This is a fairly big cook for me. I hosted a party last year where it was probably around 30-40 people, and I ended up cooking almost the whole time. While I am fine with a little cooking and finishing of food at the beginning of the party, I'd like to basically get the food out and relax, or relax to the extent possible with a 1 and 3 year old.
Party is at noon, expecting roughly 50 guests, about 20 of which are kids, which makes it easier for food purposes. Of the other 30, figure half men, half women.
My wife is handling all sides - potato salad, orzo salad, coleslaw, plus bags of snacks for the kids.
We have chaffing dishes for everything hot, as well as a large crockpot and outdoor outlets.
I have a PBC, SnS Deluxe Kettle and a 4 burner gasser that I basically use a flat-top, equipped with 4.5 GrillGrate panels on the flat side.
Party is on a Saturday, I took off Friday for prep stuff.
Here is what I have planned and the areas where I could use some advice:
Pulled Pork
Get a big bone-in butt, get it on PBC early Friday morning. Done plenty of butts on PBC so this is an easy one. I have gone no wrap in the past and may do that depending on timing, but I'd like it done by Friday night. Plan is to let it cool down, store it whole then in the morning reheat in either the oven or crockpot with some sauce/liquid. Alternately, I could just pull it Friday night and reheat the next day - not sure if any real difference, but either approach seems easy enough. I don't really expect any quality loss - I took some pulled pork out of the freezer from 6 months ago and it was delicious. Serve in the crockpot with buns and toppings.
Brisket
Have done a few successful briskets on PBC so I really want to do this one as I know it will impress (and that is the idea right). My brisket approach has used a long heated rest - longest I have done is 4 hours, I have heard from others that up to and including 12 hours works great too. I am thinking this gets hung in PBC once the butt is done (or wrapped and moved out of PBC), wrapped when bark is set, get up to temp/probing right then into the oven for the heated rest. Take it out of there a few hours pre-party and cambro so it slowly comes down to serving temp. Any suggestions on serving? From experience I know its absolutely best the moment you slice it, but in most cases only the cook and a few smart guests get that bite. I was just going to slice at noon (start of party), get into chaffing dish and pour over any accumulated juices and cover.
With the butt and the brisket, I have done both many times and I don't have any concerns about the timing.
Hot Dogs
Easy, throw them on the gasser. Someone always asks to help and I usually pawn this job off on someone. Cook early in party, into chaffing dish, buns and condiments on the side. Easy peasy.
Now, I plan to have enough of the above to feed everyone and then some. I always over estimate this stuff. Here are the other ideas, I'd like to do 2-3 of the following:
Moink Balls
Buy frozen meatballs, wrap in bacon, cook on SNS morning of party to finish right around noon and into chafing dish
Wings or Lollilops
Leaning toward wings because of less prep, though my Wegmans actually sells frenched drumsticks now, and they might actually be cheaper than wings still. Wings are always a big hit in my experience though. I like how the PBC cooks them if you pull the rods and open the vent, but I'd be concerned about cooking enough on the grate. I have two PBC grates, maybe I can just use some foil balls and stack a second grate, and rotate them at some point, but that sounds kinda cumbersome. Alternately, I dry brine the wings overnight and just follow the grilled wings recipe from the free side. Indirect side of the gasser, then crisp them up on the hot side. Toss in sauce, into chafing dish. Seems easy enough and less fiddling with wings on PBC on SNS.
Pork Belly Burnt Ends
Cook morning of (smoke on SNS, then into foil pain covered to soften, hold or cambro as needed to time it so I throw them back on uncovered to finish at start of party.
Smoked Queso
I was going to do smoked queso, which is easy to prep in advance, hands off to cook and popular but it always ends up just sitting out too long and congealing. Maybe I can avoid this by using the chafing dish?
Sliders
I've done pulled chicken sliders before, could nix the wings and do this instead. get a few whole chickens, pull the day before (or 2 days, whatever), top with buffalo and ranch or Alabama white sauce and pickled red onions. I've also been wanting to try do some some cheesesteak sliders using the thin sliced strip they sell at Costco (or thin ribeye from an asian grocery). that would have to be on "griddle" day of.
