There’s a 55-foot barbecue smoker in Union Square right now

The History Channel wants you to eat meat.

For reasons that we are having trouble connecting to the study of history, the cable channel today has parked a gigantic smoker/griller in Union Square, and is serving up thousands of pounds of meat — for free — to anyone who stops by.

According to the History Channel, the 55-foot Ultimate Smoker and Griller can cook 2,000 pounds of meat, 1,000 hotdogs, 500 hamburgers or 200 steaks at once, and will be providing passersby with sustenance until 6 p.m.

The enormous smoker is promoting the History Channel’s Cross Country Cookout Tour. Still no word though on when the Food Network will bring Guy Fieri’s tour of famous Revolutionary War battlefields to the city.