Help me cook for a crowd, please!

[athena1277]

I really don’t have much experience cooking for a crowd.  Dd19 and I are hosting a ladies group at church in a few weeks.  We are planning to do a taco salad bar.  The problem is, I don’t know how much of anything to buy/cook.  Especially the taco meat.  Based on previous events, I’m expecting about 30 people.  How do you decide quantities for so many?

[heartlikealion]

Do you have a way to keep the taco meat warm? Or a fridge to put the leftovers in? That would be my biggest hesitation. And I don't know how many pounds I could cook at once in my large sauté pan. I usually cook one pound packs of ground turkey, remove from pan and soak up grease with paper towels/wipe up pan, then return to pan and add seasoning. I'm not sure I could manage to do that for a large crowd.

Did you promise the taco bar? Is that something that could maybe be made in an instant pot or something?

What time of day? Will a full meal be expected? 

I would consider a mix of items like pigs in a blanket, tortilla pinwheels, veggie tray, fruit tray, green salad, maybe a casserole. Then they could get a little of everything and you don't have to show up with pounds of taco meat. But I'm just timid about stuff like that. It could be easy for others. 

[Ottakee]

Taco meat is easy.  You can cook 5 pounds of ground beef at a time in a 9 x 13 pan in the oven, drain, and then crumble in a stand mixer.   Rinse to get all the fat off, put on crock pot with seasoning and serve from there.  
 

shredded chicken is great for tacos too and might be cheaper if you want a second option.   Again, cook in oven or crockpot and shred with mixer.

leftovers can easily be frozen for another meal for your family in the future.

[Sneezyone]

38 minutes ago, athena1277 said:

I really don’t have much experience cooking for a crowd.  Dd19 and I are hosting a ladies group at church in a few weeks.  We are planning to do a taco salad bar.  The problem is, I don’t know how much of anything to buy/cook.  Especially the taco meat.  Based on previous events, I’m expecting about 30 people.  How do you decide quantities for so many?

I’d estimate 1/3-2/3c cooked meat per person  for a taco bar. If you want to stretch the meat, small-diced russet potatoes will do the trick and absorb the extra oil so no need to drain excess oil on fattier grinds (1 potato per lb. I have never rinsed the seasoning off of cooked meat.🫣). The more tasty sides you have, the less people will go for the meat/cheese. Fresh guacamole, salsa casera, salsa verde, grated cheese (can keep to a min), sour cream or ranch, tortillas (flour and/or corn—1pkg of each should do if you provide chips), and some beans or rice as a side (some folks put them in the taco/on the salad. That’s it.

Edited July 13, 2022 by Sneezyone

[KatieJ]

Do a Google search for cooking for a crowd. 
I would  plan on 4-5 people per pound of ground of beef, or 3- 4 Oz is a good measure per person,  but it depends on your crowd…adult men or children , and adjust from there. Tacos go a little further than hamburgers on a bun.

https://www.chef-menus.com/food-quantity-chart.html

[heartlikealion]

14 minutes ago, Ottakee said:

Taco meat is easy.  You can cook 5 pounds of ground beef at a time in a 9 x 13 pan in the oven, drain, and then crumble in a stand mixer.   Rinse to get all the fat off, put on crock pot with seasoning and serve from there.  
 

shredded chicken is great for tacos too and might be cheaper if you want a second option.   Again, cook in oven or crockpot and shred with mixer.

leftovers can easily be frozen for another meal for your family in the future.

I would never have guessed you could fit that much. 

[Sneezyone]

6 minutes ago, heartlikealion said:

I would never have guessed you could fit that much. 

5 lbs is not very much. I use that much for bolognese and I’m lucky if it lasts a week. I get the concept of using a stand mixer to crumble it. The cooking method? Sus. I have better luck simmering a big mass of meat with seasoned COLD water or broth (to separate the meat. A 1/2 cup of cream or whole cup of milk never hurts to tenderize. As it cooks, the water evaporates. You can still develop a nice fond.

Edited July 13, 2022 by Sneezyone

[athena1277]

24 minutes ago, heartlikealion said:

Do you have a way to keep the taco meat warm? Or a fridge to put the leftovers in? That would be my biggest hesitation. And I don't know how many pounds I could cook at once in my large sauté pan. I usually cook one pound packs of ground turkey, remove from pan and soak up grease with paper towels/wipe up pan, then return to pan and add seasoning. I'm not sure I could manage to do that for a large crowd.

