The More, The Merrier Huffs Offer Tips On Feeding A Crowd vBy Randy Dockendorf After spending the weekend in the kitchen, Steve and Tracy Huff were loading up their vehicle for the ultimate “foodie” road trip. The Yankton couple love working side by side to create large quantities of food. They open up their home to share the warmth and good smells of their tasty treats. But on this Super Bowl Sunday, the Huffs were hitting the road and taking their meal to another location. “We like donating meals for a local charity or organization, and this meal was auctioned off for 10-12 people as a fundraiser for the Heartland Humane Society,” Steve said. “We advertised it as a Super Bowl party, and we asked the high bidders what kind of meal they wanted. They left it up to us, so we went with something that had Mexican or barbecue flair.” Why were the Huffs hitting the road with this meal? “Our guests tend to like coming here (to our house) because they don’t have to clean up, but this guy has new rooms that he wants to show off,” Steve said. “Once we get there, we may leave shortly after we set up or we may stay until the end of the game. It depends on what they want us to do.” No matter what’s on the menu, the Huffs work well as a team. On this Sunday, they cranked their operation into high gear. They were not only preparing food on deadline — they were also packing items and making early runs to the hosts’ house. Watching the Huffs in action provided two good lessons: making large quantities for special occasions while also figuring out how to easily pack and transport it to another site. The Huffs have served crowds ranging in size from a more intimate gathering with 10-12 guests to a large bash with 40 people. Seeing them at work, it offers a scene that could just as easily fit a St. Patrick’s Day party, a March Madness college basketball gathering, Easter brunch or a graduation reception. “This is such a great time of year for everything,” Tracy said. “There’s so much reason to celebrate.” Finding The Right Flavor This particular Super Bowl meal offered a carnivore’s dream. “We’re making a taco, nacho and enchilada bar,” Steve said. “We 16vHERVOICEvMARCH/APRIL 2019 smoked a six-pound brisket, four racks of ribs, three chickens — maybe the best I have done — and about six pounds of ground beef.” What makes these chickens so special? “I would say I like the rub a lot more than I liked others in the past. I used Mexican oregano that’s a little wilder,” Steve said. “I had dry ingredients with a lot of heat, and the heat just poured through. I was able to put the three chickens in a big roasting pan, and it just worked out well.” A key lies in getting everything in place ahead of time, Tracy said. “We did a lot of our preparation work yesterday,” she said. “Actually, we did the three chickens in the smoker, and then we did the ribs and the brisket.” Tracy noted the smoker isn’t just for meat. She enjoys using it for a variety of foods, and this time she used it for dessert. “I’m making cookies, carrot cake, and brownies in the smoker,” she said. “I had (the ingredients) put together, so all we had to do was make them and get them ready to go.” Tracy draws raves from co-workers about her cookies that come right out of the smoker. “I put the cookies in the smoker at the same temperature that you would in an oven. People like the smoky flavor with the sweet,” she said. “Today, I left it in the smoker a bit longer and it baked differently. I really liked it.” Mixing It Up Whether it’s food or drink, many people like unusual flavors or combinations they wouldn’t normally consider, Tracy said. It’s all about teasing the palate. “We usually try to balance different flavors. Today, we have both meats and sweets, so you get different tastes at the same meal,” she said. “That’s really the key. We combined what we think would pair nice with what we are serving.” The previous week played havoc with their schedule. Yankton was hit not only with snow but also bitter temperatures. A polar vortex sent the wind chill into the deep freeze at -50 to -60 degrees. When it came to preparing for the meal, the weather made it not only dangerous to go shopping, the bitter blast also threw a wrench into using the smoker for any preparations. “When it’s a lot colder, it affects the way the smoker runs,” Tracy