Big Community Barbecues

Barbecues are a man’s best chance to shine as a chef. Complete directions follow for serving a hungry crowd in this traditional western way, with pit-style cooking.

First dig your pit. Dig it deep, the size depending on the amount of meat you plan to barbecue. Here are some helpful figures: Make the pit 3½′ deep and 3′ wide for the large crowds; same depth, 1½′ wide by 3′ long for small groups. You can cook as little as 10 pounds of beef in it, enough for about 25 people. A trench, same depth, 3′ wide and 10′ long, will handle about 400 pounds of meat. For a general rule, allow about 3′ of length for each 100 pounds. For more than 800 pounds of meat, it’s better to dig a second trench.