Did you promise the taco bar? Is that something that could maybe be made in an instant pot or something?

What time of day? Will a full meal be expected? 

I would consider a mix of items like pigs in a blanket, tortilla pinwheels, veggie tray, fruit tray, green salad, maybe a casserole. Then they could get a little of everything and you don't have to show up with pounds of taco meat. But I'm just timid about stuff like that. It could be easy for others. 

We plan to cook the meat and keep it warm in 1 or 2 crockpots until time to eat.  They will be expecting a full meal.  Doing it as a taco bar means everyone can fix it how they like it.  Being that most of the things involved don’t need much prep (like shredded cheese and sour cream) we figured this would be an easier way to learn to feed so many.

[Sneezyone]

3 minutes ago, athena1277 said:

We plan to cook the meat and keep it warm in 1 or 2 crockpots until time to eat.  They will be expecting a full meal.  Doing it as a taco bar means everyone can fix it how they like it.  Being that most of the things involved don’t need much prep (like shredded cheese and sour cream) we figured this would be an easier way to learn to feed so many.

I cook for 20 cheerleaders and coaches every year and it’s usually the rice and beans that go first.  The protein is less important to the veggie forward folks and the rice/beans appeal to most.

[heartlikealion]

22 minutes ago, Sneezyone said:

5 lbs is not very much. I use that much for bolognese and I’m lucky if it lasts a week. I get the concept of using a stand mixer to crumble it. The cooking method? Sus. I have better luck simmering a big mass of meat with seasoned COLD water or broth (to separate the meat. A 1/2 cup of cream or whole cup of milk never hurts to tenderize. As it cooks, the water evaporates. You can still develop a nice fond.

I've cooked meat in an 8x8 for burgers and a pound doesn't quite fill it but I would have guessed stacking 2 pounds might fit and by that logic two 8x8 dishes with 2 pounds doesn't sound like it would compute to 5 lbs in an 9x13. But I've never tried. 

[Jean in Newcastle]

36 minutes ago, Sneezyone said:

5 lbs is not very much. I use that much for bolognese and I’m lucky if it lasts a week. I get the concept of using a stand mixer to crumble it. The cooking method? Sus. I have better luck simmering a big mass of meat with seasoned COLD water or broth (to separate the meat. A 1/2 cup of cream or whole cup of milk never hurts to tenderize. As it cooks, the water evaporates. You can still develop a nice fond.

Yikes. I didn’t know that I had to ask people about possible hidden dairy in cooked ground meat. 

[momto3innc]

1 minute ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

Yikes. I didn’t know that I had to ask people about possible hidden dairy in cooked ground meat. 

Same exact thought!! I always consider that a safe one with my allergies. Not after this.

[heartlikealion]

I've never heard of adding dairy to it. I can have bad reactions to dairy. Probably wouldn't get sick from the meat, but I think twice before I eat anything with cream cheese or heavy whipping cream. 

Maybe there's a way to find out in advance if there are any people with allergies before the event. 

[catz]

Doing taco/burrito bars is my crowd feeding specialty.  I've done it for up to about 75 people.  I often do chicken because then it works for the no red meat crowd too.  For 30 people, I'd do probably 10-12 pounds of meat.   These recipes are always very well recieved, honestly better than chipotle, and can work for vegan, vegetarian, DF, GF.  I usually serve with flour and/or corn tortillas/chips, lettuce, salsa, guac, shredded cheese, sour cream.   If I'm feeling fancy I might do things like chopped onions and tomatoes, sliced limes, cilantro, sliced avacados, etc.  If you want to focus on the SALAD aspect, good quality corn chips and plenty of greens.

I typically use 2 crock pots and my instant pot.  I have done the rice right in the instant pot before the event, but I do prefer to use my rice cooker when I can.  Chicken can be done ahead and heated in the crock pot, same with beans.

https://www.culinaryhill.com/chipotle-chicken/

ETA - I use the oven cooking method, I can usually fit this amount of chicken breasts in a couple glass pyrex dishes.  I use this recipe so much I order bulk ancho chile powder online.

https://www.culinaryhill.com/chipotle-cilantro-lime-rice/

https://www.culinaryhill.com/chipotle-black-beans-copycat/

I usually make and freeze a couple batches of cookies or bars for dessert ahead of time to serve too. 

