vHUFFS continued from page 20 While brisket may intimidate some outdoor chefs, the Huffs believe they have mastered the process with their four smokers. “Brisket isn’t as tough as I thought it would be. I watch Steve work with more of the meat, and I do more of the seafood in the smoker,” Tracy said. “Once you get it down, it’s kind of a science. Some of it is weather related. When it’s warmer weather, you know the temperature doesn’t have to be at the same level as when it’s colder.” Steve was figuring the best rubs, as he firmly believes the rubs can really make the meat. He described a Korean rub for pork, while he characterized another as a Tokyo rub. Some of his favorite rubs use chopped up smoked seedless Szechuan peppercorns, black sesame seeds, basil and rosemary. He described rubs for skirt steak and other meat. For the chicken, he was considering a Greek rub. He showed one jar with leftover rub. “You don’t need a ton of it. Here’s what was left after we did 50 pounds. Its taste is like Athena came down from the Greek heaven,” he said with a laugh. While meat provides the centerpiece, the meal offered a variety of other tastes. The Huffs made a cucumber salad as a side, taking advantage of the seasonal fresh produce. They were also using 10 bags of broccoli slaw that they were turning into 20 pounds of Asian slaw with cilantro and fruit. On the night they were preparing the meat, the Huffs were also making a dish featuring four kinds of beans, 1 ½ pounds of pepper bacon and two pounds of pepper sausage. When it comes to beans for their cooking, the Huffs prefer black beans, navy beans and pinto beans rather than kidney beans. The Huffs devoted two days to preparing the food. On the first day, they worked with the pork and brisket. On the second day, they focused their efforts to the chicken. On the side, they made the other dishes in the kitchen. “The wedding will be under a tent. We’re taking the food ready to serve it,” Steve said. “It could be awesome or fraught with problems.” In the end, all went well. Just Desserts For the wedding, guests brought homemade desserts. While she didn’t need to provide sweets for the wedding meal, Tracy enjoys making desserts in the smoker. She has taken treats to work, including carrot cake, sugar cookies, chocolate chip cookies and brownies. People seem to enjoy the carrot cake most, particularly with a smoky flavor for the nuts, cake and frosting, she added. “If you can do anything in a smoker, why not do dessert? If you can get the right recipe and get it in a smoker, it’s awesome,” she said. “We’ve also done healthier dishes, like fruit. I’ve done peaches for dessert. We usually grill them or smoke them. We put a light honey glaze on them with a light dusting of powdered sugar, cinnamon and other things.” Steve may be used to high-pressure situations in the courtroom, but he admitted the wedding meal brought out a case of nerves. “I want it to go right. I want everybody happy. I want to see the look on (the groom’s) greased face after three pounds of brisket and three pounds of pork. I want to drop that meat bomb on him,” Steve said, laughing at the thought. “Then, when the evening is over, Tracy and I will go back to the hotel. I’ll have a cigar and go to sleep for 12 hours straight because it will be the most sleep that I’ll have had in a long time.” However, Steve believed it would all be worth it for his friend. “(The groom) deserves this to go well. He has done so much for so many other people, the least I can do is give him a great evening with authentic food,” Steve said. “This is also the first meal they will share as husband and wife. We’ve done other cookouts, but this means more than most, to be fair. I take it a lot more seriously.” In the end, everything turned out well, Steve said. “The wedding was a success, and the setup and weather challenges were conquered,” he said. Tracy acknowledged she didn’t know the bridal couple as well, but she shared in the desire to provide them with the perfect meal. “(The groom) has provided a very special service to a lot of people, and this is a very special evening for him,” she said. “I think that’s where I find it a little bit rewarding (in making these meals). You get to provide something to someone who provides so much to other people.” As she finished a night of work in the kitchen, Tracy said she looked forward to the wedding. “I think we enjoy what we do, but this (meal) is something special,” she said. “That’s where I think this is going to be fun.” n 1101 Broadway Ste. 105, Morgen Square 605.665.2448 www.scottfamilysmiles.com Experience Gentle, Personalized Dental Care For Your Entire Family! HERVOICEvSEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019v21