HELP!!! Catering situation

[Bigmista]

Here's the deal:

Friend asked me a while ago to cook some meat for a party. Quoted a price and never heard back. Blew it off. Saw her in the store last weekend and she was buying stuff for me to cook for this party. Turns out it's this Saturday. Bash Saturday. Told her to bring me the meat on Wednesday, I'd cook on Thursday evening and she could pick it up Friday morning. reheat for the party on Saturday.

Here's my dilemma:
The meat doesn't even show up until tonight. I have to cook 56lbs of chicken (they're whole chickens) and 60-70 pound of beef and pork ribs. I don't know how much of each but I do kow that they are the crappy no-meat beef ribs. So I have an all-nighter in front of me and I have to work on Friday.

I'm charging her $10/# of cooked meat (60% yield) minus the cost of the meat.

My 2 biggest questions are: How should she store the meat until the party on Saturday and how should she reheat? Brisket and Pork Butt, I could handle no problem but chicken and beef ribs? Not a clue. I try never to cook them unless asked and never had to store or reheat them.

HELP!!!

 

[Grillman40]

Man..not sure about storing beef ribs either. You have something to cook all that on with the short notice Mista?

 

[Mooner]

Mista, brisket I would slice thin and layer in a metal pan. Over each layer brush some thinned out bbq sauce. This will be perfect, I do it every time I have guests over, all she has to do is reheat in a 225 oven for 2 hours. Pork I would do the same way. Mix it with sauce and reheat it with the brisket. Chicken and ribs I will admit i dont really know, never done it. Maybe on chicken cut it up, leaving the skin on and again put it in metal pans. Any way to cook it within 5 degrees of it being done and then it may still be juicy when she reheats it? I don't know the rules on something like that cause I don't cater. Someone else pipe up!!

 

[Bigmista]

Man..not sure about storing beef ribs either. You have something to cook all that on with the short notice Mista?

The ribs I will do in my two UDS's. Chicken will be on the Char Griller and the kettle. This will be the first time I will have all four going at the same time.

Now back to the storage and reheating question...

 

[bbqjoe]

You know what? I'd tell her to forget it and cook it herself, and next time get back to you with confirmation.
You already have enough on your plate for now.
Unless you need the pressure, aggravation and money.
Well, we all need money but do you need the other two?

I would suggest wrapping the meat tightly, getting a big barrel or trash can, and putting the meat in an ice bath for rapid cooling, and let her figure out where to store it.

But I firmly believe "Poor planning on your part does not mean an emergency on mine."

A nickle, minus three lincolns

 

[backyardchef]

That sux.

Chicken don't heat reheat so good. But, I would cook them till proper internal temp, cut them into parts and flash chill them in baggies in ice water. Put them in the reefer. If she can put them on the grill to heat, great. Otherwise, covered aluminum pans with some apple juice.

Beef/pork ribs-- cook, double wrap in foil and chill. Reheat at 275 (oven is fine) for 1/2 hour or so, unwrap and heat for another 20 minutes or so.

Just a guess.....

Edit: Just read Joe's advice which sounds pretty good, too.....

 

[Bill-Chicago]

For the ribs (possiby the chicken too) I'd put in the aluminum pans with aluminum lids.

I'd reheat in the pans, then last few minutes on the grill to crisp them up.

I also would put them in the pans to cool, to retain som of the juices that will be used to heat them up with.

caveat, I only do this at home, and not being paid or mass producing.

I do know that my babybacks reheated in a pan (the bones curve keeps them "out" of whatever water/juice is in there to heat/steam) is pretty darn good.

Might even help tenderize beef ribs, if they are not "over done" to begin with.

Good luck sir!

 

[Bigmista]

Lots of good info here. She's already getting pans. I'll make sure she get lids also.

 

[Mooner]

Lots of good info here. She's already getting pans. I'll make sure she get lids also.

Honestly, heavy duty tin foil works just as good and may be cheaper than lids?

 

[WineMaster]

Is she Hot,
Go cook the chicken at the party. You are way to good of a cook to serve meat that tastes like its GONNA taste like.

Bring some of the guys from the bash up their to help ya.

Peace out!

 

[Bigmista]

Is she Hot,
Go cook the chicken at the party. You are way to good of a cook to serve meat that tastes like its GONNA taste like.

Bring some of the guys from the bash up their to help ya.

Peace out!

Trust me, even re-heated it will be better than anything they have had. Ain't a lot of good Q here.

 

[Bentley]

You want my vac sealer?

 

[Bigmista]

Naw. It's only a day. It will keep in the pans. Just have to make sure they warm it correctly and know that if they do something different, I'm not responsible for the results.

 

[Grillman40]

Mista is gonna be wore out before its Bash time!!

I only asked about what you were cookin all that on because I was gonna say come and get the Lang and knock it all out then tote it to the Bash and I'll pick it up.

Course...that is a big hunk of metal for a young man such as yourself :-D

 

[WineMaster]

Trust me, even re-heated it will be better than anything they have had. Ain't a lot of good Q here.

You'll do fine.
Have fun at the Bash too. Have a drink for me!

Cheers Dan

 

[Bigmista]

Mista is gonna be wore out before its Bash time!!

I only asked about what you were cookin all that on because I was gonna say come and get the Lang and knock it all out then tote it to the Bash and I'll pick it up.

Course...that is a big hunk of metal for a young man such as yourself :-D

Sorry. My Chrysler 300 M didn't come with the towing package.

:lol:

 

[big brother smoke]

Sounds like you are sick and cannot make the day job:twisted: .
Jump in the car and cook all that grub on my rig and let's head to the bash afterwards. Last thing we need is our fearless bash leader farking sleep on the job. Might be fun for us to fark with you though:biggrin:

Too bad she bought the meat, I could have cooked this stuff for you and just brought it to you. You could have just cooked the brisket!

 

[Bigmista]

There is no brisket. Just chicken, beef and pork ribs.

 

[MAsQue]

There is no brisket. Just chicken, beef and pork ribs.

FWIW, when prepping banquet chicken, I'd get myself a few 4" hotel pans. Halve the chickens, and cook until just barely done. Then put the chickens in the pans "on edge", standing on the backbone with the drumstick and breast up. Put about 1/2" of chix stock in the bottom of the pan and cover it with foil and refrigerate. At service time, heat the pans in the oven. The breasts and drumsticks are farthest from the hot liquid and finish gently in steam; the joints and backbone are down near the liquid and cook faster, so the whole bird finishes at once (ideally). Then uncover and serve. Of course, this doesn't make for crisp skin, butthe chicken stays juicy.

Beef ribs get cooked, then wrapped individually in plastic and cooled. Heat for service either on a grill or in the oven (after [and this is important] taking the plastic off). I forgot to tell that last part to a banquet cook once, this was the same guy who served spaghetti water with oil in it as the broth for tortellini in brodo; I try not to forget to mention things like that any more.

Good luck,

 

[Sledneck]

Sorry. My Chrysler 300 M didn't come with the towing package.

:lol:

You should of bought one of these it can handle the load