Advice on cooking 400 strip steaks tomorrow

[jcam222]

So my buddy signed up to cook 400 strip steaks for the local Catholic school fund raiser. They have from about 11am to 4pm to have the majority ready to start serving. Serving is from 4-730 so some can be cooked during that time as well. Plan is to serve them all in the medium range. Cookers available are a 6 foot charcoal grill and my Lang 84D if needed. So how would you guys do it? I was thinking steakhouse style mimicking indoor method searing in cast iron then oven finish. Thinking of giving them hot 2 minutes or so each side on the grill then finishing 50-75 at a time in the Lang at 300F to close to finish temp of 135 then holding in cooler assuming they rise to 140F. Other option is to smoke first then hold in coolers at around 130 , then start cranking out reverse Sears. I kind of like option 1 best. I know there are some of you who do stuff like this so any advice appreciated. It’s been a long time since I’ve fed anywhere near that many and for pulled in to help last minute. I’d like the church’s cookie to be a success. Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

 

[flatbroke]

Wow your buddy signed up and you got stuck cooking?

 

[TNJAKE]

I don't have any real advice to give you except number one it's a church fundraiser. Most people aren't expecting the best steak they've ever had. I'd focus on flavor. It's gonna be hard to crank out 400 medium steaks considering they will be different sizes and such. So I wouldn't stress that. Good flavor though will change people's opinion even if it isn't cooked perfectly. Good luck bud lol. That's a heck of a task

 

[smokin peachey]

Wow your buddy signed up and you got stuck cooking?

Yeah I’d be frustrated with the short notice. Kinda hard to get much advice or tips this late in the game. Might want to just grab some hotdogs.

 

[Brokenhandle]

Can't be much help either but I agree with Jake, probably have varying degrees of doneness. I have faith in ya, bet you do a great job! It's for a good cause also!

Ryan

 

[jcam222]

Wow your buddy signed up and you got stuck cooking?

He’s cooking and did the spices on them tonight. Just signed me up to help. I’m just trying to help smooth out the day lol.

 

[jcam222]

Yeah I’d be frustrated with the short notice. Kinda hard to get much advice or tips this late in the game. Might want to just grab some hotdogs.

Nah no hotdogs unless kids want them. 400 steaks are cooking one way or the other. Overall my single biggest question / concern is for food safety if we take them to 115/120 and cooler them which should rise to 125/130 are they safe to hold in coolers at that temp for 2 hours before starting to sear. My gut tells me since you can serve at 120 for rare that once that temp is hot they should be fine. Wouldn’t worry a second about it at home but they are serving 400 lol

 

[jcam222]

I don't have any real advice to give you except number one it's a church fundraiser. Most people aren't expecting the best steak they've ever had. I'd focus on flavor. It's gonna be hard to crank out 400 medium steaks considering they will be different sizes and such. So I wouldn't stress that. Good flavor though will change people's opinion even if it isn't cooked perfectly. Good luck bud lol. That's a heck of a task

Agree Jake. My goals are to just get them all done on time and serve safe food. If we can have many at medium great. If not no biggie.

 

[chilerelleno]

Straight grilling, nothing fancy, no reverse searing, smoking or otherwise.
No steaks cooked to order, no rare steaks for health reasons, ya get what comes off at approx medium.
If the diner finds it's too rare it will have to be trashed and another steak served, so probe IT religiously (pun intended).
I'd have one guy doing nothing but going up and down the lines of steaks on the grill with a probe therm or two.
Finished steaks into preheated cambros.

 

[smokin peachey]

Sounds like your buddy got things under control and this is a good opportunity for you to help out and watch and learn

 

[Hamdrew]

set on serving steaks?

If not-
cook them kinda black and blue with a hard sear
rest, slice and reseason with finishing salt+pepper
quickly place in whatever warming dish or seal for SV and pour each dishes respective sliced steak juices in
wrap and keep warm at ~145*F

If so-
slice into neat filet mignon sized bites and repeat the above, just make sure you sear on all sides so it does finish to medium

 

[Fueling Around]

(expletives deleted) Jeff.
That is an ambitious cook.
I don't know the audience, but medium is not a happy medium. (Yeah I know, don't give up my day job.)
The carnivores can tolerate a medium.
There are many that will tolerate shoe leather, but not a medium.
Seasoning follows a similar yes / no trend.

