We thought we'd use boneless pork butts. I need to know how many pounds of pork to buy and how many gallons of potato salad and baked beans to make.

Congratulations on both the wedding and being involved in the planning. First please read my article on planning your wedding reception in big pots, and consider having your wedding at a time of day that will not involove a sit-down meal. If you are planning to self-cater an event this size, you will be hard-pressed to enjoy your wedding!

Your meat will be tender with an internal temp around 135- medium rare. Very little shrinkage with this method, but also not too much drippings. Get some extra beef bouillon or consomme for the gravy.

Don't open the oven very often. Check the internal temps on the thermometer starting when the first roast would have been done by itself.

It is usual to allow 1 pound raw bone in per person with a standing rib! Even with the ham, I would not go below 12 ounces/3/4 pound per person, or 3 pounds for every 4 persons.

For the ham, 1 pound boneless cooked, ready to eat for every 5 persons.

Please do look into alternatives. A top quality bottom round (choice grade or higher) is a fine oven roast, you have to get them from a real butcher. It is boneless, costs less per pound and you only need 1/2 pound per person, so the total is half or less what the stnding rib will cost.

May your days be blessed as we go into this wonderful holiday season.

Spring, you don't identify the size or type of the ham or the amount of time involved in the firdt visit. Boneless takes longer than bone-in of the same weight.

Ypu can set the oven at 325 for an uncooked hame and let it cook 20-25 minutes per pound before cone, So you just pick the right size ham for the time you need; for example, 3 hours at your mom plus 1 hour travel time= 4 hours,; 3 pound psr hour= 12 pounds. Put in right before you leave, done and ready to transport when you get home. It needs to be out of the oven at least 1/2 hour before you carve it, anyway.

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The safest and least loss cooking is tio use an Autosham roast and hold oven, a special oven found in meat-cooking restaurants. Yo0u might be able to have this done for you, and if uyou have never cooked this for this many people, you might save a LOT of grief, and maybe some money, by subcontracting out this task.

Marie. depends on the dish, but about 13 pounds. To prepare mashed ahead use my freezabale holdable mashed potato recipe in the big pots section.

Kistin, you need 1 pounds per person for bone in standing rib roast, but only about 2 pounds for evry three persons for choice bottom round. Write back when you decide what kind of roast and how big.

Stephen, about 14 pounds would be just enough if YOU carve and serve, but if it is buffet or self serve you want 20 pounds.

thank you for any advice that you can help me with

Jeff, if this is the ONLY meat, you will want at least 1 pound well-trimmed raw for each 2 people. I would consider adding some sausages or smoked sausages.

Mattie, estimating multiple entrees is the toughest item on the caterer's list, and 3 is much harder than 2, and buffet service much harder than plated service. If it is plated, you can ask for and RSVP with the wedding invitation. If you have a carver/server for the beef you will use quite a bit less than for a self service buffet. I discuss this on the barbecue planning page, with examples. Most likely, half the people will want roast beef, 30 percent pork, the rest chicken, but the only thing I can tell y9u for sure is allow 8 ounces cooked, bneless meat total for each person. Also, 10-20 people will want a vegetarian entree due to health or religious reasons.

Plan on 90 servings of each meat, see the plan for 100 guide for amounts raw.

Is this enough meat: 18-lb Whole Ham with Bone, 10-lb picnic and 9-lb picnic. How long to cook in oven and what tempature so it falls off the bone so I can shred it for serving pan? I do have a convection oven.

Jason, I assume these are all bone in, it is enough meat, but you can't cook these different sizes all the same time. Also, it is not clear if any are pre-cooked?

Ruth, this is a very expensive meal, are you getting paid at least $24 per person? You need to email me at the updates email address below to give further information.

You know the trick of partially freezing the beek so yu can cut the thin shredds across the grain. Fajitas means rags, and the meat is sxpected to be thin, not really stips as often seen.

Alice, bad luck! Do check around for other caterers, and remenber that some churches have a group of ladies who can be hired to manage the kitchen for wedding dinners. Suggest you consider a potroast type beef such as beef bourginon or beef with mushrooms if you want to cook ahead and reheat. You will need 2 to 3 roasters for this many people.