Edited July 13, 2022 by catz

[Sneezyone]

A) I always ask if anyone has a dairy allergy in advance and b) 1 lb of beef is a 5”x5” brick, uncooked. Not sure how your family eats but one of those with a taco bar would leave my family of 4 annoyed and starving. Dairy is a Common addition to bolognese, as is alcohol. When looking for ways to stretch a a meal and tenderize cheap cuts of meat, both work. ETA: pretty sure I’m the only milspouse host I know who’s asked. Bunko/rug flop nights were usually potluck or catered by local food venders.

Edited July 13, 2022 by Sneezyone

[heartlikealion]

6 minutes ago, Sneezyone said:

A) I always ask if anyone has a dairy allergy in advance and b) 1 lb of beef is a 5”x5” brick, uncooked. Not sure how your family eats but one of those with a taco bar would leave my family of 4 annoyed and starving.

I also wondered if that was underestimating how much 4 people would eat. I cook for 3 and although we may have some leftover, I'm not feeding all adults. I keep seeing people complain about the price of beef so I'm thinking how much money that would set the host back to buy 12 packs of it. Yikes. 

[Sneezyone]

5 minutes ago, heartlikealion said:

I also wondered if that was underestimating how much 4 people would eat. I cook for 3 and although we may have some leftover, I'm not feeding all adults. I keep seeing people complain about the price of beef so I'm thinking how much money that would set the host back to buy 12 packs of it. Yikes. 

Which is why I recommended my stepmom’s sub, potato, because it’s an oil absorber and very filling. If you’re truly dealing with all allergies in this suggestion thread, then that won’t work for celiac patients either. I’m lactose intolerant  (can only tolerate A2 milk) and haven’t had any issues with my bolognese. I hate commercially ground chicken/turkey because of the added flavors that render the meat inedible to me but I’ve ground meat at home and it was fine.

Edited July 13, 2022 by Sneezyone

[athena1277]

15 minutes ago, catz said:

Doing taco/burrito bars is my crowd feeding specialty.  I've done it for up to about 75 people.  I often do chicken because then it works for the no red meat crowd too.  For 30 people, I'd do probably 10-12 pounds of meat.   These recipes are always very well recieved, honestly better than chipotle, and can work for vegan, vegetarian, DF, GF.  I usually serve with flour and/or corn tortillas/chips, lettuce, salsa, guac, shredded cheese, sour cream.   If I'm feeling fancy I might do things like chopped onions and tomatoes, sliced limes, cilantro, sliced avacados, etc.  If you want to focus on the SALAD aspect, good quality corn chips and plenty of greens.

I typically use 2 crock pots and my instant pot.  I have done the rice right in the instant pot before the event, but I do prefer to use my rice cooker when I can.  Chicken can be done ahead and heated in the crock pot, same with beans.

https://www.culinaryhill.com/chipotle-chicken/

ETA - I use the oven cooking method, I can usually fit this amount of chicken breasts in a couple glass pyrex dishes.  I use this recipe so much I order bulk ancho chile powder online.

https://www.culinaryhill.com/chipotle-cilantro-lime-rice/

https://www.culinaryhill.com/chipotle-black-beans-copycat/

I usually make and freeze a couple batches of cookies or bars for dessert ahead of time to serve too. 

I forgot I can put some in the instant pot!  I think I may add beans to the menu to make the meat stretch and give some more variety.

[heartlikealion]

2 minutes ago, athena1277 said:

I forgot I can put some in the instant pot!  I think I may add beans to the menu to make the meat stretch and give some more variety.

Definitely add beans because some might make a burrito, instead of a taco or just not want the meat. Speaking of that... I would try to get vegetarian refried beans if anyone there is vegetarian. I eat both kinds. 

[heartlikealion]

10 minutes ago, Sneezyone said:

Which is why I recommended my stepmom’s sub, potato, because it’s an oil absorber and very filling. If you’re truly dealing with all allergies in this suggestion thread, then that won’t work for celiac patients either. I’m lactose intolerant  (can only tolerate A2 milk) and haven’t had any issues with my bolognese. I hate commercially ground chicken/turkey because of the added flavors that render the meat inedible to me but I’ve ground meat at home and it was fine.

