SirPorkaLot
somebody shut me the fark up.
My mind (and body) is still trying to process what happened yesterday, but I'll try to give you the run down.
Operation BBQ Relief posted earlier in the week that they are deploying to the Northern California wildfires and were looking for volunteers for two separate sites, Napa & Santa Rosa.
I am within a 2 hour drive and tossed my name in the hat. I made myself available for either site.
The next day I got an email saying deployment was delayed and then the next day I got my deployment orders for Santa Rosa. I am assigned for Friday (yesterday), Monday & Tuesday.
A local BBQ enthusiast that I am farkbook friends with, posted he was going as well, so we decided to carpool.
He arrived at my house at 4:10am, we loaded his stuff in my car and off we went.
We arrived at the cook site in Santa Rosa at 6:35am. There was a fairly sizable site with two Ole Hickory smokers chugging away. There was a small contingent of military folks left guarding the site and no one else there. We were the first to arrive.
As I looked around, I noticed large tents, a couple of trailer mounted southern pride smokers (they were cold) and off to the side was two very large and well set-up rigs. (I wouldn't find out until later who these rigs belonged to)
We checked the smokers and found the two Ole Hickory units were loaded. The smaller of the two units had ~40 butts in it and the larger one was loaded with briskets and butts.
We temped all the meat and found a couple of the smaller briskets were ready to pull. After locating some foil and getting the coolers power washed, those briskets were put to rest.
By that time the OBR folks started rolling in.
As the sun was coming up, you could see that the smoke was an issue.
As the morning wore on the site became alive with activity, people coming out of nowhere it seemed, all with a purpose.
As I was tending one of the smokers, a young lady walked up and says: I am handing out name tags. Please give me your name.
Next thing I know I have a "Hello: I am John" tag on my apron.
Turns out we have a guest head chef for the day.
This "guest" came in and went right to work. He began by rallying the crew with a talk. Part motivational, part rules of the day.
Turns out Guy has partnered up with OBR to help feed the people of his hometown. Santa Rosa, CA.
While one might expect him to blow in, take some photos, do an interview, kiss some babies and waltz off.
Instead he rolled up his sleeves and went to work.
He brought an army of staff from his local restaurants, his family, old BBQ team & friends were all there, and everyone busted their tails.
I ended up spending the whole day running both the Ole Hickory smokers.
What great smokers and what a great experience!
After I emptied the smokers from the previous nights meat, foil pans of jambalaya started arriving to the smoker, then pans of chicken.
After lunch service, 200 whole pork loins had arrived and were being rubbed, placed on sheet pans and brought to me to load in the smokers.
The sheet pans of pork loins just kept coming.....
(Before the rub)
I had the (unbelievable) opportunity to gift the Chef a bottle of Q-Salt.
We even got the Southern Pride smokers filled up with pork.
I think the numbers ended up being 7,000+ plates that went out yesterday between the two sites.
I am humbled by the experience.
I will be back Monday & Tuesday.
At the end of a long day.
If you ever have the opportunity to work with OBR, I highly recommend it!
You can always consider going to www.operationbbqrelief.com and donating as well.
Operation BBQ Relief posted earlier in the week that they are deploying to the Northern California wildfires and were looking for volunteers for two separate sites, Napa & Santa Rosa.
I am within a 2 hour drive and tossed my name in the hat. I made myself available for either site.
The next day I got an email saying deployment was delayed and then the next day I got my deployment orders for Santa Rosa. I am assigned for Friday (yesterday), Monday & Tuesday.
A local BBQ enthusiast that I am farkbook friends with, posted he was going as well, so we decided to carpool.
He arrived at my house at 4:10am, we loaded his stuff in my car and off we went.
We arrived at the cook site in Santa Rosa at 6:35am. There was a fairly sizable site with two Ole Hickory smokers chugging away. There was a small contingent of military folks left guarding the site and no one else there. We were the first to arrive.
As I looked around, I noticed large tents, a couple of trailer mounted southern pride smokers (they were cold) and off to the side was two very large and well set-up rigs. (I wouldn't find out until later who these rigs belonged to)
We checked the smokers and found the two Ole Hickory units were loaded. The smaller of the two units had ~40 butts in it and the larger one was loaded with briskets and butts.
We temped all the meat and found a couple of the smaller briskets were ready to pull. After locating some foil and getting the coolers power washed, those briskets were put to rest.
By that time the OBR folks started rolling in.
As the sun was coming up, you could see that the smoke was an issue.
As the morning wore on the site became alive with activity, people coming out of nowhere it seemed, all with a purpose.
As I was tending one of the smokers, a young lady walked up and says: I am handing out name tags. Please give me your name.
Next thing I know I have a "Hello: I am John" tag on my apron.
Turns out we have a guest head chef for the day.
This "guest" came in and went right to work. He began by rallying the crew with a talk. Part motivational, part rules of the day.
Turns out Guy has partnered up with OBR to help feed the people of his hometown. Santa Rosa, CA.
While one might expect him to blow in, take some photos, do an interview, kiss some babies and waltz off.
Instead he rolled up his sleeves and went to work.
He brought an army of staff from his local restaurants, his family, old BBQ team & friends were all there, and everyone busted their tails.
I ended up spending the whole day running both the Ole Hickory smokers.
What great smokers and what a great experience!
After I emptied the smokers from the previous nights meat, foil pans of jambalaya started arriving to the smoker, then pans of chicken.
After lunch service, 200 whole pork loins had arrived and were being rubbed, placed on sheet pans and brought to me to load in the smokers.
The sheet pans of pork loins just kept coming.....
(Before the rub)
I had the (unbelievable) opportunity to gift the Chef a bottle of Q-Salt.
We even got the Southern Pride smokers filled up with pork.
I think the numbers ended up being 7,000+ plates that went out yesterday between the two sites.
I am humbled by the experience.
I will be back Monday & Tuesday.
At the end of a long day.
If you ever have the opportunity to work with OBR, I highly recommend it!
You can always consider going to www.operationbbqrelief.com and donating as well.
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