# North Florida Gathering 4 Lots of Qview



## pineywoods

Crawfish

Crawfish Boil Supplies

The Crawfish about to go in the pot

Blurry Pic of some of the tents (I think the Bama canopy is what made the pic blurry) lol

Alblancher and wife Liz 

More tents

Al's crawfish cooker

First batch of crawfish dumped on the table

Better view of the first batch

My wife in the background trying to take it all in

I see alblancher,mballi,groupersandwich at the table with their backs to us. My daughter, son in law, one granddaughter to the right of the table. Shooter Rick and wife Sandy at the far end of the table. Hard to see Sumosmoke to Rick's left. Karnowski's wife Sarah next to Sumosmoke. Liz in that LSU purple and Karnowski hiding behind the pole

Same people but now we can see Sumosmoke and it must be Bamafan between Sarah and Liz

mballi to the right, the back of Sumosmoke and Karnowski coming in the door


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## bmudd14474

Looks like a great start.


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## bcfishman

Wow...

Put some in a cooler and express mail it to me.

Good to see some familiar faces in those pictures.


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## pineywoods

Sandy's Homemade Cinnamon Buns

These things are awesome

Our Bacon


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## DanMcG

Oh Man.........I'm not sure what looks better, the bacon or the buns.


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## sumosmoke

That was my first time eating crawfish and it was awesome!! Huge thanks to Al and Liz for bringing the grub for that feast. The cinnamon rolls sure hit the spot this morning!


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## pineywoods

Seems there was an alcohol shortage last night several 1.75 liter bottles must have had holes in them cause they went dry but not to fear a couple people have went to resupply. We have the butts in the brisket in and the ribs just went in. Goat, Lamb, Venison Backstraps, Chickens to go later. The breakfast was great between the cinnamon buns eggs and bacon seems we were full. The moink balls and abt's will be going on shortly as well. Personally I'm about ready for more oysters. The crawfish were awesome and theres still some left


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## northern greenhorn

Looks and sounds like a great time, I love crawfish


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## bassman

That looks like so much fun I had to give you 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





.


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## bmudd14474

Looks like yall are having way too much fun.


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## wingman

Oh man I wish I was there! Those cinnamon buns and crawfish looked amazing!


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## pineywoods

Bamafan's first real smoke in his new smoker is going on today he had seasoned it and played with it a bit but today is smoking food. Bamafan at the rear of the smoker and Karnowski at the front 

Bamafan checking something on his new rig

We have have smoke

Ribs are in

Ribs

Ribs

The Lang has some briskets and butts in it

Brisket and butts taking in some smoke and heat

ABT's and Moink Balls about to go in and the crawfish are back out and being eaten the oysters are next on my list


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## pineywoods

Yesterday we got a little load of pecan 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





 Son in law, daughter, Sumosmoke checking it out and Rio_Grande about to cut some

Same players

ABT's and Moink Balls going in by mballi in the Gator shirt and Bamafan in the Bama shirt

Bamafan getting the ABT's in

Bamafan, mballi, and future member John loading lots of Moink Balls and ABT's

The top rack has the snacks while the bottom rack has some ribs and pieces by now we had loaded the two batches of Dutch's beans into the rib box

Log Splitter play time

Stacking some of the split wood and loading some into Rio_Grande's trailer for a ride north

The 2 smokers


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## chisoxjim

everything looks great.  kudos to y'all for putting this together.  
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	







those crawfish looke especially nice,  big ones for sure.  i have only seen a few that big in the 25 lbs+ I have eaten this year so far.


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## fire it up

Looks like everything is a real blast, nice smokers, great folks and some tasty looking grub!
Glad to hear the booz situation got taken care of.  Seems much cooler than last years get together so that's definitely a plus down in FL.


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## ellymae

Look great! How about putting some names to those faces???


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## pineywoods

Bamafan checking stuff

Getting that new rig loaded up

Looking good

Moink Balls are bout done

Lamb and Goat getting settled in for the smoke and heat

ABT's about there

Nice thin smoke

Me probing butts and brisket

Getting there we did no foil and no spritz on these

More checking temps


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## pineywoods

Rio_Grande and Bamafan checking it out

ABT's and Moink Balls round one done

Bamafan unfoiling the ribs

I'm seein ribs

Looking good

Resting

Pulled Pork top left, ribs in the center, brisket on the right, grilled bacon wrapped backstrap on the bottom

Same things except Lamb on the bottom left and Rio_Grande slicing up the Goat 

The Lamb and some of Jeff's sauce


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## pineywoods

Lamb

PP on the left and Goat ribs and Goat 

Ribs

Brisket

Dutch's beans regular and non spice versions

Smoked Backstrap

Rio_Grande working on the Goat

We only pulled two of the six butts for dinner

Whats that right there lol


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## rdknb

drooling all over keyboard


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## ellymae

DANG!!!! You folks know how to roll!


