The deep pit barbecue tradition

The last hurrah of summer, Labor Day weekend, is just around the corner and preparations for the 40th annual barbecue at the Topaz Lake Volunteer Fire Department, Station 5 are being finalized. One of the highlights that sets this fundraising event apart from all the others is the in-ground deep-pit barbecued tri-tip and the special preparation that goes back more than 30 years. Retired Fire Chief Bob Savage remembers how it all began.

The Savages, Bob and his wife Jan, moved to Topaz Lake in 1972. The couple became very involved in the south county community, Bob with the volunteer fire department and Jan becoming secretary/treasurer of the organization.

In September 1979, Bob accepted the position of fire chief for TLVFD, a position he held until April 1993. When it comes to the history of the department, Bob has been there for a lot of it.

In the first few years, the department experimented with fundraisers. The first fundraisers were buffets or dinners at the Pinenut Lodge. When the first firehouse was completed, the tradition of the barbecue began.

"At first we used a big open barbecue," Bob said. "We had to borrow chairs and tables from the lodge. We tried everything from chicken, steaks, even hamburgers. The annual fundraisers were pretty small in the beginning, nothing like they are now.

Attended mostly by other volunteer firefighters and their families, it was more like 'we will attend your event if you attend ours' kind of thing. If we got more than 60 people, it was a great day."

The 2006 barbecue served more than 800 meals and the barbecue has become one of the largest fundraisers of its kind in Northern Nevada.

"It was Merl Sherrod, a retired CHP officer, who used to work out of Bishop and Lone Pine, who came up with the idea of the deep-pit barbecue about 30 years ago," Bob recalled.

Sherrod, along with Ron Squires, came up with the secret rub marinade recipe which is used every year.

The first year volunteers got together and dug the deep pit which was lined with left over construction materials and cinder block.

This pit was used for the years the original fire house was also in use.

"The original pit is now under the northeast corner of the present firehouse," Bob said.

The old station was torn down in 1989 with the new structure completed in 1990 and dedicated June 1, 1991.

"We had to take a hiatus from the barbecue that year because we didn't have a facility," he said.

A new pit was constructed in the front corner of the station property where the barbecue tradition continues to this day.

Saturday afternoon, the volunteers, friends and neighbors will start the fire in the pit. Then the preparation of the meat will begin with dozens of hands working in assembly line fashion.

Residents will begin with the delivery of a variety of salads and deserts that they donate to the barbecue every year. Sometime around 8 or 9 p.m., the coals in the pit will be ready for the burlap-wrapped tri-tip which will remain in the pit until Sunday morning.

The huge walk-in refrigerator in the station house will be filled to capacity with the vast variety of extra goodies for the main event.

The event will begin at noon and wrap up about 6 p.m. Sunday. The huge raffle and auction will begin a little past noon and continue until all the terrific prizes have been won.

Music by Buffalo Country will continue through the afternoon.

This fantastic annual event has always depended on the dedication of many volunteers who have passed down the traditions every year to new volunteers and helped an incredible event to keep on keepin' on.

-- Jonni Hill can be reached through The Record-Courier at jhill@recordcourier.com or by calling 782-5121, ext. 213, or after hours at JHILL47@aol.com.