Chuck roast is juicier for pot roast, sirloin tip roast is leaner. Get a real butcher to cut for you, roast LARGE pieces covered in the oven.

Bill, First of all, remember this is going to be a great day- 60 people is VERY POSSIBLE in a family kitchen. You are going to aim for 1 1/2 pounds total of food per adult; a bit less for over 60, especially women, more like 1 pound.

You can use my quantity tables for 100 and make 6/10 or 60% of idividual items.

This is not a complete menu, and also not an inexpensive one, rather on the high side of medium. Three entrees for 60 people adds about 20% to costs, because it is quite difficult to get the right amounts, so you have to add a fudge factor, plus people take some of everything, so they eat more.

We've figured out a better menu...we think....Appetizers to start will be...melon wrapped prochutto....puffs stuffed with spinach/artichkes...shrimp/coctail sauce....mozzorella sticks.... humus/carrots/pita chips..and misc dips/chips for the kids.

Sounds like you need a few deep breaths- you are doing fine.

This looks very nice, especially the appetizers. Have you considered ham instead of the pork loin? Easier to handle and heat, kids like it better, doesn't dry out as quickly and solves the sandwich problem- just add good bread or rolls to the table. You could make a honey-mustard sauce that would spice it up as a side dish.

The best compromise for the taste gap is with your side dishes and condiments. I suggest you look at the spicy Nepalese potato salad near the bottom of the slaws, mac and potato salad page. It is beautiful and very delicious. The artichoke condite marinated artichoke hearts wth olives and other vegetables) can be made ahead, keeps well and is great. And you might consider making a gallon of the spicy garlic dills on the chili page (doctored from store-bought, so very simple, and great with sausages, etc)

You could also consider doing the sausage and peppers in a Nesco roaster instead of the grill and reheat method.

The amount of food depends on the time of day and the length of the party, and whether or not alcohol is served. For 1 hour not over a meal time, 6 bites/items per person. Add 4-6 more for each hour for each person.

You did not leave an email address!

Picnic shoulder is the same as chuck on a cow. It is a moist, rather fatty meat, much less dry than ham or loin and my favorite piece of pork. To roast, use a meat thermometer, cook it to 160 internal using a low and slow roast for slicing. Go to 200 for pulled pork.

You can use any flavoring or marinade recipe for pork loin for this piece.

FOR THE BEEF IN THE ROASTER
Cooking a roast medium rare to medium is a safe bet for a large group of people, especially if reheating. The end pieces will be well done and the middle will be more rare which will give your guests a variety to choose from. That is an end temp of 130-135 degrees, and since the temp goes up AFTER it comes out of the oven, you should take it out around 125 degrees. As you remove from the oven, tent roast with aluminum foil; let stand 60 minutes. Temperature will continue to rise 5°F to 10°F to reach medium doneness.

Slice when cooler if storing for later. Using meat slicer, slice rested roasts thinly across the grain for optimum tenderness. If no slicer, you want a VERY SHARP knife.

Trim most fat from beef roasts; season. Place on rack. Do not cover; do not add liquid unless you do the gravy below. The thermometer needs to go in the middle of the piece in a nice thick muscle.

Rup in any spice or rub you want to use. If you are a garlic family, stab with a thin knife and slide in bits of garlic to taste.

For a slightly more potroasty effect, you seal it all up in a foil package with the tight multifolded closures that don't leak. If you do it this way and want saucy gravy, put a cup of dried onion flakes, about 6 cans of cream
of mushroom soup on top the roast before sealing.

For a more roast beef type texture, rub in your dry rub, paprika, etc and roast it on a rack in the bottom of the roaster.

Preheat roaster to 350. Put in the roaster at 1 hour at 350 degrees, then turn down to 200-225. For a single piece, allow a TOTAL of 10 to 12 minutes per pound, but use the meat thermometer- depending on the shape and thickness
of the roast it DOES vary. If dry/open roast, place the thermometer at the beginning. If it is in the foil packet, do not pierce the foil and put in the temp probe until the last hour.

Warning!!! The reason the beef gets tender is the SLOW roast. Cook it fast and it will be done but not tender. If you are serving Sunday, you could even turn the temp to 200 and increase the cooking time, just "cook until done".

