Cooking for a large group(HELP)

[Vinchenzzi]

I am going camping with I think 5 families ,All ma and pa's and approx.12 children. I have cooked for large groups at home many a times but never in the wilderness with none of my regular stuff. Anyone have any good ideas for this. We are all responsible for a dinner and a breakfast, Lunchs are your own. Who on here has the best idea? Preferably something I can make ahead of time and heat up there, ofcourse I am not sure how good the oven is in my camper, its a brand new rockwood but I have never used it. Thx for any help

[TURBS]

Beef and noodles!
Anything for the crock pot thats simple and easy !

[kc8lvy]

A couple of breakfast ideas are Biscuits and Gravy. Make the gravy up ahead of time then warm it up in crock pot and use Grands biscuits and make them fresh in the morning. My wife has also googled a couple of recipes for a crock pot breakfast. She puts it going a few hours ahead and its done.

Good luck.
Let us all know what you are cooking and where you are camping and maybe you will be cooking for alot more!!! lol

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by Vinchenzzi

Preferably something I can make ahead of time and heat up there, ofcourse I am not sure how good the oven is in my camper, its a brand new rockwood but I have never used it. Thx for any help

I totally understand your predicament. I am the man on the grill at our local geocaching event outings where we usually feed 50 to 75 people. I'm always looking for fast, easy, and tastes good......and will be following this thread.

I have had good responses from pre-cooked BBQ pulled pork from Sam's Club. It's already cooked and in an aluminum tray. You put these on a grill to defrost/heat them up. Peel back the foil and stir a time or two and that's all you have to do. Just serve with hamburger buns, chips, and maybe a big jar of pickle spears. It's real easy and they taste pretty good.

Byron's® Fully Cooked Pork BBQ - 64 oz. - Sam's Club

We usually average about 15 sandwiches per tray....but depends on how big the buns are. You can always give it a test run at your house to see if the family likes it.

[Weezer]

For dinner;

Are you good at making home made spaghetti meat sauce? That's easy to make in large quantities, and you can even cook the pasta in advance...just put it in ziplock bags and keep it chilled, then when you want to heat it, add a tablespoon of water, open the zipper about an inch and microwave it until hot.

Garlic bread can be prepped ahead of time, then slap it on the grill.

For breakfast...ever made breakfast casserole? That's *very* easy for big crowds...if you want the recipe I can give ya a link.

Actually for the spaghetti you could throw the pasta into the sauce.

Sausage gravy! That works too!

[oldsmasma]

My meatballs usually go over well at potlucks. Make at home and freeze to be reheated or make them in a crockpot at the campground. Buy decent quality frozen mini meatballs. Costco or anywhere. I'm in Canada so doubt my favourites will help you! Put them in a crockpot with a sauce made of a bottle of chili sauce and a half jar of grape jelly. Yes, grape jelly. Put on low and let them simmer all day. Serve with egg noodles, rice or mashed potatoes. I use about a two pound bag of meatballs.

[Vinchenzzi]

I like the ideas so far, however this campground has no electric so I will have no place to plug in my crock pot. I will be cooking strictly by fire or propane. Hermit I love the breakfast casserole idea and would be happy to take you up on the recipe.I was thinking of pasta but I think someone else already stole that one. I was thinking of making 3 or 4 lasagnas or 2 baked zitis and 2 lasagnas and just bringing them up but I am kinda looking for something different. Keep'em coming this is great.

[Sirsea]

For dinner, a big pot of chili is easy to make in advance. Also a crock pot of beef stew served over pasta is good for large crowds. If you have an electric griddle, you can cook 6-8 pancakes at a time; get pre-cooked bacon from Sam's (72 slices per pkg) and heat in the microwave. Add a fruit platter, coffee, OJ and you have a great breakfast without a lot of trouble.

[Sirsea]

Ahh...sorry about that, I was typing before I saw that you won't have electricity....do you have an outdoor propane stove/cooker?

[papap]

Jambalaya. Always goes over we'll here. LOL. If its winter time I go with a pot of gumbo. We camp this way often. Cooking for about 30 people next weekend.

[Weezer]

Here's the recipe I use for the breakfast casserole;

Breakfast Casserole Recipe

I leave off the mustard.

