Houston Pitmaster Courtney Brooks Hosts Annual Free Thanksgiving BBQ Cookout

Community Thanksgiving Cookout

• 🎯 Courtney “CB” Brooks, a Houston pitmaster, hosts his annual free Thanksgiving cookout in the Fifth Ward.
• 🗓️ This year's event, held just days before Thanksgiving, aims to feed approximately 300 people.
• 🎁 The cookout is entirely out of CB's pocket, with no charge to attendees.

CB's Barbecue Journey

• 🚀 CB took a leap of faith 14 years ago, resigning from his oil field job to start a barbecue business with a pit and trailer.
• 📈 Over the years, his business has grown, with longer trailers and bigger pits.
• 💡 The idea for the free Thanksgiving cookout began four years ago as a way to give back to the community where he was raised.

Food and Community Spirit

• 🍖 The menu includes chicken wings, brisket, pork chops, and turkeys, along with sides like dirty rice and green beans.
• 🤝 Attendees come from near and far, with some walking from a few streets away, and for some, this may be the only hot meal of the week.
• ❤️ The event fosters a sense of community, with neighbors like Joe Ballard, whose family has lived in the area since the 1800s, participating and helping out.

Future Aspirations and Giving Back

• 🏢 CB hopes to open a storefront barbecue joint in the new year.
• 🙏 He expresses gratitude for being able to give back, stating, "You get what you give and when you give, you get it back in such a greater return."