# Preparing for a senior commander Progressive Dinner Saturday!



## SittingElf (Oct 18, 2018)

Our Senior Command folks from all the major players on Tinker AFB are having a Progressive Dinner on Saturday. (My wife is a Senior Commander Colonel in the Air Force)
There are four food providers, and we drew the main course! Ugh! RSVP's total about 30 people going through the four houses for Appetizers, Soups, Main Course, and Dessert. Includes a three-star, one-star and a bunch of Colonels and their spouses! So the odyssey begins today with me prepping and beginning to cook 28 pounds of Packer Briskets as the primary protein. The Briskets have been split into both flats and points (Deckels). The flats will be sliced and served, while the deckels will be cubed and become burnt-ends with a Kansas City style BBQ sauce. The Briskets have to start today. Tomorrow and Saturday will include fully stuffed Acorn Squash for the Vegetarians, and Maple Butter Acorn Squash quarters for everyone else. Also smashed baby potatoes with tops seared. But today the meat starts....
First picture is the meat trimmed and split. The small piece is a part of one of the deckels that was too big for our purpose and will be cooked as a separate piece. Second and third pictures are after the meat has been seasoned with equal parts Kosher Salt, Black Pepper, and Garlic powder, with a small bit of Onion powder as well. The pics are of the cuts beginning a 3-hour cold smoke in my grill using hickory pellets in the A-Maze-N smoking tubes and trails I use. I'll follow as we get them into bags for a 39 hour, 140 deg Sous Vide bath for the Deckels and 41 hours for the Flats! Busy Busy!! Gotta make the wife look good for the BIG boys!!


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## daveomak (Oct 18, 2018)

Thank you and the entire group for their service to our country....
Now, I know when I can salmon, the smoke flavor _INTENSIFIES_ greatly.. I have no idea if that is true of sous vide a smoked hunk of meat or not...  My final smoke, for canned salmon, is 1 hour...  no more... the smoke flavor gets way overpowering.... 
If you have experience with the method you have chosen, let me and others know...   this could be a valuable learning experience.....


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## RickNess (Oct 18, 2018)

Make sure you post some of the finished product...would love to see how it turns out.


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## SittingElf (Oct 18, 2018)

I will continue to post pictures as the progress continues!  I was going to make a video of the process, but time got in the way...


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## SittingElf (Oct 18, 2018)

daveomak said:


> Thank you and the entire group for their service to our country....
> Now, I know when I can salmon, the smoke flavor _INTENSIFIES_ greatly.. I have no idea if that is true of sous vide a smoked hunk of meat or not...  My final smoke, for canned salmon, is 1 hour...  no more... the smoke flavor gets way overpowering....
> If you have experience with the method you have chosen, let me and others know...   this could be a valuable learning experience.....


I don't have any heat on for the cold smoke. I cold smoke in my dual bin grill using the A-MAZE-N pellet system without any heat, except what is produced by the pellets smoking. It adds just a hint of smoke to the meat after sous vide, without a smoke ring. We have done this with Brisket, Tri-tip, Mock Tenderoin, and other meats. With the additionaly aromatics added to the vacuum bag for sous vide, it adds just the right touch of flavor.  The only thing I smoke with any heat is wild-caught salmon. Bon Appetit!


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## SittingElf (Oct 18, 2018)

Cold smoking done!  Now vacuum packed with Rosemary, Thyme and crushed garlic cloves for the next 40+ hours in my modified 48qt cooler for sous vide!
Next update on Saturday.


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## KrisUpInSmoke (Oct 18, 2018)

Interesting. Watching and wishing you success!


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## gmc2003 (Oct 19, 2018)

Looks like a huge endeavor, good luck with the cook. 

Chris


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## daveomak (Oct 19, 2018)

That's good to know...  I've not "smoked-sous vide" before...  I really like "just a hint" of smoke flavor..   
Thanks for breaking trail for me...    Dave


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## SmokinAl (Oct 19, 2018)

We have done several briskets, and we always hot smoke to an IT of 150, then SV at 155 for 24 hours. 
They come out very good every time, but I will have to give your method a try.
Al


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## Bearcarver (Oct 19, 2018)

Great Start !!
Gotta do a good job, with all that Brass showing up, especially "Air Force" brass. (People used to good food)
If it was Army Brass, they wouldn't know good food while in uniform.
Be Back for more Pics.

And Thank you All for your service!!

Bear


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## SittingElf (Oct 20, 2018)

Long day ahead, finishing the brisket, burnt ends, stuffed Acorn Squash, and smashed potatoes for the dinner tonight. I'll be running my second Sous Vide circulator for the potatoes this afternoon. Bought a relatively inexpensive 850w Wancle SVC001 circulator to supplement my Anova when I have two separate temperatures to do concurrently. It's $79.99 at Amazon and works really well as a backup. Busy busy today. Pictures to follow later today...
To clarify, this Progressive Dinner is for Senior Leadership here on the base. My wife is one of those and commands the Medical Group. All guests are either Colonels or Generals and their spouses, but really all peers, so they'll be friendly! Hoping to blow them away! Bon Appetit!


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## daveomak (Oct 20, 2018)




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