I need some help from our camping cooks. We'll be headed out west for a family reunion in the Tetons. My family will be responsible for cooking dinner one night for about 40 - 50 people. Now we love to camp, and we cook some pretty good grub for our family -- but we have never had to provide for this large of a group.
I am looking for ideas on what to make. My outdoor cooking gear consists of a large two-burner stove, a pair of 14" and 10" dutch ovens (which I am a rookie with), a smaller propane two-burner stove, and a small gas grill. There will be charcoal grills available, and I am thinking of picking up a can cooker prior to the trip.
on the grills you can cook just about anything. Baked potatoes and corn and our favorite veggies (onions, peppers, zucchini, yellow squash) in aluminum foil, drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with italian seasoning. Also baked beans are easy to just heat up. Get large throw away (or recycle) aluminum pans for easy cleanup. Pasta salad is also good or mac & cheese. You can cook the pasta ahead of time. Bread toasted on the grill is great.
Lonny & Diane
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Camp in an isolated spot where they can't find you until after supper..
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KFC freezes and reheats well. Pack the chicken in large throw-away aluminum roaster pans and hide the red/white buckets.
For sides, pick your favorites. Macaroni can be made in batches and the velveeta can be melted in the microwave (with a little milk) to add before serving.
Salad can be made up early and served in the aluminum roaster pans, and topped up when needed. Hit the sales, you can pick up salad dressing for $1 in multiple varieties.
Corn on the cob is popular, and may be in season locally. Downside is the work involved and cleanup. How about a green bean and onion dish instead? (A little vinegar and oil)
For desert, I like frozen pecan pies. No heavy kitchen work, and everybody likes it.
I'm thinking BBQ Pork sandwiches with beans and coleslaw. Pies for dessert. You can cook the pork in advance and freeze it. Thaw and warm the day of. Pick up some food service size cans of bushes baked beans and doctor up with a bit of red pepper and honey and diced onion. Pick up some large bags of coleslaw mix. Pre-make some dressing and mix up the day of. Add the buns and you have a meal!
Plus you can expand the menu with corn on the cob, potato salad, all the regular suspects.
My dad ran a restaurant and catered for 30 years and gave me a nice low work main course that I love to make when we are camping. Take a pork loin and rub down with a combination of mesquite, roasted garlic and herb, and smokehouse maple. I first rub the loin down with olive oil and mix the seasonings together to make the rub. Then take onions and peppers, I use a combination of green yellow and red, sliced up and put into a roaster pan, I have also put in mushrooms also at times. Place the loin on top of the veggies and cover with foil.
I cook mine on a charcoal grill for 3- 4 hours. Usually I just put it in there and then sit back and relax. When done you can slice it thin for sandwiches or thicker for a 'chop' like meal.
I use an aluminum pan so my cleanup is limited.
Hope this is the type of thing you are looking for.
Big pots of chili. Precook the ground beef, package, and freeze.
Make corn bread ahead.
Big tossed salad.
Toppings- cheddar, green onions, sour cream, frites or Doritos, whatever.
One of our favorites is Chicken tacos, you could precook all of the chicken and taco toppings and make a taco bar with some beans and rice, everything precooked and pre chopped...I also like the bbq pork sandwiches....
2011 Keystone Passport 2910BH
2005 Ford F-250 King Ranch (yes, the dreaded 6.0)
2004 Suburban 1500
We have been using McCormicks (spelling) pulled pork packages called slow cookers. They are found in the spice section of the stores. Do the pulled pork at home, package and freeze. Reheat when dinner is almost ready. You can also do chicken in place of the pork - or do both. Add some cans of BBQ beans, and salad, corn bread and whatever.
Tis another fine day to serve in and for the glory of the Corps. Every day is a holiday and every meal a feast.
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