How to Cook for Leftovers at a Barbecue Party

There is certainly a lot of enjoyment in smoking a rack of ribs or a fillet of salmon for a couple of people, but a barbecue party is seriously more fun when you're cooking a variety of different meats.

In my opinion, nothing rounds out a barbecue feast like having several meats, such as brisket, ribs, sausage, and chicken, with a couple of appetizers and smoked baked beans thrown in. What makes it even better is cooking plenty of extras for sending home with your guests or freezing for quick barbecue meals on those days when you're too busy too cook.

One obstacle in planning a meal for a crowd is knowing how much meat you should cook, and my free catering planner helps you cook for crowds without the stress of running out of meat. And if you like leftovers like I do, go generous with it and err on the side of extra.

The second challenge is having equipment that can handle the amount of meat you're trying to cook, and that's where we come in...

Here are some examples of how our equipment makes it easy to cook a well-rounded barbecue feast—with leftovers.

Don't think you have to be a caterer to do this.

In fact, our biggest customer segment is barbecue enthusiasts who cook for family and friends. Many of them occasionally cook for small crowds, weddings, family gatherings, and events like that—which is actually a great way to justify your investment in a Meadow Creek cooker!

Backyard "Chicken Flippers"

The BBQ42 Chicken Cooker is an all-time bestseller. It's large enough to feed 50 or more people but also small enough for patio use. The smaller BBQ26S, with a cooking area under half that of the BBQ42, is also popular among backyarders.

These grills are famous for making it easy to cook perfectly done chicken with their rotating sandwich grates, but you can also grill anything you would cook over direct heat (a flat grate makes this easier) and even fry foods with the optional griddle. Some people are even using these for smoking ribs and pork butts with a custom taller lid.

Grilled Chicken on BBQ42

Chicken Breasts on BBQ42

Sausage Links on BBQ42

Variety of meats on BBQ42 With Optional Flat Grate

Sausage and Pancakes on BBQ42 With Optional Griddle

Kabobs on BBQ42 With Optional Flat Grate

Want more photos? See photos from more than a dozen people cooking on a Meadow Creek chicken cooker in my Chicken Flipper Showcase blog post here.

Learn More About Meadow Creek "Chicken Flippers"

Tank Smokers

A Meadow Creek tank smoker makes it easy to crank out amazing barbecue while maintaining the tradition of offset cooking with wood and charcoal. Here are a few things I've cooked on "Big Black," my Meadow Creek TS250 Tank Smoker trailer.

Through wind, heavy snow, and ice, the old girl just kept on going.

Johnny Van, owner of TS250 Tank Smoker

Chicago, IL

Are you dreaming of your own "Big Black" and what all you could do with it? We'd love to build you one!

Nothing makes an impression quite like an offset smoker... and a decked out Meadow Creek Tank Smoker, such as Big Black, is the ideal rig if you're looking to serve small crowds with this type of cooking style.

These smokers feature reverse flow draft, which helps maintain a more even temperature, and we offer a wide variety of customization options, including stainless steel shelves and trim package for making a great impression on the road!

Click the button below to get started...

Click the button below to learn more about the Meadow Creek TS250 Smoker and then click on Customize to see the available upgrades, including insulated firebox, stainless steel exterior shelves, trim package, live smoke, and mounted BBQ42 chicken cooker.

Learn More About Meadow Creek Tank Smokers

Box Smokers

Cabinet smokers are famous for being compact, efficient, and easy to use. Meadow Creek cabinet smokers come with an auto-feed water system and rust-free stainless steel cooking grates.

Here are a few things I've cooked on my faithful Meadow Creek BX25 smoker with optional stainless steel interior.

A few reasons I love the BX25 cabinet smoker:

It's handsome... its vertical, compact design and positive locking latches and hand-crafted workmanship are nice to look at.
It's fuel-efficient. In a recent cook it ran for 7-8 hours and my target temperature was 275-300 degrees, so I had to add more fuel once or twice, but that's not bad considering I was running it this hot and had the door open a lot for photos and video. If you leave the door closed and use 100% hardwood charcoal briquettes cooking at 225 degrees, you should get at least five hours out of it before you have to add more fuel.
Compared with a TS250 offset smoker (my all-time favorite smoker), this one is tiny, yet perfect for the backyarder who doesn't want to cook for a big crowd or have a dozen+ bags of leftovers for the freezer.

If you're looking for a solid, hand-made smoker that runs on charcoal and wood, and with or without water/steam, the BX series is an excellent choice.

BX50 Box Smoker With Optional Stainless Steel Body

Learn More About Meadow Creek Box Smokers

SQ36 Offset Smoker

I've been cooking on the SQ36 for many years for birthday parties, cookouts, and family barbecues. I've even cooked for an employee picnic and open house with this cooker. It's a solid investment for an entry level offset smoker.