My method to save money is use ground turkey but that would be a big risk at a taco bar. Some people just won't accept ground turkey but I have no problem with it taste-wise. I wouldn't personally want potatoes in my tacos. 

[Sneezyone]

3 minutes ago, heartlikealion said:

My method to save money is use ground turkey but that would be a big risk at a taco bar. Some people just won't accept ground turkey but I have no problem with it taste-wise. I wouldn't personally want potatoes in my tacos. 

The rosemary extract in commercial ground turkey and chicken is nasty. I taste it. I think I’m a super taster. The potatoes disintegrate and are virtually indistinguishable from the protein alone. You might try it, even if you don’t eat it. My stepmom grew up poor, scrambling for food, and swears by it. We like it too. No different from veggie lovers subbing sweet potatoes.

Edited July 13, 2022 by Sneezyone

[heartlikealion]

1 minute ago, Sneezyone said:

The rosemary extract in ground turkey and chicken is nasty. I taste it. I think I’m a super taster. The potatoes disintegrate and are virtually indistinguishable from the protein alone. You choose try it, even if you don’t eat it. My stepmom grew up poor, scrambling for food, and swears by it. No different from veggie lovers subbing sweet potatoes.

I didn't even know there was rosemary extract in those things. I wonder if this varies by brand. Well I wouldn't even be able to eat taco meat at a mass gathering because I can only tolerate mild lol Most people use original seasoning. 

[Sneezyone]

3 minutes ago, heartlikealion said:

I didn't even know there was rosemary extract in those things. I wonder if this varies by brand. Well I wouldn't even be able to eat taco meat at a mass gathering because I can only tolerate mild lol Most people use original seasoning. 

It doesn’t. I’ve checked. The only companies that don’t add it are niche, organic brands. I do buy ground turkey and chicken from them…online. It’s shipped to my house. I don’t even use commercial seasoning. I make my own.

Edited July 13, 2022 by Sneezyone

[Carrie12345]

Rice stretches a taco salad bar, too. I don’t eat actual tacos because I’m a slob, lol. It’s rice, black beans, corn, salsa, and cheese, with a little meat on top, for me. Lettuce, if it’s ribbon sliced. 

Baked potatoes for a base/shell replacement also go a long way. No one’s eating 4 of those!

My crockpot can cook 5lbs at a time easily. 

Ive also done a black bean and lentils combo to replace the meat for vegetarians. It got good feedback, and was nothing more than beans, lentils, water, and packaged taco flavoring. In a crockpot. 

[Bambam]

We do a "Mexican Stackup" theme for some potlucks. A meat (or a couple) + beans + rice + tortilla chips + all the taco fixings. It's hard to neatly eat a taco, so this allows everyone to put whatever they like/can eat on their plate and then just use a fork to eat it. 

I often do the crock pot chicken taco meat. I throw in a bunch of breasts, jar of salsa, packet of taco seasoning, some lime juice, and then just cook. Hand mixer comes out later to shred. If you have a lot of liquid, pull some out first so it doesn't splash all over, but return it and let the shredded meat soak it up. 

I've also make lentil tacos if a vegetarian or vegan is coming over. And some just enjoy them - it has the texture of ground beef and it tastes like taco meat. 

[Sneezyone]

1 hour ago, Bambam said:

We do a "Mexican Stackup" theme for some potlucks. A meat (or a couple) + beans + rice + tortilla chips + all the taco fixings. It's hard to neatly eat a taco, so this allows everyone to put whatever they like/can eat on their plate and then just use a fork to eat it. 

I often do the crock pot chicken taco meat. I throw in a bunch of breasts, jar of salsa, packet of taco seasoning, some lime juice, and then just cook. Hand mixer comes out later to shred. If you have a lot of liquid, pull some out first so it doesn't splash all over, but return it and let the shredded meat soak it up. 

I've also make lentil tacos if a vegetarian or vegan is coming over. And some just enjoy them - it has the texture of ground beef and it tastes like taco meat. 

