first major catering BBQ project questions


 
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Tom Raveret

TVWBB Pro
I'm looking for advice on how to pull off a catering event for my boating group next tuesday and would love suggestions from you experienced caterers (and anyone else for that matter) on any aspect especially quantity to cook, how to reheat a large quantity with the best flavor and Brisket.

My boating group is covering all the cost of food but my labor is donated. All the money we raise goes to promote safe boating anyways so these are my friends and it gives me a great chance to get some experience trying my hand at catering.

I'm cooking for about 60 adults.

Here's what I have to work with at home . 1 WSM 1BGE (gracioulsy loaned by my neighbor but of which I have no experience with) 1 charbroil "deluxe" charcoal smoker (that has just been colelcting rust since I got the WSM a couple of years ago) and 3 Weber 27 in kettles and one oblong Kingsford grill.

At the place I will be serving they have all the chafing dishes and Nescos I could need. A double alto-sham warming oven. 4 weber kettles


Heres my tentative menu:

Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Beef Brisket
Beer Can Chicken
Cole Slaw
BBQ Beans
two gallons "Fat Bastards Hawgwash" sauce

Possibly Banana pudding w/wafers
(we are having a frozen custard sundae bar for desert and I'm not sure if the pudding would be overkill)

Timeline:

Wednesday night do an overnight cook with 4 shoulders (I seasoned 4 today with southern succor rub tonight)

Thursday night do another overnight cook with 4 shoulders

Pull all when done and pack in foodsaver bags and freeze

Sunday night take the frozen BBQ out of the freezer and season 2 briskets

Monday: make the beans

Monday night cook two briskets overnight and wrap and foil them when done holding them in my holding oven until ready to go set up for the event around 2:00 PM


Also prep and season 12 chickens for beer can chicken.

Tuesday morning load up the car and double check to make sure I have everything take all the chickens in a cooler on ice.

Wrap the briskets in a towel and put them in a cooler to get to the party. Place in the altosham at ??? to hold them until slightly before serving time when I was planning on cutting the brisket and placing in a chafing dish.

Were serving at 6:30 on Tuesday night so I was thinking I would fire up 4 weber kettles at 3:00 with a large drip pan in the middle of each. At 4:00 start 4 sets of three chickens on each grill. When done I will cut up the chicken and place in a chafing dish and put in the Alto sham until slightly before serving.

I was considering reheating the pulled pork in the foodsaver bags in the alto sham. or I could use a nesco but I was concerned it would dry the meat out. I was planning on serving it in chafing dish with sternos and water in it to try and work with a moist heat but I am open to suggestions on this. Does anyone know what temparture these bags are safe to?

I really need some advice on the briskets. I'd really like to cook at least 4 briskets but the max capacity of my WSM is two. I suppose I could cook two and finish off in the oven and then wrap and hold them near temp in my home holding oven transferring them to the alto-sham upon arrival. Or maybe use my kettles or the old Char Broil and try and apply the smoke to them and oven finish two more in an oven.

Has anyone had decent results in precooking/slicing and reheating Brisket? If so please give me some ideas.

Thats it for now. Sorry this went so long and thanks for your ideas in advance.
 
Man, long post, so many details. I have limited experience with feeding large groups but I have done a few, usually with just pulled pork.

Yeah, you can reheat in the foodsaver bags in boiling water, I think someone else recommended that in the cooking for a scouting event thread. I think any of the vacuum seal bags would stand up to boiling, it probably says how hot on the package.

If I have electricity, I always serve pulled pork in crockpots; they keep the meat more moist than chafing dishes, which tend to dry the meat out. I usually figger one 6 lb. pork shoulder for 10 people. Since it's so cheap, pulled pork is the backbone of my menu usually.

You CAN fit up to 3 briskets in a WSM with a 3rd grate mod, there are many threads on TVWB that explain how. In competition we smoke 3 briskets on a single WSM, we simply put 3 soupcans weighted with a little water on the bottom grate, then stack an extra grate on top of the cans.

Sounds like a fun event, wish I could come!
 
Tom.....

Sounds like far too much meat! I realize you never want to be caught short, but you also don't want to waste. One problem with freezing and giving away the leftovers, is that they cannot be re-frozen, so must be eaten in 3 days. The problem.....after gorging themselves on great BBQ, they most likely may not want to eat it again for the next couple of days.

OK, here is what I use as a general guideline when serving multiple meats and sides. This comes from Smokey Bones restaurant and is their Feast for 100. It sells for between $625 - $685 depending on the meats served. They serve a choice of either pork, spares, baby backs, brisket. I will sub your meats in this example.

18 lbs. pulled pork
18 lbs. beef brisket
25, half chickens
1 1/2 gallons each, of any 3 sides you choose

This would cost $643.

