Party prep

robnybbq · March 2015

Not to step on the other party thread but we are having our son;s First Communion party at our house in a few weeks. I dont want to go the catering route and would like to cook the food ourselves where possible. 30-40 adults indoors in my house (Going to be tight). The day of the party we are having guest arrive at 3:00. We will not be home from church until ~1:00.

During the week leading up to it I am working and will only have a few hours possibly each night to try and precook something that can be frozen/refrigerated and thrown in the oven on party day to reheat.

If I had more time a few pork butts would work but that is out unless I make it this weekend and freeze the cooked butt and somehow reheat a whole frozen butt on party day.

One dish will be a pasta dish as we can boil water when we get home and just throw sauce on it.

Looking for ideas.

Apps - may just do dips and chips.

Chicken - I dont think I have enough time to cook enough for the party. Reheating chicken is never good.

We can have some food catered if needed but I really wanted to do some on the Egg.

tarheelmatt · March 2015

Apps - Yeah, chips and dip would suffice. Also a veggie tray will work too. I got some different dip mixes from Amish country and that went over well. Easy to make.

Chicken - How much time do you have before? We have held chicken for hours in coolers before. Take the hot chicken, place in cooler and pour sauce on it to let steam until ready to serve.

robnybbq · March 2015

What kind of sauce? If we get home at 1:00 and I light the Egg I can start cooking by 1:30 hopefully. I would have 1.5 hours to cook on party day. What ever can be precooked days before hand would be the only way I can see this happening.

I dont want to be slaving over the egg while everyone is in the house at the party.

I was thinking maybe 5-6 pork tenderloins (marinaded/rubbed differently) maybe? That will may out the Egg though. Then I have some non-pork eaters coming as well.

tarheelmatt · March 2015

We do a "dip" sauce, it is a loose sauce of ketchup, vinegar, water, sugar, salt, pepper, etc (whatever you like really). We pour a pot full over the chicken in the cooler and let sit until ready to serve. We use halves, but split breast will do too.

robnybbq · March 2015

I wonder if something like that can be made a week in advance - frozen and reheated in the oven? Maybe like an enchilada type sauce?

tarheelmatt · March 2015

I am sure it can be, though I have never done that personally.

It is far from a enchilada type sauce. It is a Lexington, NC style BBQ sauce. It is thinner than a typical sauce.

saluki2007 · March 2015

If you are comfortable you could buy some time by lighting the egg before you go to church and just set it to 250. When you get home take the top off and you are good to go.

tarheelmatt · March 2015

Great idea @saluki2007 . Also, the split breast would take a while to cook. You could almost have them on the Egg too. If you have a wifi device you could monitor from church (that sounds bad I know, but an option).

robnybbq · March 2015

I will not do that. I dont want an open flame on the grill when no one is home. The egg is on a wooden deck and needs to be supervised.

robnybbq · March 2015

I like the idea of possibly cooking some chicken breasts days before and shredding them for some sort of casserole. To what temp would you cook chicken breasts to make pulled chicken? This way when they are reheated in some sauce they may not be dried out.

robnybbq · March 2015

Also with some of the pork tenderloins I could throw on some sort of beef - flank steaks or similar.

gdenby · March 2015

My experience is that pork that has been pulled, and sauced a little, and then frozen, microwaved re-heats very well, especially if a little extra butter is added during the reheat.

If you have a big slow cooker, you could put in chicken thighs when you go to church. Then sear those when home for the folks who don't like pork.

For holidays I make sure to have a really good cheese and salami plate, crackers, and lots of spiced/flavored nuts.

Good luck. My house wouldn't fit that many adults. The closest we had was after baptism, and had maybe 25.

SmokeyPitt · March 2015

If you wanted to do pulled pork I think you could pull it off. Do you have a food saver?

I would cook about 3 butts about 8 lbs each. Pull the butts, and then put into food saver or zip locs and into the freezer. A day or two before, move them to the fridge to thaw. If you have a foodsaver, then reheat the bags in a big pot of simmering water. If no food saver, then dump the bags in foil pans and maybe add some liquid (apple juice, cider vinegar), cover the pans tightly with foil, and put into a 300 degree oven.

robnybbq · March 2015

My house wont fit them either but we will see if everyone shows up. Maybe I will be better off outside with the egg.

robnybbq · March 2015

Pork butts are out. Just dont have the time.

Thinking chicken breasts/thighs cooked a few days before - frozen directly from the egg. Thawed the night before the party in the fridge and will be put in some sort of enchilada type lasagna concoction and heated the day of the party.