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## pineywoods

Ok the eggs just came off the smoker (oops I forgot them earlier) but no pics so I guess it never happened


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## miamirick

looks like everyone is having fun,  why didnt you get some crawfish?

my favorite pic is the guy in the gator shirt!!!!!!


wish i was there, but i was here working all day


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## grouper sandwich

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrppppp............


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## fire it up

Oh man!  It just keeps getting better and tastier!


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## rio_grande

Wow Folks,,,, this is some awesome viddles.....


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## miamirick

hey whats up with the gathering  crowd   everybody must be having fun cause noone is posting!!!!!

we need some pics as the night progresses    who has passed out out first

who messed up the first batch of food   cmon we need some good real action shots!!!


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## fishwrestler

Man Is there ever a Northern California Get together I am ll over it :) 
Robert


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## ronp

What a damn feast!!


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## brud

Awesome looking spread. 
Is there crawfish ponds in Fl.?
Or did you have to import from La.?
Looks like a good time had by all.


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## mythmaster

Same here.  I was just sitting here casually glancing through all of the pics, and I suddenly found myself drooling unexpectedly, lol!  This is a true story!!!

We need to do something like that around here.

It looks like you guys are having a great time, and thank you for sharing the pics with us!

Cheers,
-Bret


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## mballi3011

Hey guys and girls out there in smokey smokey land. I just returned home from the gathering. You should have made it cause it was really fun and the food was off the chain good. The craw fish were awesome and cooked by Big Al and his wife liz. Then the cinnamon rolls by sandy Shooter Ricks wife. between those two we all have gained alot of pounds BUT it was sooooooo good. The meat was prepared by all and Tim (BamaFan) was really smoking his heart out. Believe me everything tasted better then you could imagine and there was enough food for half of this site too. But with all that said I want to throw out a great big 








THANK YOU
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





The Jerry and Karen for their fine hospatality they showed us all and it was great and I cann't wait to start making plans for the next one. This gathering was something I think should be held all over this great country and site for it is something special. Thanks to all my new friends and fellow smokers. Enjoyed every moment of it too. See Ya Soon


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## bamafan

Jerry thank you and Karen for your hosptality! I had a great time and met a lot of great people. It was a great event to break in the Bubba.The food was outstanding. The ABT's were so good I'm making a batch right now. Then i'll be time for a diet!!!!!!!!!! I'm looking forward to the next one and hopefully seeing you soon.


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## sumosmoke

Mark, and Tim - glad to see both of ya's made it home safely.

The 4th annual N. FL gathering has come to a tasty completion with some biscuits and homemade sausage gravy (made by Brian) to send everyone off (in addition to eggs and bacon that Karen cooked up).

As Mark mentioned earlier, these gatherings are such a great way to meet the fine people from SMF, and their friends and families. Jerry and his wife have been gracious enough to host these every year, so if you have a chance, you'll want to attend the next one. It was a *great* feeling to see a mix of people from the past 3 gatherings, and a couple new faces, convene together this past weekend.

In addition to the faces that were there, we had a "virtual" special guest: DanMcG. Dan contributed some $ for our feast. It was spread amongst the alcohol, and all the grub. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





 Thank you so much, Dan!


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## bmudd14474

Im thinking of planning something near Tahoe maybe. Ill post if we do it.


Sounds like Jerry and Karen threw another great bash.


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## eman

We really had a great time at Jerry and karens home away from home.
 We were glad to finally be able to put some names w/ the faces.
  There was enough food cooked to feed half of south Fla.
Anyone who went home hungry ,It was your own fault.
   Thanks all who contributed  and all who attended.
 Hope to  be able to do it again soon.
 1000.1 miles from my driveway back to my driveway.
  Jerry and Karen, Thank's for throwing this shindig and for all your hospitality.
        Bob & Sherrie


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## pineywoods

Well it was fun again and we want to thank everybody that attended. Its great to see old friends and make new ones. The food was good but the people were better and we hope everyone comes back to see us.


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## shooterrick

Well Sandy and I made it home avoiding a major accident in Biloxi.  It was a great time and great friends old and new.  A big thanks to Mark for building Gunnys ash pan for me and Bob for delivering a care package of hog to my home on his way back to his.  Jerry and his wife are amazing hosts and thanks to Brian for the loan of the tent.  That hog Jerry gave me will be posted later this summer!  

Tim your Bubba smoker is pretty darn cool and meeting Al Blancher and his wife was a joy.  The food was great and Jeff is a pretty good bar tender!  As always Laurel is a treat to be around.  