This is my go-to when allergens are present. Beans, rice and lentils are excellent meat replacements for big, diverse groups altho DS recently had a reaction to beluga lentils. I think it was probably cross contamination but we have an allergist spot for next month.

Edited July 13, 2022 by Sneezyone

[lmrich]

4 hours ago, Sneezyone said:

. A 1/2 cup of cream or whole cup of milk never hurts to tenderize. As it cooks, the water evaporates. You can still develop a nice fond.

Yikes! For anyone who has a dairy allergy this  would be surprising.. please let your people know about potential allergens. It looks like a lot of us with dairy allergies had the same reaction😟

[Sneezyone]

1 minute ago, lmrich said:

Yikes! For anyone who has a dairy allergy this  would be surprising.. please let your people know about potential allergens. It looks like a lot of us with dairy allergies had the same reaction😟

*I ALWAYS ASK GUESTS ABOUT ALLERGENS* The cheer team I cook for provides that info. up front. 

[Scarlett]

5 hours ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

Yikes. I didn’t know that I had to ask people about possible hidden dairy in cooked ground meat. 

 

4 hours ago, momto3innc said:

Same exact thought!! I always consider that a safe one with my allergies. Not after this.

I don’t have allergies…..but yeah I have never even heard of this adding cream to ground meat. 

[Sneezyone]

8 minutes ago, Scarlett said:

 

I don’t have allergies…..but yeah I have never even heard of this adding cream to ground meat. 

For the love of God, do y’all even cook?! My fried chicken is tenderized in milk too. The same principle/chemistry is used in food worldwide.
https://www.sunfedranch.com/beef-hacks/the-secret-to-tenderizing-grass-fed-beef-milking-it/

Edited July 14, 2022 by Sneezyone

[Scarlett]

1 minute ago, Sneezyone said:

For the love of God, do y’all even cook?! My fried chicken is tenderized in milk too. The same principle/chemistry is used in food worldwide.
https://www.sunfedranch.com/beef-hacks/the-secret-to-tenderizing-grass-fed-beef-milking-it/

🤷🏻‍♀️  I cook.  I also have never once thought that ground beef in taco meat is tough. 

OP I have made tacos for a crowd many many times. I think it is a great idea.  I stretch my taco meat with black beans or corn and lately I have been using both. 
 

I just checked a calculator and it claims one pound should make 8 tacos.  If you are cooking for all ladies I would say 2 tacos per person with plenty of sides like,beans, rice, guacamole, salsa, sour cream. Cheese etc.  

Sometimes when I make tacos for a crowd I do one batch of plain taco meat and one batch with corn or beans.  I get A LOT more  than 8 tacos out of one pound of meat when I add beans and corn.

[alisoncooks]

Some pasta recipes stir in cream into the sauce. Pastitsio (Greek) sometimes stirs some bechamel into the meat sauce. It’s not crazy... 🤷‍♀️

For taco meat, I imagine it tempers the acidity of the tomato sauce. 

Edited July 14, 2022 by alisoncooks

[Sneezyone]

40 minutes ago, alisoncooks said:

Some pasta recipes stir in cream into the sauce. Pastitsio (Greek) sometimes stirs some bechamel into the meat sauce. It’s not crazy... 🤷‍♀️

For taco meat, I imagine it tempers the acidity of the tomato sauce. 

If you use tomatoes, yes. It also tenderizes meat in a plain ol’ Swedish meatball or German schnitzel sauce. Come to think of it, a lot of people put it in their meatballs/meatloves too. It’s not at all unusual.

Edited July 14, 2022 by Sneezyone

[Jean in Newcastle]

1 hour ago, Sneezyone said:

For the love of God, do y’all even cook?! My fried chicken is tenderized in milk too. The same principle/chemistry is used in food worldwide.
https://www.sunfedranch.com/beef-hacks/the-secret-to-tenderizing-grass-fed-beef-milking-it/

I have been cooking for 40 years and have never heard of adding cream to taco meat.  I have no problem with you doing that.  I'm sure that it's very tasty.  I just have to look out for possible additions to all sorts of recipes because not everyone is as conscientious as you are with regards to allergies.  And I've run into really ignorant people who have told me that "ice cream is not dairy" because they apparently don't know what actually goes into ice cream (and this was not the dairy free kinds).  As well as well meaning people who forget all the ingredients like the person who told me after I ate it, that the gluten free muffin actually included wheat flour and was that ok?  I now have it on my radar to check to see what people are adding to their taco meat. 

