Matt Bowman knows barbecue. When he lived in Billings, before he became the music and band teacher at Jefferson High and Boulder Elementary schools, he regularly cooked for crowds of family and co-workers.
But on Saturday night, he and Dave Deskins, head custodian at Boulder Elementary, will go larger, serving up a barbecue dinner for an expected 200-plus visitors to the County Fair and Rodeo. The annual dinner raises funds for Jefferson High’s band and choir, which is planning a trip to perform in Florida next year.
Grilling and smoking for the masses requires some adjustments. With family and friends, Bowman points out, you know what to expect—who rocks heat and who favors a milder taste. So he and Deskins will ease up on some seasonings, trying to find the sweet spot that makes everyone happy: “If this was a food truck, I’d cook like I normally would. But for the fair, it’s meant to be for everyone.”
Here’s how they do it. Well, here’s more or less how they do it: Certain critical details have been omitted because, well, they wouldn’t tell us.
1. Buy meat. A week before the fair, Bowman consulted with Glenn Bruce, butcher at the L&P Grocery, who put together the order for meat and spices. This year, they settled on 100 pounds of flank steak: “It’s the more tender part, and it’s what they’ve been serving for years, so we go with that,” Bowman says.
2. Organize the sides. Parents of students donate side dishes and desserts. Bowman keeps them to traditional barbecue fare: potato and pasta salads, green salad, baked beans and rolls. “It’s not too fancy—we’re not trying to experiment. Just keep it basic and keep it good.”
3. Prepare the dry rub and sauce. Bowman is from Tennessee; Deskins is a Missourian. That translates into a strict division of labor: Deskins handles the rub, and Bowman the sauce.
Deskins has been barbecuing for over 30 years, and “there are some things I won’t tell anyone,” he says. Like his dry rub recipe: “Even my kids and wife don’t know. It’s just my own mix that I’ve formulated over the years.” Bowman allows that it includes pepper, salt, paprika, “and some other stuff” that he won’t disclose.
The sauce? It’s vinegar-based, but the vinegar taste is muted by honey, seasoning salts, and “some other little things,” says Bowman. “Little secrets that we don’t share.”
4. Gather the fuel. Bowman and Deskins will use several bags of charcoal for grilling—and they’ll add hickory and Jack Daniel’s whiskey barrel chips, Deskins says, for a rich Texas-style flavor. What’s the exact mix of charcoal and chips? Deskins laughs. “I can’t tell you.” As in, he won’t tell you. “You just can’t give out your secrets.”
5. Start cooking. Bowman and Deskins plan to light their fire at 5 a.m. on Friday at Boulder Elementary. They’ll grill-smoke the beef in a single batch for five to seven hours, then finish it off in an oven to cut down the cooking time.
The goal, says Bowman, is a range of medium-rare to medium-well: “You don’t want it to be too tough or chewy, but not every piece is going to be the same. So we cook it to where there’s a good temperature on the meat.”
6. Rest. Meat and chefs will sit for about an hour. Then the beef is thin-sliced and stowed in a refrigerator overnight.
7. Get ready… On Saturday afternoon, Bowman, Deskins, and student and parent volunteers will begin setting up in the White Barn. They’ll use roasters to warm the beef with steam – just enough to reheat without cooking it more.
8. And serve! “This takes a lot of donations and volunteer work from the community,” Bowman says. Between 10 and 13 people will feed the crowds. A few more will clean up in time for the barn dance at 8 p.m.
The benefit barbecue dinner is Saturday, 3–6 p.m. at the White Barn. Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for kids 16 and under.