Your 23 pound roast is 230 to 290 minutes, about 5 hours roasting at 250, 6 at 200. I would allow 7 total, to allow for extra roasting time and standing time before slicing.

If serving the same day, crockpots on low are an option. Seem to do better than returning to the roaster. But if you use the roaster, at least 180 but no more than 200 degrees.

If serving the next day or later, it needs to be kept refrigerated to store/ keep after slicing. Reheat by covering tightly, adding some beef consomme or beef broth, and reheating in the oven.

Count your 30 players as about 50-60 for toppings, add the coaches, staff, parents that will be eating with them to arrive at a number for toppings. If you add a second hot topping, you will have less chance of chili running out. I would use chopped broccoli in cheese sauce.

Now you need to know something about potato buying. They are packed by the case, and the restaurant type ones are also counted- "80" means there are 80 in the case. For the potatoes, if you buy regular ones at the store, allow two medium size ones per guy. Better yet, there is a mammoth potato available through your local produce wholesaler, a 65 or 80- your local grocery could also order for you- that would be perfect for this, they are really big and one each plus about 10% extra would be plenty!

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I am preparing a dinner for 55 adults and 57 children. We're having chicken and beef fajita tacos, so I was wondering how much meat to purchase? Also, if you have any idea on the amount of beans, salsa, etc. that would be helpful.

Picnic shoulder is the same as chuck on a cow. It is a moist, rather fatty meat, much less dry than ham or loin and my favorite piece of pork for sandwiches. To roast, use a meat thermometer, cook it to 160 internal using a low and slow roast for slicing. Go to 200 for pulled pork.

We assume more people will eat ham, and many will not even try the lamb. How much lamb should I plan, and do you have a simple recipe? Leg of lamb on the bone would probably be cheaper, but boned would be much easier to work with, wouldn't it? We will have to farm out the cooking to church members so prep instructions should be for amounts that fit in home ovens. The church oven is home-sized, and is for re-heating only--NO "cooking"!

Thanks for helping.

Planning a christmas luncheon for 100 mature adults

How many pounds of boneless ham will be needed

Thanks for your help

I bought an 8 pound whole boneless pork roast and have never fixed one before. Could you give me any help with how to prepare this. I have both an oven and I have a large roaster. Any help you can give me would be appreciated.

Preparing to Roast

1. Preheat the oven at least 1/2 hour, especially if doing more than one roast. Place rack in the lowest position so the the middle of the roast will be in the middle of the oven.
2. Remove roast from refrigerator 1/2 to 2 hours before cooking.
3. Trim most fat from beef roasts, leaving an even layer over the top to self-baste while cooking; season. If you are a garlic family, stab all over with a thin knife and slide in bits of garlic to taste.
4. Place on rack fat side up in shallow roasting pans. Do not cover; do not add liquid unless you are making a covered pot roast type roast.
5. Insert ovenproof meat thermometer into center of roast so that tip is not touching fat or gristle. Place your thermometer in the middle of the piece in a nice solid muscle.
6. For a more potroast-y effect, you seal it all up in a foil package with the tight multifolded closures that don't leak. If you do it this way and want saucy gravy, for a 20 pound roast put a cup of dried onion flakes, about 6-8 cups (6 cans) of thick cream sauce or cream of mushroom soup on top the roast before sealing.
7. Conventional oven; 325°F. Convection oven: 275°F. Roast in preheated oven 8 to 23 minutes per pound (see table below) or until internal temperature of the smallest roast reaches 125°F to 155°F. Remove from pan at desired temperature.
8. Transfer thermometer to next larger roast and repeat procedure until all roasts are cooked. This usually takes no more than 1/2 to 1 hour additional if the roasts are close to the same size.
9. As you remove each roast from the oven, tent it with aluminum foil; let it "rest" at least 15, up to 60 minutes to redistrubute juices and finish cooking. Temperature will continue to rise 5°F to 10°F. Allow for this further cooking when calculating what temperature to pull out the roast at.
10. Use a meat slicer to slice rested roasts thinly across the grain for optimum tenderness. An experienced carver with a good sharp knife is a second option. Most beef roasts taste better thin-sliced, and except for prime rib, thin sliced is MUCH more tender.

