Need some planning assistance

[DisplacedCoonass]

Alright so we are having a bbq fundraiser here in a couple of weeks.  We're also using this fundraiser as a goal point.  If the next group can exceed what we raise from this event, then we'll double our donation and put it into the kitty with theirs.

My problem is that I'm working from 2300-0800 starting 3 days before the event.  I know I could do pulled pork, but frankly one of the other Chief's is a much better pork puller than I.  My brisket skills aren't up to snuff for this, so brisket is out.  I'm thinking of smoking some wings and then finishing them up there on the grill.  If I do decide to go with wings, anyone got advice for doing them up to 5 days in advance?  Or does anyone else have a good idea for a fundraiser meat?  We're going off pure profit for the donations so ribs are sorta cost prohibitive.

[SiFumar]

If you can get a hold of pork ribletts.....they run about $1.00 per lb.  I can get 10lbs in a 4 rack.  Smoke for 2 hrs and about 2 more hours to finish.  They can be frozen and reheated on grill with a sauce.

[Habanero Smoker]

I like to support BBQ so I've been going to a few festivals. Almost all of these festivals are organized by a nonprofit organization. Many of these festivals have been selling individual ribs for $1 each "Buck-a-Rib". If you get spareribs, which cost less and are larger than baby backs, people feel they are getting a bargain. If you can find a way to roast corn, that is also a big seller. I was at a festival (not BBQ) on the Hudson River and they were selling corn $1 an ear, but that was over six years ago. They advertised it as "Buc-an-Ear", it was a fund raising to restore a schooner.

The wing idea is also good, and you can fully cook them ahead of time, then cool them as fast as you can. If you are doing it 5 days in advance, then you will need to freeze them. Then fully thaw prior to reheating. If you can prepare them 2 days in advance then you wouldn't have to freeze them. Though wings are hard to over cook, on the safe side if they are not already injected or brined I would brine them. You don't want to sell the public wing that taste overcooked.

The wings I would fully cook without sauce, and reheat them without sauce. After they are reheated, as soon as they come off the grill or out of the oven toss them with some sauce. I have a niece who use to work at a famous local wing place. He would not add the sauce until the wings came out of the fryer. They would place the wings in a bucket that had a lid, add some sauce, and vigorously shake until all the wings were coated. Note: you don't want to add too much sauce, but on the other hand many people like their wings sopping with sauce.

[DisplacedCoonass]

Thanks Habs and SiFumar.  Given some good points to think about.  We normally do a flat rate plate, but an "a la cart" pricing plan might do us good as well.  Gonna look into the riblets, as I think the Commissary was selling them for $9.00/case last time I was there.  If not, do you have a suggestion for applying one of the low salt brines to chicken wings?

[Habanero Smoker]

If you purchase wings that come in the 4 or 5 pound bags, check that carefully because they are usually already injected with a brine solution.

As for the brine, I would just make a simple brine 1 cup Morton's kosher salt, 1/2 sugar, to 1 gallon of water. You would only need to brine for 30 - 45 minutes.

If you want to use a low salt, you will have to brine longer you can use the following recipe. For wings you may have to brine 3 - 5 hours. The recipe calls for 3.5 ounce of Morton's Kosher salt, buy you can round it off to 4, or that will measure to be 1/2 cup. Sugar you can either use as printed in the recipe, or reduce by half. The pickling spices you can leave out.

Low Salt Brine

[SiFumar]

Habanero Smoker always has great advice!  And he writes more details too!  I'm fairly new to this forum stuff and kinda to brief most of the time.

Another thing you might try is talking to a manager in a butcher department and explain what you're doing...you might get meat at "cost".  I did that for my sons AF section picnic.  First place didn't want to help,  second place gave me great rates, marinated chicken for fajitas 29cents/lb and carne asada for $1.00/lb.  Needless to say I bought 75lbs of each and recomended the place to everyone for everyday shopping.  And I use them all the time.  It pays to get to know the butcher.