Tips for Cooking Meat for a Crowd (With Recipes)
Tips for Cooking Meat for a Crowd (With Recipes)
TIP #1: Choose entrees that do not require that the dish is hot and or cooked to somebody's specific temperature (eg. Medium Rare). When we offer a cooked-to-order item at our party, we are actually offering to stand by the grill for most of the event. Which is a bummer because parties are mostly about socializing – choose a menu that lets you get out there and hang!
TIP #2: Pre-slice all the meats that you're going to be serving. When people are eating at a party, they're often kind of perched sitting or standing and talking - that doesn't lend itself to cutting meat yourself, even if it's very tender meat. Serve dishes that are naturally portioned or easy to portion for your guests.
TIP #3: Serve meats that are already sauced or seasoned. You can offer a little extra sauce or hot sauce for people on the side to add more flavor, but in general it's a hassle to sauce your meats while you are standing at a buffet.
TIP #4: Anticipate dietary preferences. More than half of the meat consumed in the US is chicken! If you're having a large gathering, try to offer poultry alongside beef and/or pork just so you have something for everyone.
TIP #5: Avoid dairy- and egg-based sauces for anything that will be sitting outside for a long time due to potential food safety issues (this is also good for feeding a crowd due to allergies and intolerances). We recommend using olive or sesame oil-based sauces for dishes that are going to be out in a buffet.
TIP #6: Plan for 6 ounces of meat per person especially if there's a lot of other options. Remember that almost 40% produced in the US thrown away! Limit your waste and expense by planning appropriately - and if you're using the recipes that we suggest remember that they can go back in the fridge after your party and be awesome leftovers for the next couple days.
Suggested Recipes: