Thanks ðŸ™
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To really mangle Dickens (a la early Scrooge): Whatever you prepare should be boiled with its own pudding and served with a stake of holly through its heart!
Christmas Ham is probably best and easiest, especially since it comes pre-cooked, can be preheated/smoked and kept warm beforehand, and you can then make a big show of putting it on/pulling it off the grill hot at the actual event without too many food safety issues.
Pulled pork is good, too, but I've always found it disappointing in large-group situations. It'll always be sauced wrong for somebody (usually me).
Chicken would be more work, but it can be pre-cooked as well, so you can do the final grill/smoke/brown at the event. Whole chickens would require spatchcocking, and some care to prevent over/undercooking. Chicken wings are just too expensive. What about just chicken legs? They are typically the cheapest part of the bird, and can be gotten in bulk. Grilled and glazed with an apricot-mustard sauce sounds really good, and the thought is now making me hungry.
Having two mains might be good, but that means more leftovers. It's hard to predict which way the crowd will lean.
But think 1/4 to 1/3 pound of ham per person, or 1/4 chicken per person, or 2-3 legs/bits per person.
Also, several big pans of Mac and Cheese will help fill things/people out.
I want to hear more about how this turns out.Comment
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You lost me at "this gas grill and two small ovens", sorry to say. I've entertained 80-100 folks for dinner with tons of prep ahead of time, along with a lot of grill space. That sounds like a real challenge.Originally posted by SierraBBQGuy View PostI made the mistake of telling the minister at our church how I love to cook and BBQ. Next thing I know, I was signed up to cook for the Christmas dinner, approx around 100 people or more! Yikes.
I’ve done BBQ for as many as 50 before, but nothing this big. The only equipment is this gas grill and 2 small ovens in the church kitchen. I would normally do pulled pork for a crowd, cook ahead of time, but they seem to want a more Christmassy theme.
My plan is to do chicken halves (spatchcock) on this grill, as well as some grilled eggplant parm or stuffed portobellos, for the vegetarians. I’ve never done it, but I think some extra large aluminum pans can be used to cover the chicken, for a make shift oven? I’ll also bring my WSM to heat up boneless Costco hams, Kirkland Master Carve Hams, which I will make some glaze for.
The biggest challenge so far is trying to figure out how much meat to cook. One whole chicken yields 8 pieces, so I figure one piece for 80% of the total? How much ham, is 1/4 lb per person a good estimate?
Depending on how many hams, I might also need some people bring a Weber kettle.
Suggestions welcome. Wish me luck 😬
s​
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This is why I keep my mouth shut, lol! I have never tried to cook for that many people so I don't have any suggestions; good luck and let us know how it turns out.Comment
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I wish you the best. You received some great suggestions. Here's mine and how I would handle it, one word Catering.Comment
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I did pulled pork for 200 at our Church Christmas Dinner. You need to recruit some help with your cooking or divide the cooking with others.Comment
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Sonny has it right. Get a clipboard, a list of church members, and start assigning tasks and dishes for the dinner. If you want, take on 1 protein. Too many diners for a single handed cook with limited cooking appliances.Comment
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Relatively inexpensive, easy quick cook, and good eats.
Sauced at the right time and served warm with an abundant choice of sides this could be a consideration.
https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/fo...ork-tenderloin
Last edited by Debra; December 6, 2021, 06:35 PM.Comment
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The only thing I can suggest would deal with serving your protein. I cooked for my largest group earlier this year. I ended up with 6 crockpots set on low to hold all the pork, brisket, ribs, and beans. They will warm your food for you and keep it that way to serve it. As long as you hang around to see that the lids go back on when no one is taking food from them they can’t be beat IMHO. I went to Walmart and bought two crockpots that worked great for $26.00 apiece to go with the ones we had. This makes preparing ahead work much better.Comment
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I'd make a ton of leg of lamb. Costco. And the ham. But, most Gringos aren't big on lamb. (Dingos, on the other hand, love lamb.) I agree with bmillin 's reservations about the limited cooking capacity you have described.
I would love to help, but I've got to iron my shirts that day.Comment
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Just one observation based on experience: If you offer multiple choices on a buffet set-up, many people will want some of each, and you actually end up needing more meat or other entrée than you think you do. Also, if you offer a kids' entrée, like chicken nuggets, make sure the adults don't have access to it.Comment
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I just had a thought (Scary, I know...) but you didn't mention it, and no one else has asked:
What is your budget?
That being said,- Eggplant Parm grilled and assembled the day before.
- A few pans of Mac and Cheese as well.
- Bake these at the church until ready.
- Sous Vide (or slow cook) half a dozen pork shoulders for a day or two before, then smoke them to finish on the day. At the Church. Where people can see you doing it.
- Shred the pork, and serve in pans. Put the sauce (or sauces) on the side, please.
- Sprinkle the pans of food with a few warm grape or cherry tomatoes, and stud with fresh-cut rosemary sprigs for a Christmassy touch.
- Of course, breads, drinks, plates, napkins, cutlery. What are we, barbarians? It's Christmas!
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Lots of good ideas, thanks all. I’m definitely now rethinking the whole chickens. No matter what, I need to check out this grill, the picture doesn’t look great.
Ham is a go! For a second main, don’t think another pork dish is appropriate, so either beef or poultry. If I could find a number of turkey breasts, I could SV them a few days prior and brown the day of?Comment
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