My wife is on a school bus with my kiddo chaperoning for a field trip and I get a text: "Hi, I love you..." And in my almost 14 years of marriage, that is somehow NEVER good. So, my daughter is in 5th grade which is the last grade for elementary school in Durham. Apparently they actually have graduation parties now for just such an occasion, including feeding the little buggers, and its going to be school cafeteria food unless they figure something else out. Now you see where this is going... though I've committed to nothing at this point!
I've never cooked for any big party like that. Once I did something for UNC Hospital that was about 30-40 people, but that's it. I'm told this would be about 120 kids, and the ask is pretty much pork butts with 4 chickens in case some kids can't eat pork. I read Meathead's party planning article on the free site, but didn't really find the info I was looking for. Obviously the suggested 1/2 pound of meat per person would be a bit much since these are 10-11 year old 5th graders. Would 1/4 pound (small pulled pork sandwich) be a good target you think? If so, we're talking like 30 pounds of pulled pork. But I only have a 26" kettle with SNS, and a PBC. So I can do 6 butts at once, and then four chickens in the PBC after those butts are done. If I figure 8 pounds precooked weight per butt, for 48 pounds, would that keep me over 30 pounds after cooking? Not sure I even have the equipment to pull this off... (though I sense an MCS opportunity here, HA!) The other part of this that is interesting, and may make it easier, is that they'd need it all at 10am on a Monday. So I think at this point the ask would just be for me to deliver cold pork butts and chickens I've already smoked, and they would be reheated there and pulled, etc. probably by the cafeteria folks. I'm not even sure how to best handle the food after its done cooking so that its as good as it can be the next day. Would I still put it in a hold for a couple of hours after the smoke? I don't have anything like a food saver. I'm guessing I'd just double wrap in heavy foil and put in the fridge until the next morning and just deliver it. Heck, I guess if I'm doing that, I could even smoke meat on Saturday too which kind of doubles my capacity.
Any info is greatly appreciated, I really have no clue what the "gotchas" could be for something like this. Not sure I could pull it off with what I have available, but would like to feed the munchkins something other than cafeteria food if I can.
Thanks!
I've never cooked for any big party like that. Once I did something for UNC Hospital that was about 30-40 people, but that's it. I'm told this would be about 120 kids, and the ask is pretty much pork butts with 4 chickens in case some kids can't eat pork. I read Meathead's party planning article on the free site, but didn't really find the info I was looking for. Obviously the suggested 1/2 pound of meat per person would be a bit much since these are 10-11 year old 5th graders. Would 1/4 pound (small pulled pork sandwich) be a good target you think? If so, we're talking like 30 pounds of pulled pork. But I only have a 26" kettle with SNS, and a PBC. So I can do 6 butts at once, and then four chickens in the PBC after those butts are done. If I figure 8 pounds precooked weight per butt, for 48 pounds, would that keep me over 30 pounds after cooking? Not sure I even have the equipment to pull this off... (though I sense an MCS opportunity here, HA!) The other part of this that is interesting, and may make it easier, is that they'd need it all at 10am on a Monday. So I think at this point the ask would just be for me to deliver cold pork butts and chickens I've already smoked, and they would be reheated there and pulled, etc. probably by the cafeteria folks. I'm not even sure how to best handle the food after its done cooking so that its as good as it can be the next day. Would I still put it in a hold for a couple of hours after the smoke? I don't have anything like a food saver. I'm guessing I'd just double wrap in heavy foil and put in the fridge until the next morning and just deliver it. Heck, I guess if I'm doing that, I could even smoke meat on Saturday too which kind of doubles my capacity.
Any info is greatly appreciated, I really have no clue what the "gotchas" could be for something like this. Not sure I could pull it off with what I have available, but would like to feed the munchkins something other than cafeteria food if I can.
Thanks!
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