Start at 425 for 15 minutes if you want a crispy outside, subtract 2 minutes or so per pound. If the roast is refrigerated just before going into the oven, add 2 or 3 minutes per pound.

6 ribs 14 to 16 pounds 450°/325° F 3 to 3 1/4 hours 120° F

7 ribs 16 to 18.5 pounds 450°/325° F 3 1/4 to 4 hours 120° F

Roast Beef Rub

about 1 cup

4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) sweet paprika
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ground white pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper or more to taste
OPTIONAL 1-2 teaspoons Accent (MSG)
OPTIONAL 1 teaspoon dry mustard
OPTIONAL 1 teaspoon garlic powder
OPTIONAL 1 teaspoon onion powder

allow for standing time!!!

Cheese about 15-18 pounds total, have two or three kinds, Swiss, cheddar and jack.

For condiments, see the sandwich event page. You will want to add pickles, 1 gallon per 100 (see my garlic pickle chunks on the chili page) and olives, 3-4 quarts per 100. I have added an olive and pickle tray to the veggie tray page.

8 lbs lean ground beef
32-40 (2 pounds)slices white bread, broken into small 1/2 inch pieces (or you can use rolls or any stale bread you have and want to use up)
8 eggs, slightly beaten
2 teaspoons garlic powder (I use fresh crushed garlic)(or to taste)
4 teaspoons italian seasoning (or to taste)
8 teaspoons parsley flakes (or to taste)
1-2 cups grated parmesan cheese (or Locatelli)
1 1/2-2 taplespoons salt
1-2 teaspoons black pepper
olive oil or vegetable oil (for frying)

Proceed with caution: References to ingredient amounts, cooking times, and temperatures in directions below have NOT been adjusted (only the amounts in the ingredients list were updated).

1. Mix all ingredients gently in a large bowl until well combined.
2. Roll meatballs 1 1/2- 1 3/4" in diameter.
3. Heat about 1/4" of oil over medium heat in a large frying pan.
4. Fry meatballs in oil, rolling frequently, until evenly browned and juices run clear.
Tip: You can also bake or broil these if the frying part is too much of a hassle. Bake them in a single layer at 400 for 20 minutes-- I use my broiler pan if I bake them, so the fat drips down and away from the meatballs.
5. Drop meatballs in your favorite sauce and let simmer for awhile to flavor sauce or just serve with your favorite pasta and sauce.

There is a recipe, mostaciolli and sausage for 120 on the spaghetti/lotsa pasta page. If you made 1 plus 1/3 you would be fine for 150 people. You can use this recipe for basic quantity guidelines for your own recipe, substituting meatballs for suasage.

But in this situation, I think I would have said to the lady, We are dedicated to true hospitality, and our service is a part of this dedication. Never mind portion control! If she was coming from a place of want or greed, that would not help. Also, for this size group, two serving lines IS a good idea- you can actually set up two lines or you can set up a two sided table with the meat at the end and serve just the meats- usually, this is the only problem area.

We're having a children's birthday party for 90 people (adults and children), and we're trying to determine how many cases of soda to buy. Is it fair to estimate that each person wil drink 1.5 cans of soda, so if we buy 135 cans would that be enough?

You don't discuss the budget or whether you are taking food or buying locally, and I need to know both those things to make good recommendations. Also, what is the refrigeration situation? And what kind of work will the teams be doing?

You need clorox, not bottled water, for the cleaning- discussion on making water safe to drink/ wash dishes with is in the article on flood safety. You can also use Clorox solutions for disinfecting fruits and vegetables.

I am also serving chicken shish kebab, but that's easier to find and half the price of the lamb, so I just wanted to make sureI wasn't going overboard. (I noticed, guys generally go for lamb and girls go for chicken!)

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I'm going to be cooking a 35 pound Baron of beef for 150 people.(Plus a couple whole turkeys)
I used to put it in an Alto sham for about 10 hours at 225. Don't have alto sham available now.
Just have regular commercial oven, not convection. Was thinking 250 for about 8-9 hours.
Sound about right?

If you have lost the manual or cookbook, go here:

www.alto-shaam.com/cookbook.asp

You need a thermometer. You want

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* Krusty Krab Mini Burgers (traditional hamburgers),
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* Plankton Kabobs (fresh fruit arranged on skewers)