It's 1:30 a.m. on Preston Crest Lane. The Jambo J-3 is locked in at 250 degrees. Five briskets soaking up clean hickory smoke.

We've got a half-dozen racks of ribs in the brine, waiting to be rubbed and put on the smoker at 6 a.m. or so. A couple of chickens, and pork butt, too.

Justin Fourton, pitmaster of the Pecan Lodge, plans to arrive at 4 a.m. with his pit. Later, Jeff Bergus, owner of Lockhart Smokehouse plans to arrive with some of his original Kreuz Market sausage.

Welcome to The Great Posse Smokefest. We hope to have fun and compare notes with some great pitmasters about cooking real Texas barbecue with real wood.

We'll keep you posted throughout the day.

Photos by Michael Ainsworth & Chris Wilkins