Question for the Catering Gods

Ok so I have a party coming up next weekend. I have to feed 160 Marines and family members.

Menu is:

140lbs Pulled Pork
25 lbs Pulled beef (for those that do not eat pork)
Mac and Cheese Dry weight is 16lbs
Baked Beans 5 -3" deep full size Aluminum Steam Table Pans from Sam's Club

Now my question is this... I need a way to keep this stuff hot from my house to the convention center. I plan on cooking the Pork and beef early vacuum sealing and then reheating on sight using boiling water method.

The mac and cheese and Baked Beans I will throw on pit to get good and bubbly hot before leaving the house. I am using the Sam's Club special Aluminum Pans that measure
Top dimensions: 12 7/8"W x 20 3/4"L x 3 9/16"D
Bottom dimensions: 9 7/8" x 17 5/8"

I will have 5 Pans of beans and 3 Pans of mac and cheese. I want to keep them hot for about 3 hours. I was thinking I would buy 2 of these to hold my pans... How many will this hold? I am sure some of you have these. By my calculations or math know how (and its bad) I should be able to get 4 of these in there. However we all know assumptions are evil I would rather have word from the horse's mouth on this...

Black Carlisle PC300N03 Insulated Food Pan Carrier
Interior Dimensions:
17"H x 13 1/4W" x 21"D

Now if you guys suggest I buy different pans please let me know. The reason I am using the Steam Table pans is because they hold alot of food and they are just throw aways. Also, if you suggest a different Cambro I need to be able to hold 8 pans in it and be under 500 bucks. Thats my budget on this... I am a Marine and do alot of this Non Profit and so this is coming out of my pocket not the Marine Corps.

So do you suggest i buy the 4" real aluminum pans? I would hate for them to collapse in cambro on transport...


I just realized something my Chafer Water pans are 4" deep so I cant use a 4" deep SS steam table pan hrmm I do not know what to do now I am doing some investigating. Any idears?

half sheet pans? wouldnt they be full sheet pans?

I ordered 6-2.5" pans from webstaurant since I have 4 from my chafers I ordered. Now I have 10 and those Cambro's will hold 5 a piece so I am good there...

here is what I am thinking- I plan on smoking 5 -4" aluminum hotel pans of beans and 3-4" pans of Mac and cheese and then transfer all of it to the 2.5 pans and then toss in Cambro. Whatever is left in the 4" aluminum pans I can just wrap in foil and take with me and if there is an available oven toss those in the oven or put them on the buffet line to go first...(this will probably be what I will do)

As far meat and side portions here is what I am thinking:

140lbs Pork (raw) = 70lbs cooked with 8oz portions = 140 servings

20lbs Beef Chuck (raw) = 10lbs cooked= with 8oz portions = 20 Servings

5 cans 117oz Baked Beans doctored up= 146-4oz servings (but I am doctoring these up so there will actually be more servings

15lbs (raw) of Mac and Cheese= the only thing I am not to sure about is this... I have never done Mac and cheese for the masses but I have found several recipe's that say to feed 100 I need 8lbs of elbow mac so I am just about doubling this recipe to give me around 200 servings.

320 Cheap white buns


I am thinking along the serving sizes of:

2-4oz portion sandwhiches
4oz serving of Mac and cheese
4oz serving Beans

Beans Recipe

2 lbs Pulled pork
1 Medium onion, diced
1 Bell pepper, diced
1 -117 ounce can Bushs Baked Beans
1-20 ounce can of pineapple chunks, drained
2 Cup Brown Sugar, packed
2 Cup ketchup
2 Cup drippings from meat

Mac and cheese recipe for 200

15 pounds elbow macaroni
15 pounds velveeta cheese
3 pound margarine
2 gallons milk
4 tablespoons salt
2 teaspoon black pepper
3 packages (large size) shredded Cheddar cheese (for topping)


My numbers sound legit or am I making way way t much?

I would do that with the bacon but this is for the vegetarians

It's 160 including families the meat I know I am good on just concerned on side portions

any other guidance from anyone I dont wanna step on my own sword

Awesome I finalized my Mac and Cheese Recipe pretty straight forward and simple for this cook

12 lbs Elbow Mac (dry)
2 #10 cans of Cheddar Cheese Sauce from sams
10lbs Shredded Cheddar
8lbs velveeta
1 gallon of milk