This article will give you some good ideas for cooking for a crowd that include kitchen management, cooking, plating and execution.
One of the best main courses serving a large crowd are slow-cooked meats. These can go in the oven hours before "crunch" time, and free up counter space and manpower for last minute needs. Some of these can even be cooked the day before, leaving you fresh to focus on presentation and side courses the day of the party.
Some slow-cooked large crowd-pleasers include chili, pot roast, and barbeque pork.
Side dishes that are served cold are also the best way to go as they can be cooked ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator, such as pasta salad, potato salad, and cole slaw. Below is a recipe for a delicious pasta salad base that can also be made the day ahead, tastes fresh and light, and is flexible to accommodate your favorite vegetables and addition.
One of the more "common" large-crowd main courses is traditional Sloppy Joes. While these may be considered too basic for some host's tables, there are ways to dress them up that will impress your guests. This includes using a recipe like the one here that uses very fresh ingredients and a more elegant combination of additions to the sauce. The other is to serve a garnish tray of fresh slices pickles, avocadoes, and onions to top the meat. You can also use fancier buns than hamberger-style, biscuits, or even tortillas to make a fun wrap. Following is a recipe for melt-in-your-mouth Sloppy Joe's.
Melt-in-Your-Mouth Sloppy Joes
(This recipe makes 8 sandwiches. Double, triple, etc. as needed.)
Ingredients
- 2 tablspoons olive oil
- 2 pounds ground beef (80% lean)
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 3 celery stalks finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon hot pepper (such as Jalapeno), finely diced
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/3 cup ketchup
- 1/3 cup Sweet Baby Ray's Barbeque Sauce
- 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 8 rolls or bread of your choice
Directions
- Heat olive oil in large pan on stove. Sautee vegetables until soft, stirring occassionally, about 8 minutes.
- Add garlic, salt and pepper to this mixture, stir well, and keep warm.
- In a separate pan, brown ground beef. Drain, and add to vegetables mixture. Stir well.
- Add remiaining ingredients, and simmer over low heat for an addtional 15 minutes until flavors set, stirring well.
Mixture can be transferred to crock pot of chaffing dishes and served over time.
Basic Pasta Salad Base
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/8 cup finely diced onions (green or white)
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon garlic salt
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon mustard
Directions
- Cook pasta according to package directions.
- Rinse with cold water and drain.
- Stir in remaining ingredients and your favorite add-ins (see below) and chill.
*Add-ins: Additions to a good pasta salad include 1 cup chunked cheese, 1/2 cup diced fresh or marinated vegetables, and/or 1/4 cup olives. 1 cup chunked seasoned cooked chicken, tuna or shrimp is also a delicious complement. Some favorite combinations include red peppers, kalalmata olives, feta and chicken, OR cooked shrimp or tuna, peas, and cubed sharp cheddar.
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