BESSIE ON THE BOSS

365 Days of Thanksliving — Day 152

There’s a certain kind of peace that comes with living in the country. For all y’all urban dwellers, that’s the rural slice of ‘Merica where sanity still reigns supreme. Out here in “these-them parts,” we have the soul-satisfying option of sourcing our food straight from the folks who grew it. My kin and I have truly learned the bliss of partnering with the farmers right in our own church pews.

Beef, eggs, veggies, fruits—you name it. There’s nothing better than farm-to-table, especially when it means skipping the fluorescent lights of the grocery store.

Last fall, we purchased a quarter-beef from a local family. We’ll definitely be doing it again. Truthfully, the meat just tastes better. It’s hormone-free, healthier, and most importantly, we know exactly how those animals were raised. If we felt like it, we could drive down the road and see the herd being cared for by a family—mom, dad, and the kids. It’s a family affair. Heck, I might have already met next year’s ribeyes at the County Fair.

To Jody and Brandon, I’ve gotta say thank you once again. Because tonight, we smoked Bessie’s brisket... and oh my, she was tasty!

I’d never smoked a brisket before, and I’ll be honest: I was nervous. I must have clocked five hours of YouTube "research" watching the experts. If I learned anything, it’s that smoking a massive hunk of meat is more of a fine art than a hard science.

Eventually, I had to set aside my culinary insecurities and just dive in. Since I work from home on Fridays, I figured I’d better “get ‘er done” before Bessie suffered any more hibernation in the deep freeze.

As if they knew today was the big day, the pups were standing on my chest at 6:45 AM, staring me down as if to say, “Get up, Dad. It’s time to smoke some meat. We’ll be needing 'second supper' tonight—Afterall, like hobbits we have furry feet.

Let me tell ya, that first go at Bessie’s brisket didn’t turn out half-bad. In fact, it was downright delicious. The dogs gave their enthusiastic seal of approval. Now, I just need to go buy Bessie’s bestie and give it another whirl. But before that, I’ve got plans for the leftovers: burnt ends and brisket nachos. Oh yeah! If you’re a BBQ aficionado, you know that’s the real prize.

A Timeline of Gratitude — Let’s get to the heart of the matter: I’m incredibly thankful that my job (and my congregation) gives me the grace to work from home on Fridays. Without that flexibility, I never could have managed a cook this long.

The Play-by-Play:

• 0730: Bessie’s brisket hits the Pit Boss.

• 1230: The bark is looking bombastic; time for the wrap.

• 1300: Wrapped up for the ball with the Boss firing at 250°F. Bessie goes back in for her afternoon nap.

• 1600: Done! Time for a long, slow rest in the Igloo cooler to let those juices settle.

• 1800: Slicing time. Bessie on the Boss did not disappoint.

Today, I’m thankful for our friends the Andersons for raising Bessie and for teaching their children the values of small-town living. I’m thankful to my congregation for the trust and space to work from home. I’m thankful for innovations like the pellet smoker that let us home cooks pretend to be world-class chefs.

And most importantly, I’m thankful for the Lord our God, the Giver of all these gifts. Thank you, Lord, for Bessie on the Boss. You’ve made life tastier and filled my days with joy.

What are you thankful for today?