Let's now convert to your 60 folks(I will round UP in this case).......

11 lbs. pulled pork
11 lbs. brisket
15, half chickens
1 1/2 gallons beans
1 1/2 gallons cole slaw

The sides are calculated as such........for 100 you would need 4 1/2 gallons total...3 sides at 1 1/2 gal each.

You would need a total of 2.7 gal for 60. Rounding up to 3 gallons and using only 2 sides.

OK, last step is figuring how much RAW meat to cook......

11 lbs. of pork = 22 lbs. raw
11 lbs. brisket = 22 lbs. raw

Tom, this brisket is served sliced so they are using the flats only. They use the points for their BBQ beef sammiches. I have to admit I am not sure how much loss in a flat, but figuring 50% will leave you enough room for error.

In the above calculations I would be cooking 3, 8lb. butts and 5, 5lb. flats.

There you go! Hope this clarifies things a bit!
 
Thanks John, Stogie,

What is best practices for doing briskets in advance? How would I prepare 5 and have them all ready for Tuesday??

Also on the reheating the pork I was thinking of reheating in chafing dishes in the altosham but not necessarily in boiling water. I called Tilia and they said they were concerned the bags would melt if not in water so that wont work.

John, I was choosing the chafing dishes over the Nesco's because of the chafing dishs are heated like a double broiler gently and with water. Your expereince tells you these would dry the meat out more? I thought a double boiler with water in the bottom would be a moist heat?
 
OK, I've had pretty good luck with the double broiler kind of chafing dish, not much drying out there. I've use cheaper kind of chafing dishes that didn't work so well though.

Stogie is totally right about the quantities too, your intial post does look more like a cook for 100+ than for 60. I posted before, but I count on feeding 10 people (mix of guys/gals) with an average size shoulder. I'd do probably 4 butts (pulled), 3 briskets, and only a couple of chickens.

Actually, for simplicity, I'd just do chicken thighs...you can fit up to 12 on a kettle and then you don't have to worry about cutting it up. Thighs are what we use for competition, and are great for a group, but if you like beer-butt chicken then go for it. Cook the chicken onsite, thighs only take 50-60 minutes, not sure about beer-butt.

I bet you could transport pre-warmed meat to the event, much like you'd "hold" meat at a contest (foiled, wrapped in hot wet towels and put in dry coolers). I think that's how the guys here say to "hold" meat for awhile.
 
Hey Tom,

sounds like a lot of work but a lot of fun also. I hope the weather lets up for your boating trip.

I have very little experience serving anything beyond the 15 people at work with pulled pork and brisket. I have, however, had great luck with reheating brisket.

Upon getting to my required temperature on the smoker, I have then double wrapped the briskets in heavy-duty aluminum foil and placed into a cooler with towels for several hours to settle. I take the brisket out of the cooler once the internal temp has come down to 170 or so. I simple place the entire brisket with the intact foil still on the meat into the refrige until the day I was going to need them. I have had whole-cooked briskets stay in my fridge for at least 3 days before. (the smell can get pretty overpowering on the other fridge items, so watch out!)

I then simply put the entire meat and foil hunk into an oven that is cooking at 275-200 degrees with a temperature probe and then take out once it hits 185 degrees. I have had excellent results with slicing the meat after reheating this way.

If you don't have access to an oven on site then reheat the meat at home the morning of the event and keep them warm in a cooler until the afternoon.

I hope this helps and let me know if I can come out an pitch in at all.

Troy
 
Thanks David. Did you compete in the Hogwild last summer??? We may have met.

I may run with that for a couple of the Briskets but also may try and do several Monday into Tuesday.

I do have access to an altosham holding oven with two separeate ovens that can be at two different tempratures.
 
Morning Tom,

It's nice to know that I can TALK a good game. I havn't competed in anything but I am going to attend the 2004 Hogwild for educational purposes. My co-workers are trying to talk me into forming a work team to just have fun and lose with spirit, but I'm not sure I'm ready to compete on any kind of state level with only one WSM.

If you are heading out for the festivities, let me know and we can compare notes.

Troy
 
Yes, it does.

That is an especially cheap price....under $7/person. But, it is also a pick up order so not really a catered event. Also, only about 1 1/2 rib bones per person.

If you are catering and cooking on site...no way can you do it for that price without going broke very quickly.
 
Well here is the the rundown to what started out as a possible disaster but turned out ok.

1) when a friend came to pick up my grills and WSM he backed into my WSM whacking it into the cement and leaving several areas of chipped procelin in two places. /infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif

2) Another friend who is the best kitchen assistant I've ever run across had a mild stroke in the morning and was so devoted he wanted to come and help anyways and didnt go to the doctor. I found this out on the way and finally convinced him to go to the emergency room instead of coming. He is ok after spending 4 hours at the emergency room they finally let him go home and appears to be ok for now.

