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Chafing Dishes
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Irene
06/15/08
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I have never used chafing dishes and was wondering if they are appropriate for the following food:
Pasta
Eggrolls
Chicken Skewers
Stuffed Mushrooms
Will any of those items dry up or get soggy if left in chafing dishes for 4 hours?
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ellen
06/16/08
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Irene the food safety rule is, 2 hours max-
The egg rolls will lose most of their crisp- Chinese restaurants restock them on buffet about every 20 minutes.
If you pre-brine/ marinate the chicken and do not overcook it, it will hold pretty well- but if cooked without brining and/or overcooked, it will dry out.
If the pasta is a casserole type dish, the ideal is a warmer/chafer that keeps the temp at the center of the dish above 160.
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Janet
10/21/08
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I am preparing buffet-style food for 52 people. To keep prep time to a minimum, I'm planning on buying pre-made stuffed chicken breasts. How many can I fit into an 8-qt chafing dish? Also, how much corn and mashed potatoes should I get?
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ellen
10/22/08
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Hmm. That pan is about as big as 2-3 9x13 dishes. So it depends on the size of the serving- but I would guess about 6-8 per 9x13 or 18 per 8 quart pan.
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joanna
11/15/08
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I prepared several dishes in advance for a party tomorrow and am not sure the best way to reheat the dishes. Specifically, I have 4 half trays of sausage and peppers and 4 half trays of chicken rollatini. I plan to reheat them in the oven, and then put over sternos when we arrive at the venue. At what temperature and for how long should I reheat the sausage and peppers? And at what temp and how long for the chicken rollatini (breaded)? Covered or uncovered?
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ellen
11/16/08
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Joanna, breaded reheats very badly, I don't know any way to get a good result. Also, it is a BAD idea (not food safe) to reheat in one place, then transport, then put over sterno. You need to transport hot (above 140), regular caterers have special boxes called cambros. The closest you can come for a fast substitute is ice chests preheated with very hot water. The safety rule is 4 hours total between 40 1nd 140, and that includes prep time, transport time and service time on the table.
Is there ANY way you can reheat on site? The chicken should reheat uncovered- very high heat, shortest possible time to get an internal temp of 160. The sausage should reheat tightly covered.
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donna
02/16/09
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I was planning on cooking chicken parm, and sausage and peppers the day before a party. Can I just take the food out of the fridge and reheat over the sterno trays? If the food has already been cooked, would there be any chance of contamination if the food is really hot. Also, do you think the chicken will get dried out. I cant use the oven because I'll have a pork roast in it with other stuff. Can I place frozen manicotti in the trays over a sterno covered to cook. What do you think. Thank you
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ellen
02/16/09
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Absolutely not! Especially the chicken, safety-wise. You MUST reheat in the real oven to a temp of 160; then you can place over sterno and keep covered up to 2 hours.
Assuming you are preparing servings of about 40-60 of each entree. You need to get or borrow a couple of 18 quart electric roasters, one for the sausage and one for the chicken. And a third for the manicotti; no way it will cook over the sterno.
The roaster is very good for pork loin, because it cooks moist. You could do the loin in a roaster and reheat in the oven.
Read my food safety article for a better understanding of why your plan is SO unsafe. If you are being paid for this, you could be sued if anyone gets sick. If it is family you could still have liability.
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Tony
11/17/09
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I was looking at disposable (aluminum) chafing sets. I was thinking they may be able to help my Thanksgiving dinner. I make 2 stuffing's, mashed potatoes, mac-n-cheese, ham, turkey, green beans etc. The mashed potatoes, stuffing's, green beans and mac-n-cheese are done half hour to a hour before the turkey and ham are off the BBQ and carved. My wife bakes fresh rolls right before dinner so the oven is being used right before dinner. Will the side dishes be OK in the chafing dishes for up to 45 mins? Will making the side dishes with a lil extra liquid help it from drying out? Thanks
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ellen
11/17/09
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Absolutely. See this link for expert help on setup and use:
www.eddiesportablepigout.com/steamtable.htm
The big thing is not the extra moisture but to cover the dishes very thoroughly and tightly with foil while they wait.
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Sequoia
12/01/09
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Im making chicken alfredo for 60 people i was wondering how many full pans will i need to make for it to be enough to serve the 60 people.
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ellen
12/01/09
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About 2 1/2.
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samantha
06/17/10
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I am cooking chicken skewers for a large party this August and I want to bbq them ahead of time and then reheat them in the oven before setting them in a chafing dish above sternos.
I am using marinated chicken tenders in a garlic hoison sauce on bamboo skewers.
How long do I heat them in the oven and on what temp?
should I brine before marinating? Just salt?
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ellen
06/18/10
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Reheating chicken can be iffy, try this on a small batch before your party. Yes, brine before marinating, see Alton Brown's good eats for thorough directions.
Lots of the garlic sauce as they reheat.
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