This is the best kind of tired I can think of.  LOL


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## meateater

No shortage of goodies there. I'm full just looking at the pics, the mudbugs really made me drool.


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## rio_grande

WOW ladies and gentelmen. This was great. Big thank you to Jerry and Karen as well as everyone behind the scenes that made this event happen. 

Special shout out to Jerry and Karen for extending some extra special hospitality to my faimly. Bottom line i know very few people in this world that will treat folks the way we were treated. 

Tim thanks for minding the goat and balls for me. You are an awsome cook in my book. 

After a 12 hr drive I am gonna tuck some kids in and go to bed...


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## bbrock

Boy all I can say is I missed out. Jerry if and when you have the next one am there. Looks and sounds like everyone had a good time. What more could you ask for good people and the smokers going. Jerry thank for all QView.


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## carpetride

Looks like I missed out, I'm blowing out of Orlando in the morning with family in tow.  We did the Disney thing for the last week, I'm ready for home!


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## pineywoods

Wish ya'll could have made it. Having the second big smoker here sure made things easier. Seems each one gets bigger and better and I look forward to the next one. You can pretty much figure unless something bad happens there will be another North Florida Gathering next April tho the exact date hasn't been selected yet


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## eman

In jerrys last pick that litlle quart jar on the table w/ the clear liquid in it Should have a lable on it that says, CAUTION !!! Can cause extreme headaches within 24 hrs of cosuming this medicene.


Forgot to mention that on the way home we stopped for gas and to stretch and found some great strawberries for $10 a  flat.
 Bought 4 flats. I am now going to learn to make strawberrie preserves.


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## rio_grande

Well a little more awake now. 
Awsome trip. It was great to meet and put some names with faces..  Looking forward to next april aready.

Come on eman that water tasted fine.


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## bamafan

Cut the weld off fire grate today Jerry and moved it 90 degrees. Should help the startup. Sure had a good time. Rio I look forward to seeing you next year. If we drink the white stuff I may have to come a day early to get that out of my system
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





 Where did you buy the therm-pen?


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## eman

Bama,
 Was really nice ta meet you and the rest of your crew . 
 Got me jonesn for that bubba grill real bad. LoL
 Need to build me a uds first.
 Next time y'all get down here in tiger country ,holler and the cajun food will be flowin.


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## eman

The best thing to come from the gathering was last night my wife told me that she wanted to learn to smoke!!!! She said the first thing she wants to do is her fantastic home made pizza. Gotta build us a UDS.


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## bamafan

All it takes is a check and a drive
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





. If you decide maybe I can help with the pick up and it won't be so far a drive.
 Just let me know.
Tim


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## rio_grande

That thing is sexy. 

Come on Tim more the merrier :) Bring Sarah she was fun :)

Well it finally happened today. I officially have eaten my fill of seafood. It started on Wed with a small scale seafood dinner at camp followed up by plenty of oysters over the weekend. Of course I bought a bushel of oysters and 10 lb of shrimp before launching from florida. So tonight I did an Al Blancher imspired boil tonight for friends after boiling some crawfish, 8lb shrimp, taters sausage abt's and crab stuffed shrooms. Then we started on the oysters. Problem was nobody was interested but me. so almost a bushel of later and I have eaten as many as I want for quite some time. I do need to bread and fry a pint of oysters in the next day or so.. 

MMMMM

So 2 lb of shrimp in the freezer for seed and no need or want for seafood for a bit.


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## sumosmoke

Glad to hear the seafood was a hit at home, Jeff. Bet that shrimp would be great on the grill!


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## shooterrick

Already been some talk about doing a S. Louisiana gathering in the fall or spring.  These things are contagious!  LOL  If it goes any further we will do a post but for now just ideas.


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## sumosmoke

I've never been to the great state of LA, so that would be a treat to take a road trip out your way.


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## eman

I think if we really want to do this it can be done . 
 Lets have a melding of the minds in the next couple of weeks and discuss it?


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## eman

oops dbl post


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## pigcicles

Looks like some great food and a really great time. I love gatherings - so many new faces but still the same good times. Thanks for sharing the pics and the good times.




http://www.thermoworks.com/products/...thermapen.html


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## cookerlady

Some of them pics look good!!  Now I have a question!  If you smoke a brisket to  sell in a restaurant how thick is it sliced and with what kind of knife do you slice it?


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## eman

If i'm slicing i use a meat slicer and slice around 1/4 " or less.
 can be done w/ a good electric knife ,but it gets time consuming on a full packer.


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## pineywoods

I've never sliced one to sell but if I did I think it'd be about 1/4" maybe 3/8" and I slice with a decent sharp knife


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