The Moose Lodge Chicken

The first time I remember eating BBQ or anything off a grill for that matter was at the annual Moose lodge BBQ fund raiser in the very early 60’s held right on old Hwy 41 and just across the road almost from Grandma Rhudy’s old place. I remember when we cleared the uphill grade of the drive to the parking lot seeing the long concrete block home made pit that must have been at least 30 ft long and several volunteers including my great uncle Raymond who bartended there all tending the fire and flipping chicken. Up until then the only thing I had ever had cooked outdoors was at a marshmellow / Winnie roast where we would build a big fire and use your pocket knife to shave the bark off the skinny end of a branch to stick the prize winnies and marshmellows with to hold in the fire and usually these were all held on some special occasion like a birthday or something. I believe my great aunt Ella Ray sponsored the first one I went to in her back yard for Jehu’s birthday. Anyway no telling how much chicken was cooked and sold at the Moose Lodge that day and it sure was good. Not long after that Lynn Calhoun held a family reunion at his house and tried to replicate the chicken at the Moose Lodge using his homemade horizontal 55 gal drum and he did a dang good job. Anyway BBQ has sure made some vast strides for me personally as I have to date bought, sold, and cooked on some of the finest bbq equipment ever made and am about to venture into a whole new direction and try the Pellet smoker / grills. I’m basically a lazy rascal and I can’t wait to get started using a cooker that you just turn the dial like the stove in the kitchen and forget about all that mess with a fire and ashes and such. I doubt if anything I cook will ever replace the memories of the Moose Lodge and Lynn’s reunion but I got some grandkids that may someday be able to look back in time and remember something similar with me and these new fangled cookers.