No, Mine is Bigger!

[SmokeMyMeat77]

I decided it would be a good idea to cook for my wedding, 400 guests. My wife and I did it all along with the sides and 3 different sauces. Pulled pork, pulled chicken, ceasar salad, loaded mashed potatoes, mac n cheese, fresh green beans with smoked ham hocks. It was a lot of work for two people, especially since I was doing all the meat on two SNP's and a smoker I rented which allowed me to fit 50 whole birds. Looking forward to doing a big cook like that soon!

 

[THoey1963]

I promised some friends that I would provide the food for their stateside reception after a wedding in Hawaii. They estimated 50 people, but that was invited guests. There were more than that at the bar and everyone ate. Did Hawaiian Pulled Pork Sliders on sweet Hawaiian Rolls, Fresh Pineapple slices and Pineapple Salsa (really more like a Pico Di Gallo). Others brought the rest of the sides.

There's a thread around here somewhere, but farking Facebook lost a lot of the image links.

It's also getting to be pretty regular for me to throw something together to take to the bar either on Sunday night's when the wife is working or the first Monday of the month for the poker tournament birthday potluck.

I helped at a cook off once and besides the contest entries, we were feeding guests. A lot of them. There were several of us, so that really doesn't count, but it let me know that I am not sure I ever want to get to the contest level. I'll just stick to backyard and bar parties.

 

[1buckie]

I guess my issue is I just don't enjoy making sides. For some reason it feels like work to me.:loco: Loading up the smoker and playing with fire and meat is just so much more fun.:biggrin1: I do have a good friend that keeps offering to go into some kind of business together. He can make some amazing dishes and just loves doing it. I guess once our kids all get out of college we could give it a try. I do appreciate the pep talk.:thumb:

Drip beans are pretty easy.....just chop some stuff while watching TV & stick 'em in there......they do themselves......

I don't mind doing Deep Fried Tater Salad, even if it's a lot of work. 'cause i LOVE to eat the leftovers!!!!
(the ceremonial adding of MORE bacon)

You are probably right with that. I enjoy all cooking, not just bbq. I also have been working on my sides that go well with bbq so I put a lot of emphasis on it. It isn't a rare thing where I think a side I made was better than the bbq I cooked for it (this includes seasonal salads w/ dressings). I know I'm wierd. :crazy:

Your salads rock, man !!!

Totally agreed on that......the beans & other things come out really good quite often & once ya got your chops down on the regular meat items, they'll come out consistent enough.......


Oh, and ya spelt weird wrong.......:mrgreen:

 

[cowgirl]

For me, cooking something large like a whole hog is easier than several smaller meats. I prep the sides the day before and concentrate on the pig the day of the cookout.
Usually have 50 to 70 people for those cooks.
The largest crowd I've cooked for was 250... and that was a crawdad boil.

The hardest cooks I've done were spread over several days. I sometimes have company for 10 days at a time and have to come up with several meals. Those kill me!

I'd rather cook a whole hog with sides for a large gathering.
It's only one meal.

 

[GrillBillie_D]

We cook for 125+ about 3 or 4 times a year as a volunteer. We do boneless chicken thighs plus 2 to 3 sides and rolls. Having done it several times helps to develop a routine. Usually take myself and 2 others to do the full meal. Lotta work but watching people eat and seeing their reaction is worth it.

 

[Trailer Trash]

This is a great thread! I've learned a lot from it. I've done meat for holiday cooks for 25 - 30 guests probably on 25 occasions including whole pigs, lambs and goats as well as Pulled Pork, Brisket, turkeys, prime ribs, crown roasts, Juicy Lucy Hamburgers, Ribeyes, Beer Can Chickens, Grilled Chicken Qtrs, Buffalo Wings and BYOP's ("Build Your Own Pizzas"). Lately, I've had the opportunity to do some 50 guest feeds. I'm just starting (after 10 years) to develope some sides that I feel comfortable doing. I've had to throw out a number of practice attempts at the sides before success. I think in 30 more years, I'll have it all figured out. I'll be 90 years old.........

 

[TailGateJoecom]

The NY Jets week 1 game I ran 2 parties at once, my regular fan club party with 300 people and another private party for 200 people, so 500 total for a 4 hour all-you-can-eat party. It was a ton of food.

 

[Titch]

I often BBQ,( maybe 5 times a year) for around 50 or so people.
A few times I have cooked for a 100 or so.
I can only imagine cooking for a 1000. probably wouldn't want to.
I reckon the smaller groups are much more laidback, usually friends that we often Q with .
all pitch in.
That in itself can be interesting.

 

[crb478]

After looking over some of these post I see that lots of you are cooking for 50 plus on smaller smokers. I have got to say my hat is off to you! I have a larger smoker so I am usually cooking more than needed to freeze for later. It must be tough with limited cooking surfaces to get everything on and timed out.

 

[DjPorkchop]

I wont win no awards for mine. Largest I have done was 22lb's of pork butt, 6 racks of ribs and about 12 sausages for cheese plates. That was done on a Big Poppa EDS drum and my old leaky UDS. About 30 people were here.

I learned real quick, either you enjoy doing it or you don't. I did! :-D I slept like a log that night. Good thing mom was here to help me fix all the sides and extras.

 

[NickTheGreat]

My biggest cook was for 65 or so. But only 40 or 45 showed. But it stills counts, right? I mean, I cooked enough meat for the whole group. :sad:

 

[aawa]

After looking over some of these post I see that lots of you are cooking for 50 plus on smaller smokers. I have got to say my hat is off to you! I have a larger smoker so I am usually cooking more than needed to freeze for later. It must be tough with limited cooking surfaces to get everything on and timed out.

Capacity can be an issue. However a well planned menu and timeline can get around the capacity issue most of the time. I can feed about 70 people without issue using my UDS and my 4 burner oven and stove. When it starts to become more than that, then I need to look into more cook space and more refridgeration space.

 

[CabinFever]

Biggest cook so far was 70 pork butts for a fundraiser. Thea took some extra square footage from some borrowed smokers. It was quite the adventure. I would do it again...maybe

 

[Crazy Harry]

I catered my daughters wedding of 100+ people. Had a cold cuts buffet for sandwiches with roast beast, turkey breast, ham and several cheeses ( good excuse to buy the meat slicer :grin: ) also made deviled eggs and macaroni salad and a sparkling punch. freeze some of the punch in 2 quart blocks to use to keep the rest of the punch in the bowls cold with out diluting it, add ginger ale for the sparkle. his was years ago before I knew what I was doing.

 

[Big Country BBQ]

Me and my dad and friends cooked for 3200 people for a customer appreciation luncheon it was smoked chicken

 

[Big Country BBQ]

Cooked on 6 large pull behind cookers

 

[Big Country BBQ]

Also we cooked 395 pork butts for local baseball team charity on 6 cookers and a 40 foot custom built brick bit that I built

 

[pjtexas1]

Biggest cook so far was 70 pork butts for a fundraiser. Thea took some extra square footage from some borrowed smokers. It was quite the adventure. I would do it again...maybe

70 butts...that would take all my cookers:shock: I am impressed.:eusa_clap

 

[luke duke]

200-300 people about 6-7 times a year
400-500 people twice/yr