Appreciate any help or advice! I do enjoy cooking for crowd and I'm pretty good at prep/time management but always appreciate some second and third opinions. I know we have plenty of people on here who cook for 100+ crowds.
Party is at noon, expecting roughly 50 guests, about 20 of which are kids, which makes it easier for food purposes. Of the other 30, figure half men, half women.
My wife is handling all sides - potato salad, orzo salad, coleslaw, plus bags of snacks for the kids.
We have chaffing dishes for everything hot, as well as a large crockpot and outdoor outlets.
I have a PBC, SnS Deluxe Kettle and a 4 burner gasser that I basically use a flat-top, equipped with 4.5 GrillGrate panels on the flat side.
Party is on a Saturday, I took off Friday for prep stuff.
Here is what I have planned and the areas where I could use some advice:
Pulled Pork
Get a big bone-in butt, get it on PBC early Friday morning. Done plenty of butts on PBC so this is an easy one. I have gone no wrap in the past and may do that depending on timing, but I'd like it done by Friday night. Plan is to let it cool down, store it whole then in the morning reheat in either the oven or crockpot with some sauce/liquid. Alternately, I could just pull it Friday night and reheat the next day - not sure if any real difference, but either approach seems easy enough. I don't really expect any quality loss - I took some pulled pork out of the freezer from 6 months ago and it was delicious. Serve in the crockpot with buns and toppings.
Brisket
Have done a few successful briskets on PBC so I really want to do this one as I know it will impress (and that is the idea right). My brisket approach has used a long heated rest - longest I have done is 4 hours, I have heard from others that up to and including 12 hours works great too. I am thinking this gets hung in PBC once the butt is done (or wrapped and moved out of PBC), wrapped when bark is set, get up to temp/probing right then into the oven for the heated rest. Take it out of there a few hours pre-party and cambro so it slowly comes down to serving temp. Any suggestions on serving? From experience I know its absolutely best the moment you slice it, but in most cases only the cook and a few smart guests get that bite. I was just going to slice at noon (start of party), get into chaffing dish and pour over any accumulated juices and cover.
With the butt and the brisket, I have done both many times and I don't have any concerns about the timing.
Hot Dogs
Easy, throw them on the gasser. Someone always asks to help and I usually pawn this job off on someone. Cook early in party, into chaffing dish, buns and condiments on the side. Easy peasy.
Now, I plan to have enough of the above to feed everyone and then some. I always over estimate this stuff. Here are the other ideas, I'd like to do 2-3 of the following:
Moink Balls
Buy frozen meatballs, wrap in bacon, cook on SNS morning of party to finish right around noon and into chafing dish
Wings or Lollilops
Leaning toward wings because of less prep, though my Wegmans actually sells frenched drumsticks now, and they might actually be cheaper than wings still. Wings are always a big hit in my experience though. I like how the PBC cooks them if you pull the rods and open the vent, but I'd be concerned about cooking enough on the grate. I have two PBC grates, maybe I can just use some foil balls and stack a second grate, and rotate them at some point, but that sounds kinda cumbersome. Alternately, I dry brine the wings overnight and just follow the grilled wings recipe from the free side. Indirect side of the gasser, then crisp them up on the hot side. Toss in sauce, into chafing dish. Seems easy enough and less fiddling with wings on PBC on SNS.
Pork Belly Burnt Ends
Cook morning of (smoke on SNS, then into foil pain covered to soften, hold or cambro as needed to time it so I throw them back on uncovered to finish at start of party.
Smoked Queso
I was going to do smoked queso, which is easy to prep in advance, hands off to cook and popular but it always ends up just sitting out too long and congealing. Maybe I can avoid this by using the chafing dish?
Sliders
I've done pulled chicken sliders before, could nix the wings and do this instead. get a few whole chickens, pull the day before (or 2 days, whatever), top with buffalo and ranch or Alabama white sauce and pickled red onions. I've also been wanting to try do some some cheesesteak sliders using the thin sliced strip they sell at Costco (or thin ribeye from an asian grocery). that would have to be on "griddle" day of.
Appreciate any help or advice! I do enjoy cooking for crowd and I'm pretty good at prep/time management but always appreciate some second and third opinions. I know we have plenty of people on here who cook for 100+ crowds.
Comment