AboutChef Todd Mohr Expertise I'd be glad to answer your questions about how basic cooking methods apply equally to cooking for two in your home, or 1000 for an event.
Experience Executive Chef at a large hospital, feeding 3000 people three times daily over 8 different menus. Chef at The National Security Agency in Washington, DC, part of a team feeding 15,000 people twice daily.
Publications I am a featured author at Ezine Articles (ezinearticles.com, ideamarketers.com, articlecity.com, buzzle.com, selfgrowth.net)
Education/Credentials Bachelor of Arts, Long Island University
Associate of Arts, Baltimore International Culinary College
Past/Present Clients My catering company boasts many of the nations largest companies as clients over the past 8 years.
Question QUESTION: I'm cooking 40 lbs of braised pork for 150 guests. Because our facility has only one oven, I need to do the cooking in batches. I'd like to cook a day ahead and then reheat. I'll be able to heat 2 baking sheets at one time. Do you think I could get 10 lbs on a sheet? What temp and time should I use to reheat? How long will the meat stay warm? Any help in how to plan ahead greatly appreciated.
ANSWER: Braising is a combination cooking method where you brown an item quickly under direct source heat, then poach in liquid for an extended period of time to tenderize the product. So, my confusion is why you need baking sheets.
If you are truly braising pork, then this can be done in the oven, in a covered "rondeau" or similar wide, round, and short braising vessel. Or, it can be done on the stove top under very low heat for a long period. "low and slow" is the rule for braising.
I'd be able to give better advice if I knew what type of dish you were preparing, and what cut of pork you were using. But, in general, I'd brown or sear all the meat a day ahead of time, lay it on sheet pans to cool overnight.
Using the fond left in the bottom of your vessel, add onions, garlic, carrots, celery, whatever your aromatics are. Saute aromatics in the rendered fat and material left on the bottom of the pan.
Deglaze the pan with a flavorful liquid, and let almost all of that liquid evaporate. Chill the aromatics along with the pork.
The next day, combine the pork, aromatics, and flavorful liquid like beef stock, so that it covers the pork 50-75%, but not totally submerged. You need to develop a convective steam between the top of the product and the pan lid, so headspace is necessary.
Now, you can let that cook LOW AND SLOW for hours if you'd like. The longer you braise, the more you tenderize. You really can't "burn" something in a moist cooking method.
As for portions and cooking times, I'd guess 5 ounces of finished product per person, depending on the crowd. 150 people times 5 ounces is 750 ounces, equals 46.87 pounds. Consider 20% trim and cooking loss, so 47 pounds plus 20 percent equals 56.4 pounds of pork you'll probably need. However, consider how many other items that will be served. If you have a lot of other side items, you may want to cut it down to 3 ounces per person. If you're doing a pork barbeque for the local fire department and truck drivers, you might consider 7 ounces per person. Only you know who you're feeding and what the occasion is, but use a math formula above to make a good educated estimate. Don't just guess how much food you'll need, plan it with a calculator.
Braising is actually a very good method for catering to a large group. The item will stay moist, tender, and flavorful for a longer period of time than a grilled item would. It can keep warm in its own liquid and served from a single pot. It's a good choice.
Good luck with your event
Chef Todd Mohr
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QUESTION: Thank you. There's a lot of good information I can use. However, I had meant to ask about reheating times. I have no choice but to cook the day before, but I've never had to reheat that much food. Don't know how much time to allow. Can you advise?
Answer Reheat to an INTERNAL temperature of 160f. Be sure you have an instant read thermometer and take the temperature of the thickest part of the thickest piece, that way everything thinner and smaller is logically also done.
Don't cook by time, there are too many variables. Your oven may be 25 degrees different from my oven. Your pans may be made of aluminum, mine of stainless steel, each heats differently.
With a thermometer, you can QUANTIFY when the item is done, not just guess at the time.