If you want to try some different ones (some use thinly sliced potatoes) just google "breakfast casserole recipe"

You could pre cook the meat...sausage/bacon....then add the other ingredients and cook it in a dutch oven over a low camp fire.

Edit: I also add finely chopped onions and/or bell peppers.

[Vinchenzzi]

Yes I have a 2 shelf propane smoker, we have the 3 burner stove and oven in Camper, I also have a 2 burner propane cooker and my buddy has a dutch oven.My buddy is making pulled pork in the smoker, my other buddy is making Spag.n meatballs, another is making steak and cheeses. I believ that's it as far as dinners go so I need something other then those 3 and I am digging the breakfast casserole idea.

[Weezer]

For a large crowd just double or triple the recipe.

I'm a Southern cook...I don't much stick to recipes. I just check out the main ingredients and go from there.

[oldsmasma]

Most things like chili, meatballs, mac and cheese could be prepared at home and frozen in foil pans to reheat over a fire no?

[slide5r4fun]

Originally Posted by wmtire

I have had good responses from pre-cooked BBQ pulled pork from Sam's Club. It's already cooked and in an aluminum tray. You put these on a grill to defrost/heat them up. Peel back the foil and stir a time or two and that's all you have to do. Just serve with hamburger buns, chips, and maybe a big jar of pickle spears. It's real easy and they taste pretty good.

Byron's® Fully Cooked Pork BBQ - 64 oz. - Sam's Club

X2

We've never had this at the campground but often pick this up at Sam's and toss it in the freezer. It makes for a quick meal when you don't have time to cook and don't want carry out. Taste pretty good considering it's previously frozen.

[caper]

make 3 towers with chicken wire about 3" in diameter and 18" high. Fill with charcoal. Hang a large turkey between the charcoal towers. Add charcoal as needed and when turkey is fully cooked enjoy. We have cooked up to 25 turkeys at a time for scout camps using this method. Then all you have to do is make stovetop stuffing, potatoes and a veg. Another method to cook the turkey is to make a spit and cook turkey over a low fire in the fire ring. You could have all the children take turns turning the turkey.

[Road-King]

Originally Posted by Vinchenzzi

I am not sure how good the oven is in my camper, its a brand new rockwood but I have never used it. Thx for any help

I recommend trying out your oven before you go. We didn't used our oven very much the first year. Then this year we discovered that it would not heat above 350. Took it back under warranty, my service department replaced the thermostat and proclaimed it fixed. Apparently they don't test their fixes at my SD. Anyway long story short, I disconnected the gas lines from the manifold to the burner, blew it out and some trash flew out. It is fixed now.

Try it out, before you need it...

Back to the topic... KFC and Capt'n Crunch would be my menu...

[Janet H]

Here's my suggestion on breakfast...

Eggs to order
ham
fresh baked cinnamon rolls

One your outdoor propane stove cook eggs and ham to order. Bake cinnamon rolls in your oven. Rhodes makes awesome yeast rolls - they are sold in the freezer section. Put them out on pans the night before and bake in the morning.

Before you travel buy a boneless (precooked) ham and slice it up in nice breakfast sized slabs. Bag and freeze. Set on counter just before you go to bed to thaw.

Fry eggs to order and throw a slab of ham in the skillet to sizzle up - you only need to get it how.. They cook fast and eggs are cheap.

If you use disposable baking pans, you will only have to wash one frying pan. Easy

[asquared]

pork shoulder, pork butt or beef brisket in a crockpot. When done, pull out, put in pan, shred using forks and add your favorite bbq sauce. We use sticky fingers carolina sweet. You can sevre on buns as pulled pork (or beef) sandwiches to stretch it farther. You can do one overnight and refrigerate during day (heat in oven covered with foil at 350). cook second one during day in crockpot. Serve with baked beans (cook in pan on stove) and coleslaw (store bought works great!).

Breakfast, I usually bring my waffle maker and serve Belgian waffles (lots of mixes out there). for a twist add blueberries to batter.

[asquared]

good old hot dogs and hamburgers on grill?
Just saw the no electric post. Saw you have a smoker. You could smoke ribs, chicken etc. Do you have a turkey fryer? that could work too.

For your oven, double check pan sizes as one of my large pyrex pan fits but the Corning ware one has side handles a little longer and won't fit.