3-4 pork tenderloins - different ways

1-2 flank or skirt steaks

Pasta with vodka sauce (cooked that morning)

Plan to put this in chafing trays on party day.

May try am smoke some buffalo balls (chicken meatballs) and some fake pulled pork meatballs a few days before as well and reheat with sauce.

How does this sound? Will the chicken be too dried out?

robnybbq · April 2015

The party is this weekend.

32 adults and 18 children (10 of the children will eat the adult food).

Planning on the following and looking for advice on rubs/marinades.

Apps: (cooked the day before and heated up the day of the party as they are in sauce and should reheat OK
- Fake pulled pork meatballs
- Chicken bites coated in honey
- pigs in a blanket (cooked inside)

Main: (cooked from 1:00-3:00)
- 4 Pork tenderloins (2 cooked like APL - Apricot marinade and 2 just rubbed or a type of Asian marinade)
- 2-3 skirt steaks (1 just coated in cow lick and the other 2?)
- Chicken breasts(how many) - planning on some larger ones and cooking them and slicing them - I need ideas on how to make them taste good.

There will also be a
- pasta tray (penne ala vodka)
- Tossed salad
- Red roasted potatoes with rosemary, garlic and olive oil
- Green beans (Yuck)

Sound like enough food? Any good chicken recipes?

evie1370 · April 2015

I would say it depends on how many pounds of meat you are serving. With all those sides and apps I would say no more than 6-8 oz a person. That is the guide I generally use, but it depends on the crowd. If you cook that much you should be fine.

Chicken Breasts: marinate in a brine solution of salt/sugar and water...I sometimes throw in cloves...grill till about 165 or so then sauce them and let them have a good crisp. Slice and they will be great on rolls or just as is.

Just my thoughts.

Eggcelsior · April 2015

SInce you have skirt steak, do both the chicken and beef fajita-style with some tortillas and toppings. Pound the chicken to 1/4" thickness and season with either salt, pepper, and lime or get a southwest style rub or look-up a homebrew one. Chile powder, paprika, salt, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, and cayenne are all common ingredients and easy to find.

A Carne Asada marinade is another option.

st¡ke · April 2015

Can someone explain the logic behind all the 'cook, freeze, reheat' recommendations? If it is a week away from when you cook, you don't need to freeze it. Refrigerators are amazing things.

Focker · April 2015

st¡ke said:

Can someone explain the logic behind all the 'cook, freeze, reheat' recommendations? If it is a week away from when you cook, you don't need to freeze it. Refrigerators are amazing things.

Freezing kills bacteria, making it safer to serve. Kind of like a culinary autoclave.

Thought you knew.

st¡ke · April 2015

Refrigeration will keep whatever you cook safe for the week. Freezing and thawing creates cell damage.

there's no bacteria to worry about when you cook a butt and keep it in your fridge. People are so afraid of their food it's astounding.

Wrap it so it doesn't dry, sure. But people are advocating freezing it for as short as a few days. That is insane. You'll not have unsafe food in a week, let alone three days.

DMW · April 2015

Also, I don't think freezing kills bacteria, only suspends it. Parasites can be killed by freezing. At least I think that's right.

Focker · April 2015

I know, and was only F'n around in response to your question.

Eggcelsior · April 2015

Focker said:

st¡ke said:

Can someone explain the logic behind all the 'cook, freeze, reheat' recommendations? If it is a week away from when you cook, you don't need to freeze it. Refrigerators are amazing things.

Freezing kills bacteria, making it safer to serve. Kind of like a culinary autoclave.

Thought you knew.

Freezing doesn't "kill" bacteria. It just slows reproduction down and may cause some cells to burst. Aside from increased pressure, autoclave is completely opposite of freezing. I suppose a dishwasher is a much better culinary comparison.

fishlessman · April 2015

if your cooking the chicken ahead theres always a casserole recipe that works with it like chicken broccoli divan, make the whole casserole assembled the day ahead and into the oven day of. campbells has a good recipe for it, supersimple and never dry

henapple · April 2015

Smoked chicken salad....freeze it for 3 months ...

nolaegghead · April 2015

Eggcelsior said:

Focker said:

st¡ke said:

Can someone explain the logic behind all the 'cook, freeze, reheat' recommendations? If it is a week away from when you cook, you don't need to freeze it. Refrigerators are amazing things.

Freezing kills bacteria, making it safer to serve. Kind of like a culinary autoclave.

Thought you knew.

Freezing doesn't "kill" bacteria. It just slows reproduction down and may cause some cells to burst. Aside from increased pressure, autoclave is completely opposite of freezing. I suppose a dishwasher is a much better culinary comparison.

