Re: the venison. In my opinion too lean to smoke but if you want to try you could look into injecting it. You "pump" your marinate right into it using a large needle looking thing. They cost around $20 here. Secondly, you can just mop the heck out of it.

Do the salmon by itself. Anything you smoke alongside it runs the risk of coming out fishy. I know folks who have a specific fish smoker, won't even do meat in it. Personally I don't really know if that is a tall tale or not, I've always done fish separately though.

I'd start the brisket in the smoker and finish it in the oven...once a crust is formed the smoke won't penetrate and give you that smoke ring.

As or time...I would say you aren't leaving yourself enough. It takes 12-18 hours to do a 15 pound pork butt. I imagine the venison will be similar. The duck and chicken will be in and around 4-5 hours. Ribs take 3-4. (baby backs a little less but they aren't as good as side ribs in a smoker).

Personally I'd do all the smoked meats over the prior few days and rent a steam table for the day...warm things up in the oven and place them into the steam table for service. Heat the ribs on that grill, etc.

True bbq is very forgiving that way...it tastes just fine the next day.

My son....the "smoke meister" starts his whole pork shoulder in the smoker and finishes it in the oven at something like 180 for 6 to 8 hours. Starts it at 6 AM for an evening meal....and at night to finish over night for a noon-ish meal.
If the salmon may sully the flavor of the duck, why not plank it and cook it on the grill?
As for dessert suggestions, how about pound cake and brownies? Both go well with fruit.
And I think you need a traditional slaw in the sides too....and if people want to bring something, how about chips and dip and veggies cut for snacking?
What time should I be there?
Linda c

Well I will give you an A+ for ambitious!

There is no way you are going to get away from tending the smoker for 10 or more hours unless you do the the brisket and venison the day before and reheat in the oven or on the BBQ. Which I would do anyhow because the last thing you need is delaying dinner a few hours because the big meats aren't as tender as they should be....ask me how I know!

Leave the day for smoking the ribs, duck and salmon. As an aside I've smoked trout several times now to serve as an appetizer and it is wonderful! I way prefer it to hot smoked salmon. The first time I served it cold with crackers. The second time I made a fabulous trout "pate" which got rave reviews.

As for sides , slaw for sure. LOL about the beans...but the Clile sauce does make a wonderful addition and is the key to my cheater baked beans which are one of my "signature" dishes. I do beans a lot with smoked meats , mac and cheese is another great sided.

The venison is a bit worrisome to me because it is so lean and may be very dry. I'd be prepared to add a Carolina style BBQ sauce ala pulled pork and serve with buns.

Dessert.......Tums!

Our first chix this spring we smoked whole. Then, we switched to boned/butterflied & have done half a dozen this summer. They were 3 1/2 - 4 lbs. before boning. We smoke at 215-200 degrees & they took 3 1/2 - 4 hrs. The first four we mopped twice and called it good. The last two, we've mopped once & applied an apricot glaze for the last hour & they were terrific. Your mop and/or glaze/sauce will, of course, depend on your use of the chix. It's been so hot this summer that I wasn't comfortable letting them sit out long to take the chill off...probably no more than 15 minutes so they were quite cold going into the smoker. Your chix is a lot larger so I 'think' you'll need to get started before noon unless you're not planning on eating until 6:00 p.m."ish".

We've only done brisket once & we did as metaxa suggested...smoked for 1-1/2 hours & finished in the oven wrapped in foil. It was tough. We didn't like it. We sliced it ultra-thin on the electric slicer & used it for sandwiches. Glad it's gone. Anxious to hear how you smoke yours & the results...

/tricia

Sausage. You must have smoked Sausage. Preferably Virginia dry sausage smoked with applewood.

Have you thought about grilling some fruit? Like pineapple, peaches, etc, since you will be grilling veggies.

Lynn

My brisket takes about 7 hours give or take. I smoke for around three hours then wrap in foil and finish it. Not sure if it would take on the smoke if had been cooked some before going on the smoke. MOst meat takes on the smoke flavor during the first 2 - 3 hours of smoking. I've done the second step in the oven with great results. Can be done a day or two ahead, it reheat wonderfully. Or the weekend before and freeze.

Side suggestions I would offer for friends to bring would be coleslaw, pasta salad, deviled eggs, fruit tray, garlic bread. Dessert, I'm with Linda on a pound cake served with fruit and whipped cream. Jo's summer torte is a fave as are those yummy apricot bars we had at Woodies during MM. Smores, could be great idea too. We love them and the coals should still be hot enough to roast the marshmallows. We've used the gas grill too...LOL!

Don't forget those water ballons! I hid mine in the laundry room in laundry baskets lined with and top with bath towels. No one discovered them.

Sound like a great time Alexa!

David

David....you mean you had PRE FILLED water balloons????That's cheating...like storing pre-frozen snow balls. The great part of the competition is making ammunition as you go!

Alexa, for some reason your post (before I read it) took me back to the early 70's and Jack in the Box taco's at 2am. For the venison I would wrap it in bacon for sure. I did a whole boned leg in 1981 for a party right before we got married and friends still remind me of it. I wish I had a better memory but all I can recall is that it was bacon wrapped and cooked in a barrel smoker. I think the brining would make it even better.

Thanks everyone - I appreciate all the advice..... if anyone else has more to add I would love to see it too!

Alexa

LOL Linda! Yes I/we did. This was a surprise attack from the roof no less for my DN BD party. Trust me, the girls gave us our payback with the ones that landed in the pool. Back in my younger days in MN and SD we always stock piled snowballs in the snow fort for the next days attack. : )

David