Meals for large groups

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b1stin

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We're going to start leading large groups of RV's (20-30) to different locations in the States and Baja and will have to prepare a couple of dinners for the group. Looking for some ideas for simple, easy meals that don't taste like it was crap! What are your go to large meals? We're thinking tacos?
 
The actual cooking can be the problem. Pre prep always helps but with that comes cold food storage space. What type of cooking is the easiest for large groups and on what?
Flat griddle
BBQ
Oven
Microwave
Deep fryer
 
Grease Monkey said:
The actual cooking can be the problem. Pre prep always helps but with that comes cold food storage space. What type of cooking is the easiest for large groups and on what?
Flat griddle
BBQ
Oven
Microwave
Deep fryer
Click to expand...
Yeah, we're thinking a lot of prep before the trips. We have a 80qt freezer in the bay of our class A to store it all. We bring a Weber Q200 and a 36" Blackstone and of course micro, stove, and oven in the coach
 
If you have a Costco near one of your stops, they sell a Chipotle chicken breast that is all cut up that is perfect for tacos. all you have to do is heat it up. Fully cooked and they sell it in two pound bags. it does have a little kick to it.
 
Large groups are a huge pain and can lead to some serious waste. Consider some options for individual items (chips, fruit, granola bars, etc) that can stay shelf stable for a couple days.

If able to prep before and store/reheat then chili and stews are good and easy to reheat in stockpots. Tacos aren't a terrible option but I'd also push to use those leftovers (salsa, guac, tortillas, etc) in some breakfast burritos.

Always include a decent green salad with the fixings and a couple dressing options... even if the masses aren't 100% into whatever the main course is they can fill up on that... it's cheap and easy and easy to carryover to the next meal.

Consider your menu necessities for each meal and try to overlap/dual use as much as possible to reduce waste.

Dietary restrictions are your nemesis. Hopefully you are in a position where you do not have to cater to a bunch of one-off random ass allergies/aversions.
 
I have accumulated several camping cookbooks over the years. Probably the best all around and the one that I use the most is this one. By meal type, by cooking type, etc... the dutch oven stuff can be converted to regular oven pretty easily. It also tells you how many it feeds, most are in the 8-12 range. I've adapted some to accommodate 80+ people and I use that book several times each year.
 
I cook Gumbo for the whole camp (30 to 40 people) on News Years eve every year. Bit of prep and I cook it in a turkey fryer pot with the propane cooker.
 
Spaghetti, garlic bread and a salad
Any sort of casserole. Pre make then reheat. They also can be frozen to stay longer
 
Hire someone who has worked in the industry, I have seen firsthand when a small caterer hits the top end of what they can cook/prepare. It falls off fast and people get pissed even faster. The difference between cooking for your typical Thanksgiving and twice or three times that amount goes up exponentially, then trying to perform at that level for three meals a day sends it to yet another level and we are not even figuring in doing this out of an RV.
 
Wife and I did all the cooking this past Yosemite trip, we had 16 people in camp.

Used a Campfire Cheff grill and 2 burner Coleman to get it all done with ease. We always cooked enough to fill an aluminum half pan, was never short on every having seconds or more.

Breakfast
Scrambled Eggs, Bacon, Tater Tots and Oatmeal, Coffee.

Dinner
Smart Final 30 box of beef patties, 2 big packs of Hoffy large wieners, one large can Hormel chili, sliced cheddar, condiments, 1 ice burg lettuce, Beer

Breakfast
Scrambled Eggs, Polska Kielbasa, grilled onions and green peppers, and pancakes, fresh sliced strawberries, Coffee.

Dinner
Spaghetti w/Meat sauce, ground beef added, Costco bag of Meatballs, Green beans, Dinner rolls (some toasted with garlic butter), Beer

Breakfast
Chorizo Scrambled Eggs, homestyle potatoes, Arroz con Leche, tortillas, Cafe de la Olla.

Dinner
Round Tip sirloin chuck, sliced up, cooked with onions and green peppers, tortillas, Beer.

All meat we kept frozen in a single ice chest that had dry ice on top, nothing else but meats in here.
Eggs were all 50 count boxes from Walmart, cheap, easy storage.

Everything was bought at Smart n Final (Could do same from COSTCO)

The Camp Cheff grill is strong, use griddle on one side, pans and pots on other. Used the Coleman for smaller pots, heat water, etc.


The main trick we have learned, is keep the meal menu simple, use the items that will spoil or get smashed (bread, buns) early in the weekend, dry goods go last...

A couple good items are super tasty when you're hungry and there is enough for everyone vs variety. Special diets, well not my problem LOL
 
my go to for big groups is BBQ. ive brought my smoker out to the desert and other places and cooked ribs, pork shoulder for pulled pork, smoked mac n cheese etc. you spend all day tending the smoker (an actual smoker not a fucking pellet grill), but it was always worth it in the end.

also done korean short rib tacos. prepped, marinated and partially cooked the meat at home on wood fire and deboned the short ribs and cut the meat up and i would finish it a cast iron pan when being served.
 
RIDERED said:
I cook Gumbo for the whole camp (30 to 40 people) on News Years eve every year. Bit of prep and I cook it in a turkey fryer pot with the propane cooker.
Click to expand...
AND ITS EFFING AMAZING !!!!! last new years I had it all 3 meals! mmmmmmm
 
Costco cooked pulled pork in a few large crockpots, hamburger buns, and a crockpot of warm bbq sauce. Couple big bags of salad...paper plates, plastic forks.

Pick foods that are gluten free...i.e, the pulled pork, bbq sauce, and sald should be, (just not the buns). Tacos good too, you just need corn tortillas.
 
b1stin said:
We're going to start leading large groups of RV's (20-30) to different locations in the States and Baja and will have to prepare a couple of dinners for the group. Looking for some ideas for simple, easy meals that don't taste like it was crap! What are your go to large meals? We're thinking tacos?
Click to expand...
20 tp 30 rvs that's 50 tp 100 people there is nothing simple with that. If you have a restaurant depot around they have frozen trays of pulled pork and mac and cheeze that is very good mabe grab a ribeye or a ny strip and do a roast, also see what else they have frozen pre cooked get some ideas. we pich up a 18ld ribeye every weekend and a bunch of friends come over been doing it for years. baked potatos are easy also
 
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Do a pork butt, pull it apart and freeze it. Reheat on a Blackstone to sizzle it up and then do corn tortillas on the greasy flat top for perfect tacos. We do this every trip now.
Dinner is ready in 20 min or less.
 
We do a big potluck for mothers day at the river, 25 or so people. I smoke 2 pork buts at home the day before. Reheat in a crockpot with a little bit of apple juice. Taste is 99% as good as when it was cooked, and it retains its texture. The next morning the leftovers go on the flat top with eggs and peppers, and then in a tortilla with cheese and guacamole. It's fantastic.
 
Bansh88 said:
Do a pork butt, pull it apart and freeze it. Reheat on a Blackstone to sizzle it up and then do corn tortillas on the greasy flat top for perfect tacos. We do this every trip now.
Dinner is ready in 20 min or less.
Click to expand...
Looney Duner said:
We do a big potluck for mothers day at the river, 25 or so people. I smoke 2 pork buts at home the day before. Reheat in a crockpot with a little bit of apple juice. Taste is 99% as good as when it was cooked, and it retains its texture. The next morning the leftovers go on the flat top with eggs and peppers, and then in a tortilla with cheese and guacamole. It's fantastic.
Click to expand...

Mmmm...pork butt

I need to learn this one.
 
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