I concur. It arrests most bacteria growth and kills some parasites (think sushi) if done right. Let your kids eat dirt, they'll build up a nice immune system. Freshly cooked food is sterile, more so if cooked low and slow, less with rare steaks. It will keep between 32 and 40F for at least a week, more likely longer. I think the week rule is prudent.

grege345 · April 2015

I marinaded some chicken in a fajitaish type marinade last week. Had great flavor!

robnybbq · April 2015

Do you think cooking all of this in 2 hours is doable?

"Main: (cooked from 1:00-3:00)
- 4 Pork tenderloins (2 cooked like APL - Apricot marinade and 2 just rubbed or a type of Asian marinade)
- 2-3 skirt steaks (1 just coated in cow lick and the other 2?)
- Chicken breasts(how many) - 6-10 large breasts???

I hate leftovers as they are never as good as fresh cooked not matter what the meat that why I was looking to freeze some cooked food. But I will not be doing that now.

fishlessman · April 2015

chicken in the first hour, turn grill up a little and cook the tenderloins, open dome for more heat and sear the flanks, looks doable to me. if you kabobed the tenderloin into madallions they cook even quicker

cookn biker · April 2015

nolaegghead said:

Eggcelsior said:

Focker said:

st¡ke said:

Can someone explain the logic behind all the 'cook, freeze, reheat' recommendations? If it is a week away from when you cook, you don't need to freeze it. Refrigerators are amazing things.

Freezing kills bacteria, making it safer to serve. Kind of like a culinary autoclave.

Thought you knew.

Freezing doesn't "kill" bacteria. It just slows reproduction down and may cause some cells to burst. Aside from increased pressure, autoclave is completely opposite of freezing. I suppose a dishwasher is a much better culinary comparison.

I concur. It arrests most bacteria growth and kills some parasites (think sushi) if done right. Let your kids eat dirt, they'll build up a nice immune system. Freshly cooked food is sterile, more so if cooked low and slow, less with rare steaks. It will keep between 32 and 40F for at least a week, more likely longer. I think the week rule is prudent.

Maybe this can help to understand better what is the bacteria in the food world

First at all, the bacteria are divided into 3 classes that distinguish them for their ability to infect the host:

Saprophytic bacteria which are not able to infect a host

Parasites are capable of infecting a host. In turn are divided into: (a) diners, if the bacterium that infects the guest is well tolerated and does not bring disadvantages (b) pathogenic bacteria that parasitize the host and create in it a malignant disease.

opportunistic bacteria that in healthy individuals do not elicit an activity pathogenic but if the individual is immune compromised for if they are able to trigger an infection.

The micro-organisms to cause disease should be sufficient in number. It therefore seems important prevent the occurrence of conditions suitable for development. The following summarizes the factors involved in microbial proliferation.

Nourishment

Foods are a second growth medium of microorganisms, but not all are the same way. The most suitable foods are those of animal origin (meat, fish, milk and dairy products, eggs).

The temperature

Almost all micro-organisms grow at temperatures between + 5 ° C and + 65 ° C, with optimum values of growth around + 37 ° C (our body temperature), while temperatures are eliminated by higher than + 75 ° C continued for a few minutes. Spore forms, however survive even at normal cooking temperatures and can re-contaminate the food, if not well cooled.

The low temperatures do not eliminate the microorganisms but merely block the development. In addition, some bacteria, said psychrophilic, including Listeria, a dangerous pathogen, can develop very well to refrigerator temperatures. The molds can withstand temperatures lower than those required by bacteria, and also to grow on foods stored in the refrigerator.

The water

Water is essential to the microorganisms, which in fact show little or no growth in foods where available water is scarce, because dried, or with added salts (sausages) or high-sugar (jams).

The need for water, however, that varies depending on the species: the bacteria will require much (and therefore contaminate fresh foods), molds little (and contaminate foods driest).

Acidity

The microorganisms require a degree of acidity intermediate. The more acidic foods, such as fruit, or very little acids (basic) as the yolk of the egg are therefore not favorable to their growth. Also in this case, the molds are more resistant bacteria.

The oxygen

Some microorganisms can develop only in the presence of air (aerobic), while others only in the absence of air (anaerobic). However, many microorganisms can tolerate intermediate conditions, with little air (Microaerophilic).

The time

Microorganisms, in favorable conditions, they multiply at very fast: a bacterial population doubles in 20 minutes, and only one individual is able in a little more than 9 hours to give rise to 57 million new cells, equal to the Italian population!

Party prep

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