Sticks & BonesCook Archive
Two halves of a sliced smoked brisket held up to show the bark, smoke ring, and rendered interior.

The money shot: fifteen hours over hickory.

Official record002
Date of cook
Filed in

New York City

The Summer Lunch

The Late Night with Seth Meyers crew was going on a hiatus and we wanted to send our coworkers into their summer break smiling.

A six-dish buffet built for a hundred-person working lunch: a 15-hour brisket, two smoke woods, hot holding, on-site carving, and a room that kept coming back. We saw who got thirds!

See the menu Add your view
From the room / 002
“Not because they're my friends, but because this food is excellent.”

Overheard at Cook 002

The smoked turkey

“This is the turkey I want to mess with on Thanksgiving.”

Overheard at Cook 002

The stuffed chicken

“Yeah, that's a game changer, that one right there.”

Overheard at Cook 002

From Late Night / 0:20–1:15

Seth on the cook.

The next day, Seth Meyers opened Corrections by thanking Kenny for the barbecue—and explaining what it did to the crew.

Watch on YouTube
01

The Setlist

Menu / 6 dishes

What played

  1. 01Smoked BrisketHickory / 15 hours
  2. 02Smoked TurkeyApple + pecan
  3. 03Pork RibsBuffet cut
  4. 04Stuffed ChickenBacon / jalapeño / two cheeses
  5. 05Smoked Three-Cheese MacSmoked / hot-held
  6. 06Loaded Baked BeansSavory / smokehouse sweet
02

Dish briefs

01

Smoked Brisket

A 15-hour hickory cook, rested through transport and carved at service for structure, bark, and a clean pull.

Hickory / 15 hours
02

Smoked Turkey

Whole turkey smoked over apple wood with a little pecan, held hot and sliced for the buffet.

Apple + pecan
03

Pork Ribs

Smoked ribs finished for a glossy surface and an easy pull without losing the bite.

Buffet cut
04

Stuffed Chicken

Chicken breast wrapped in bacon and filled with jalapeño, smoked cream cheese, and cheddar.

Bacon / jalapeño / two cheeses
05

Smoked Three-Cheese Mac

A full-pan three-cheese mac smoked until the top browned, then held hot through transport and the delayed buffet.

Smoked / hot-held
06

Loaded Baked Beans

Beans layered with ground beef, green pepper, sweet onion, all-purpose rub, and barbecue sauce.

Savory / smokehouse sweet
03 / Gallery

From the smoker to the serving board.

01The brisket, rested and ready for the first cut.
02Bacon-wrapped stuffed chicken, just off the smoker.
03Bark, smoke ring, and the clean pull.
04The setlist on one plate.
05Stuffed chicken stacked for service.
06A lower angle on the bacon-wrapped chicken.
07The brisket bark before the first cut.
08Ribs moved to the board for service.
09Bark and rendered edges.
10A closer pass at the ribs.
11The rib board before the buffet.
12Smoked three-cheese mac, browned on top.
13The smoked turkey, rested for slicing.
14Turkey on the board before service.
15Seasoned outside, ready to slice.
Audience archive

The audience tapes

Individual sources, preserved with contributor credit.

Opening the tape box…

04

Credits

Made by

Cook lead
Kenny
Production + documentation
Ryan
Service
Sticks & Bones crew
05 / About

Sticks & Bones

Sticks & Bones is a Northeast barbecue company built by a working crew between Philadelphia and New York. We cook for private events, productions, and backyards, with the same care whether the table seats twenty or a hundred.

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