The final menu consisted of pulled pork, brisket, calico beans, Smoked Italian/blue cheese meatloaf and beer can chicken, slaw and for a sauce I had a couple of gallons of Fat Bastards Hawgwash, a great sauce shipped in.

All the pork was done in foodsaver bags and was reheated in 2 propane fired turkey fryers filled with water. 2 of the briskets were also done this way.

6 briskets in total were prepared. 2 in a big green egg, and 4 in the WSM done 3 per night prepared using the midnight cook recipie.

15 Beer can chickens were spread out among 4 22 in and one 27in weber kettles.

The BGE seemed to be more susceptable to temprature fluctuations that are wind related as the first nights brisket cook was less than spectacular due to some temp spikes to 293 and the bottom 1/4 inch of the brisket was very crunchy. We had better control on night tow and the BGE turned out an ok Brisket.

The 1 brisket I wrapped and refirdgerated whole was ok but drier than meat sliced the night it was cooked and foodsaver vacum sealed reheated in boiling water.

The beer can chickens didn't cook fast enough and held up dinner for 45 minutes which was ok because things were going late anyways so while in some catering events this would be a disaster in this one it wasnt a big deal. As this type of chicken is best served hot off a grill its better to be a little late than early and have to hold it as the skin gets soggy. This is a very labor intensive dish and probably not a great choice when cooking for a group though many were really intrigued by the five grills and the WSM as they pulled in. In each of the kettles I put one pecan chunk for flavor on the Kingsford charcoal.

Our total numbers were 90 and in the end we had a fair amount of leftovers probably 8 lbs of pork and 3 of Brisket. Also there were about 4 chickens left. All promptly referidgerated and taken to a homeless shelter.

All in all it was a great time but a TON of work.

The damages of the night were one dinged up WSM /infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif

1 ruined Taylor digital thermometer which was left by my drafted assistant in the WSM a bit too long and melted it.

1 Maverick et-73 that was used unprotected in heavy rain. (Darren at Maverick said he believes it was the probes but agreed to replace it)

The turn out for our group was the best it has been in years and the evening raised over $600 to promote safe boating so it was a total success.

(does anyone know how to repair porcelin!!!!)
 
I think I would have preferred to donate my share of the $600, up to 100%, rather than go through what you went through /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif ! Just kidding, but it sounds like an unbelievable amount of work. Catering has now moved up toward the top of the list of things I never want to do.

Paul
 
Well remember all this was an experiment and I had a blast doing it. (ok maybe I'm a little sick) but it was great having 6 weber grills running at the same time!!!!

There are definately effieiencies to be had in doing this. Some I have discovered and some I hope I will.
 
I'm glad it turned out OK Tom, I'm always interested in hearing BBQ catering experiences, as I am probably going to be organizing more and bigger events in the future. Sorry about the WSM casualty, not sure how to fix that, short of calling Weber and see what they could do for you.

The boilin bag in a deep fryer is intriguing, I'm going to have to remember that.

I also "catered" an event last weekend, 5 pork shoulders for a wedding party of 50. I wasn't present for the actual event, but I understand that the pulled pork sandwiches were a big hit. Only 40 people showed, so there were plenty of leftovers.

I have another event this weekend, but I'm just doing 4-6 slabs of spareribs to contribute to that one, but it'll be fun I'm sure. Nothing like smokin' with your friends!

Please post any other events you do!
 
Hey Tom!!

GREAT going! Cooking for a group of 90 is a real challenge...especially if you are doing it alone. My hats off to ya!!

I just signed on 2 more events last week. Both of these are for clients and they each have about 100 people coming. This is MUCH more than I can handle with my 3 WSM's and kettle...so, I can get 2 more WSM's and 1 more kettle. My only problem now is getting some help.

Also, the parties are one day apart! That means I will have to take the week off. The prep work is especially time consuming as I skin and rub my ribs the night before and have to marinate my chicken thighs. I also prep my beans the night before. I no longer make my own sauces and rubs..that would put me over the edge as far as prep work.

Again, congrats and get ready to top this performance for next year!!
 
Hey Tom,

sorry to hear that the brisket advice could have been better but I'm glad to hear that you survived the experience and still satisfied you patrons. I can't even begin to think about feeding 90 people. They would have been starved and angry if I were coordinating. Good luck next year.

Troy
 
So sorry to hear about your WSM. Given the date of the post I'm not sure if this is still relevant for you but appliance parts places should be able to get you black enamel touch up to patch up the chips.

I got some white enamel for the chip I made in the stove top. It is a liquid that comes in a little bottle with a brush. It should be able to take the heat no problem, as long as it's for stove tops.

Requires a lot of shaking and it'll be tough to get a smooth and shiny finish like it had new, but the stuff should do the job.
 
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