[heartlikealion]

2 hours ago, Sneezyone said:

*I ALWAYS ASK GUESTS ABOUT ALLERGENS* The cheer team I cook for provides that info. up front. 

I think people were worried you were suggesting the OP add cream without necessarily asking her group about allergies. 

[Spy Car]

If you are serving tacos don't use ground beef. 

Stew some tough beef with chillies and onions and garlic until it gets falling apart tender. Shredded beef.

So much tastier. And holds up much better to reheating. Likely cheaper as well, despite being far superior tasting.

Bill

 

[Ausmumof3]

https://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/portion-planner
 

This calculator can be helpful for estimating though it can be slightly light on if you have big eaters.

[Ausmumof3]

I did a quick run with the calculator but it only has an option for beef not mince. I would definitely increase the amount with mince as fat tends to cook off. It suggests 900g per 10 people. I wouldn’t do less than a kg and probably more. If I do 1kg for our family of five I typically have enough for a second light meal but not two full meals.

obviously it also depends how much was being done in the way of sides.

Edited July 14, 2022 by Ausmumof3

[Frances]

9 hours ago, athena1277 said:

I forgot I can put some in the instant pot!  I think I may add beans to the menu to make the meat stretch and give some more variety.

When using ground beef for tacos or nachos, I always add one can of black beans for each pound of beef. Not only is it cheaper, I think it’s tastier and healthier also.

[Kassia]

1 hour ago, Frances said:

When using ground beef for tacos or nachos, I always add one can of black beans for each pound of beef. Not only is it cheaper, I think it’s tastier and healthier also.

My family is not picky at all but a few of them really dislike beans, so adding beans to the beef would keep them from eating it altogether.  OTOH, I'm vegetarian and ds3 is vegan so we wouldn't eat the beef no matter what.  It's so hard to feed people!  

[Scarlett]

10 hours ago, Sneezyone said:

If you use tomatoes, yes. It also tenderizes meat in a plain ol’ Swedish meatball or German schnitzel sauce. Come to think of it, a lot of people put it in their meatballs/meatloves too. It’s not at all unusual.

I do put 1/2 cup whole milk in my meatloaf but I never thought about it being to tenderize it.  My dss21 who is the real cook in the family probably knows this science like you. 

[Scarlett]

5 hours ago, Kassia said:

My family is not picky at all but a few of them really dislike beans, so adding beans to the beef would keep them from eating it altogether.  OTOH, I'm vegetarian and ds3 is vegan so we wouldn't eat the beef no matter what.  It's so hard to feed people!  

One of my sisters in law despises corn…..so I leave out corn if I am serving her. It is difficult to serve a crowd but I usually do my best and assume people will do their best to find something on the table to eat. 

[Scarlett]

6 hours ago, Frances said:

When using ground beef for tacos or nachos, I always add one can of black beans for each pound of beef. Not only is it cheaper, I think it’s tastier and healthier also.

Me too. Lately I have taken to putting in one can of corn and one can of black beans.  Usually for two pounds but I think I did that for one pound once and it was also delicious. Dh and I both are fine with less meat. 

[Storygirl]

I would not add corn or beans to the taco meat. Some people avoid eating corn and/or beans if they are low carb. I realize that keeping them separate does not attain the goal of stretching the meat, but if you mix it in, some people may not be able to eat the entree.

If you are having two crock pots of meat, I agree that having one be chicken would be a nice option, in case there are people who don't eat red meat.

[heartlikealion]

1 hour ago, Storygirl said:

I would not add corn or beans to the taco meat. Some people avoid eating corn and/or beans if they are low carb. I realize that keeping them separate does not attain the goal of stretching the meat, but if you mix it in, some people may not be able to eat the entree.

If you are having two crock pots of meat, I agree that having one be chicken would be a nice option, in case there are people who don't eat red meat.

Or just don’t eat corn because of GMOs or other reasons. 

[Scarlett]

Another good meal for a big crowd, although it is better for winter or fall, is chili.  I make a huge pot of white chili and a huge pot of red chili… Lots of toppings.  It has always been a big hit.