Cooking for 75 people!!

[old golfer guy]

"She who must be obeyed" has volunteered us to help cook for 75 people on an RV trip this fall. Wants to do a pancake breakfast and brisket for dinner one night. Has anyone tried making a bunch of pancakes, freezing them and then reheating by S. V.?? We have 2 SVs and I'm sure I could come up with more. As for the brisket, smoke till about 205, cool then freeze in individual bags. Warm up to 145 on day of dinner. Roughley 3 hrs for the reheat. Thoughts??

 

[Wurstmeister]

Go to your local Chef Store or restaurant supplier and purchase a case or 2 of frozen pre cooked pancakes and waffles. These can be baked and keep arm in a lined cooler till served. I use chef store,us foods in sc for my source. We just did a breakfast for 50 folks for a Friends of Scouting breakfast. Saved a lot of labor and the pancakes were all warm when served in hotel half sheet pans. Let me know if you would like links to the sources I use.

 

[Nodak21]

I agree. I would buy pre cooked and then bake/toaster oven on the day of. Sous vide pancakes could get a little soggy

 

[Fueling Around]

Go to your local Chef Store or restaurant supplier and purchase a case or 2 of frozen pre cooked pancakes and waffles. These can be baked and keep arm in a lined cooler till served. I use chef store,us foods in sc for my source. We just did a breakfast for 50 folks for a Friends of Scouting breakfast.
..

Appreciate your support of Scouting, John. Silver Beaver recipient here.
I detest factory made pancakes and waffles. I'm not from the eat from frozen generation.
I used to make and freeze homemade pancakes and waffles with great success.

"She who must be obeyed" has volunteered us to help cook for 75 people on an RV trip this fall. Wants to do a pancake breakfast and brisket for dinner one night. Has anyone tried making a bunch of pancakes, freezing them and then reheating by S. V.?? We have 2 SVs and I'm sure I could come up with more. As for the brisket, smoke till about 205, cool then freeze in individual bags. Warm up to 145 on day of dinner. Roughley 3 hrs for the reheat. Thoughts??

I've been voluntold a number of times by the (expletive deleted) other half.
Just make sure there are enough other wiling people to complete the meals.
Amazing how many people sign up, then bail and jump over board at the last hours.
There should be enough griddles among 75 RVers to make the pancakes and eggs fresh?
Meat can be held warm in ovens after griddle cooking.
SV is best for reheating the smoked and cooked brisket.

 

[fendersrule]

I would have some honest words with my wife if she invited 75 people over for "brisket." That's actually not cool.

I can see maybe footing pulled pork sandos for a huge amount of people, but $3000-5000 worth of brisket is going to be a lot to sign up for.

One idea, ignore the brisket stuff and make a $hitload of pork butts instead. With one caveat: make them like you would make brisket, texas style. No stupid rubs or binders. Salt, Pepper, Garlic. Also use oak (or whatever milder base wood you have) and use mesquete. Treat it like you would brisket.

You'll thank me later. That's the basic secret for the best pulled pork I ever had. ALso, low risk, no holding times. 8 hours, and it's done, unlike brisket. You don't want to piss off 75 people.

 

[Winterrider]

I agree, signing up to feed 75 while out camping ( relaxing) is really asking a lot. Hard pass from me, stress to be avoided.

 

[thirdeye]

There is a lot of value in pork butts, and they are easier to cook than brisket, and reheat easily using SV. You could cook ahead and freeze in vacuum bags.

Have you considered breakfast burritos instead of pancakes? You can get very creative with flavorings and fillings.

 

[old golfer guy]

Thanks everyone. Decided not to do the brisket and she is making pancakes tomorrow, then freezing, then and we will reheat latter to see how they come out.

 

[cptnding]

Thanks everyone. Decided not to do the brisket and she is making pancakes tomorrow, then freezing, then and we will reheat latter to see how they come out.

Good plan. I've done this a few times myself when cooking for a crowd to reheat. That way you can have confidence that the process is going to work. And you get to eat it as well. Hope it works out. I'll be interested to hear how the pancakes do reheated.