Got ovens available for holding?

Instant read pen is going to be your best friend.

Cooked many a church/school fundraiser. So grateful one of the families raised hogs and donated Another member has a whole hog cooker.

 

[TNJAKE]

(expletives deleted) Jeff.
That is an ambitious cook.
I don't know the audience, but medium is not a happy medium. (Yeah I know, don't give up my day job.)
The carnivores can tolerate a medium.
There are many that will tolerate shoe leather, but not a medium.
Seasoning follows a similar yes / no trend.

Got ovens available for holding?

Instant read pen is going to be your best friend.

Cooked many a church/school fundraiser. So grateful one of the families raised hogs and donated Another member has a whole hog cooker.

Agree 100% that the majority will prefer slightest of pink to none at all. Then the carnivores....and ultimately they'll pay for and eat the steak as well. So focus on the majority and don't stress it

 

[Hamdrew]

(expletives deleted) Jeff.
That is an ambitious cook.
I don't know the audience, but medium is not a happy medium. (Yeah I know, don't give up my day job.)
The carnivores can tolerate a medium.
There are many that will tolerate shoe leather, but not a medium.
Seasoning follows a similar yes / no trend.

Got ovens available for holding?

Instant read pen is going to be your best friend.

Cooked many a church/school fundraiser. So grateful one of the families raised hogs and donated Another member has a whole hog cooker.

thats why i would recommend going at it with a buffet/catering approach.

sear, rest, slice, and hold.

400 steaks in a row is tough at the most well stocked/prepped Outback or Roadhouse, trust me. Much more stressful and easier to screw up (at about 400 more opportunities) than preparing a buffet.

igloo coolers covered well with towels only lose a couple degrees per hour, if theres enough water in it.

 

[jcam222]

(expletives deleted) Jeff.
That is an ambitious cook.
I don't know the audience, but medium is not a happy medium. (Yeah I know, don't give up my day job.)
The carnivores can tolerate a medium.
There are many that will tolerate shoe leather, but not a medium.
Seasoning follows a similar yes / no trend.

Got ovens available for holding?

Instant read pen is going to be your best friend.

Cooked many a church/school fundraiser. So grateful one of the families raised hogs and donated Another member has a whole hog cooker.

They do have ovens and roaster pans in the kitchen. I’m starting to think the best plan is to get the 6 foot grill nice and hot and also run the Lang up to 375-400. I think 4 guys can easily crank out 400 pretty quickly that way. In the 400F Lang steaks should only take about 8 minutes per side.I think I could personally crank out at least 100 steaks on the charcoal grill

 

[Hamdrew]

the hardest parts gonna be flippin them all, cross 'em if ur extra ambitious lol.

i have very long and very wide grill spats, but the fastest way to flip 30 steaks is with a pizza peel in one hand, and a flat sheet or pizza pan, in my experience. lol

going the little filet route opens up the possibility of maybe half med.well, a quarter midrare and a quarter med. unless they were cut by a robot an extra minute can make a mess of a strip.

 

[Hamdrew]

skewering can help out a lot too

 

[Fueling Around]

Large crowd.
You're starting early.
Sear up a hundred or so strips and get them in roaster pans in the oven at 180° to braise out for many hours.
Will be done but not semi jerky

 

[MJB05615]

That's a big task. I have no experience with anything that big. The guys seem to have you covered and all of the info makes sense. I agree with Jake, flavor is the most important thing. Also it's the thing they'll remember most. Good luck, with 4 guys cooking, should be doable.

 

[Hamdrew]

Large crowd.
You're starting early.
Sear up a hundred or so strips and get them in roaster pans in the oven at 180° to braise out for many hours.
Will be done but not semi jerky

180 is too high for strip/filet IMO. flavor will be fine but u might ruin a lot of its charming, somehow buttery pull
id hold at 160 max

use ethanol fuel cans/sternos if need be to hold that low a temp easily. ive had to hold lots of tenderloin in lots of hotboxes for lots of hours before plating 500-1000 and sending em back into said hotboxes. just please for the love of God dont ask me to stack/load, lol. save that for your fryer jugglers.