who may need a little extra help.

Finally, a tip of the cap to Russ Garrett for putting this whole thing together in a matter of a few days. Between getting the meat donated, finding volunteers and working through the logistics of getting us all on the same page, it was truly an extraordinary effort!
_________________
Mike
Team Enoserv

[Garry]

I just got this email from someone at KCBS who participated. Looks like SmokinOkie did a heck of a job. If you have any pictures, please forward some to me or post them here.

Garry

This weekend, Carol and I helped cook at a great event. KCBS was represented at Ft Gruber where there about 1500 evacuees from New Orleans. Organized by Smokin Okie, we gathered at the base near Muskogee, Ok, and prepared 1550 lbs of brisket, tenderloins and chicken. Helping was Hot Wire, Ring of Fire, Smokedelic and Carol and I.
The people we met were incredible.

The families and volunteers were so appreciative for the world class bbq. Just hearing the stories and being able to tell families and people, we care and wish them the best. This was the greatest event we have had an opportunity to participate in.

We are so proud to be members of a great group who reach out when we can.

Yours in BBQ
Carol and Merl
_________________
Eat first, ask questions later!

[Steve-O]

3/4 ton of meat. That is awesome and unbelievable!

Congratulations guys. Job well done. Make sure this goes on your BBQ resume.
_________________
"BBQ may not be a religion in Texas, but the two institutions are closely associated."
- Robb Walsh "Legends of Texas Barbeque Cookbook"

[Garry]

Here's an article from an OK TV station website.

Competitive Barbecuers Cook For Camp Gruber Evacuees

Garry
_________________
Eat first, ask questions later!

[SmokinOkie]

Mike thanks for the great write-up, you're hired.

For those of you who don't know Mike, he's the one on the far right.

Others pictured:
Front, left to right:
Carol Westbrook, Robert Cathey, Twila (Mrs. Smokin), Keri Cathey (KeriC)

Back. Jeff Hughes, Russ (SmokinOkie), Darcy (Ring of Fire) Mike Hays(Smokedelics)

Not shown: Terri Adair, Don Hood (Old Coacher)

[DawgPhan]

Nice work everyone..

[roxy]

Absolutey amazing job guys.
_________________
Chargriller Akorn
WSM
LIAR #100
_________________
Do not rely on a rabbits foot for luck, it did not work out too well for the rabbit...

[bigabyte]

You guys are one in a million! Great job!
_________________
--Chris Baker
--Mad BBQ Scientist
--When my lab fills with smoke, that means it's working!

[Guest]

Very inspirational and a fine idea!

[bigabyte]

Just read the write up they did of this in the Kansas City Bullsheet. Good job guys!
_________________
--Chris Baker
--Mad BBQ Scientist
--When my lab fills with smoke, that means it's working!