Anybody can brine a turkey, roast it, or even deep-fried it, but the Boy Scouts of Troop 31, like their turkey cooked over an open fire.

Every year, the Rochester Boy Scout Troop 31 host, the Feast of the Beast, an early Thanksgiving smorgasbord for local Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, family, and friends.

“It’s a way we can give back to the community,” said leader Mike Blanchard.

Blanchard said the Feast of the Beast began at least seven years ago and was originally held at the camp with the troop and their families. When they decided to expand the event, it was moved to the Grange to accommodate more people.

The Scouts start planning months in advance for the meal that draws more than 100 people, said Blanchard. On Saturday, the boys go out to their camp in the woods at 9 a.m. to start cooking.

“We always have the boys here in the morning to help cook the food. The adults are really just here to give some guidance,” said Blanchard.

The Scouts who help range from second class up to life scout, he said.

The best part of the meal is always the turkey, which the boys cooks in metal trashcans over a large fire. “The fire is about a 10-foot radius,” said Blanchard.

This year, the boys cooked eight turkeys in the trashcans, which create a convection oven effect.

Once it’s ready, the troop heads to the Grange where the leaders serve the guests.

“Serving dinner was tough, but the boys and I managed well and had a lot of fun doing it,” said Blanchard’s son Corbin.

After dinner, each scout group performed skits around a campfire.

Blanchard said 20 boys are registered with Troop 31 right now, but “we’re always looking for more.”

The Boy Scouts meet at the Grange, located at 205 Hartley Road in Rochester, on Mondays at 7 p.m. For more information, contact Mike Blanchard at 508-763-4491 or exibar@thelair.com.