Main dish that can travel 2 hours in the car?

[DawnM]

I am heading to my extended family's Christmas event in a couple of weeks and we are supposed to bring an appetizer, a main dish, and a dessert.

I will take 7 layer salad and buckeye bars, but I always struggle with the main dish because I have to travel.   I mean, I could find a KFC nearby and stop on my way, but I was trying not to do that.

Using the oven once I get there is not an option, so heating it up will be an issue.

Any cold/room temp ideas?   

Maybe a spiral ham?   

Coming here for ideas.

 

ETA:   Please folks.  I asked for recommendations for a main dish, not personal opinions on why my family is so horrible.   Please refrain from telling me to sulk, skip the event, feel trapped, or otherwise disparage my entire family.   

I WANT to go to this event.  I WANT to honor the way they typically do things.   I WANT to see these people and love them.

Please answer the question asked about FOOD.

Thank you,

Edited November 15, 2023 by DawnM

[Bambam]

Is cranberry salad a main dish? I don't think so, but so easy.
Otherwise I would do the spiral ham or small smoked turkey. 
Is there a Sam's/Costco close so you can pick up a chicken? 
If you have a crock pot, would a soup do? If it is warm and you wrap it in a blanket and plug it in upon arrival and turn it on warm, would that be good enough? Or you could do pulled pork this way. 
 

[DawnM]

Just now, Bambam said:

Is cranberry salad a main dish? I don't think so, but so easy.
Otherwise I would do the spiral ham or small smoked turkey. 
Is there a Sam's/Costco close so you can pick up a chicken? 
If you have a crock pot, would a soup do? If it is warm and you wrap it in a blanket and plug it in upon arrival and turn it on warm, would that be good enough? Or you could do pulled pork this way. 
 

I don't know, we usually eat almost as soon as we get there, so not sure it will heat up enough AND I don't have time to crock pot cook it before we leave.   I would have to cook it on the stove first and then put it in the crockpot.

No Sam's or Costco near them.

 

[Drama Llama]

I think spiral ham is great for this, or roast beef and nice cheese and rolls.

But I'd also consider that salad a main dish, and so I'd suggest deviled eggs as a nice appetizer that travels well.

[regentrude]

Vegan "meat" loaf is great at room temperature. 
Or a hearty salad with roasted veggies.

Edited November 14, 2023 by regentrude

[DawnM]

24 minutes ago, regentrude said:

Vegan "meat" loaf is great at room temperature. 
Or a hearty salad with roasted veggies.

No one in the family will eat anything that is fake meat.   I am 100% sure of it.   It is a Deep South group!

Salad is the appetizer, they won't consider that a main dish.

[DawnM]

25 minutes ago, Drama Llama said:

I think spiral ham is great for this, or roast beef and nice cheese and rolls.

But I'd also consider that salad a main dish, and so I'd suggest deviled eggs as a nice appetizer that travels well.

They won't consider the salad a main dish.

[marbel]

Given your circumstances, I think a spiral ham is the best thing. Either hot out of the oven right before you leave, then wrapped to stay warm during the drive, or cold and carried in a cooler. I love ham, I'd be happy to receive one either way. 

Do I remember right that this came up last year? Or am I thinking of someone else? Just thinking if it was you, what did you work out last year? 

 

[regentrude]

37 minutes ago, DawnM said:

No one in the family will eat anything that is fake meat.   I am 100% sure of it.   It is a Deep South group!

Salad is the appetizer, they won't consider that a main dish.

well, if it has to be a meat, ham is really the only thing I would be comfortable transporting at room temperature for this long.

(Btw, vegan loaf isn't "fake" meat - it's just mushroom, walnuts, and lentils. )

[Drama Llama]

Fried chicken is really good cold.  

[Storygirl]

Lasagna holds heat really well and needs to sit for awhile after coming out of the oven anyway. It would work especially well if you have an insulated carrier, like a Pyrex portable or something like https://www.amazon.com/LUNCIA-Insulated-Casserole-Carrier-Cookouts/dp/B0892YNM1S/ref=sr_1_15?crid=E7IJXDOVVQ6J&keywords=heat+pack+for+pyrex+portable&qid=1699928298&sprefix=pyrex+portable+heat%2Caps%2C117&sr=8-15

Or another dense pasta dish, like baked mac and cheese or rigatoni.

Any of these can be made ahead and heated at your home the day that you leave.

Brisket is also best when made ahead and then reheated. It doesn't have to be really hot when served, so you could also use an insulated carrier for it.

Edited November 14, 2023 by Storygirl

[Pam in CT]

If you wrap a lasagna (in a pyrex with lid) in a couple thick towels and then put the whole thing in a cooler, it'll be fine.  Or a brisket or lamb shanks or whatever. I transport stuff that way all the time and it really does stay warm.

[KungFuPanda]

This sounds like a set up. “Bring a main dish that’s hot and ready to eat the minute you get here AFTER two hours in the car. No, you can’t use the oven.” The person driving two hours should be assigned salads, breads, desserts, or drinks. Can you make a swap with someone who lives closer. I’d have no trouble handing off the dessert and doing two mains if I was the one who lived close to the host’s house. 

[Bootsie]

Is this a covered dish where several other peope will be bring a main dish, or are you providing the one main dish for the event?  I would probably take ham.  Or, I would do something I could take cold, such as chicken salad.  Boiled shrimp with cocktail and tartar sauce, or a shrimp salad could also be good.

[SHP]

1 hour ago, KungFuPanda said:

This sounds like a set up. “Bring a main dish that’s hot and ready to eat the minute you get here AFTER two hours in the car. No, you can’t use the oven.” The person driving two hours should be assigned salads, breads, desserts, or drinks. Can you make a swap with someone who lives closer. I’d have no trouble handing off the dessert and doing two mains if I was the one who lived close to the host’s house. 

This. 2 hours is a long drive. Add children and meal expectations and no, just no. 

I have reached the point where I just do not care anymore. I would flat out say it is unreasonable and that I wouldn't be bothered to do more than order/pick up cheap pizza/KFC. If there is any push back they would get a salad fixings from the nearest grocery store, tossed on the counter, still in the bags, with a note "Some assembly required" and I would park my rear in a chair and stare at my phone and pointedly ignore everything except for "dinners ready".

 

[kbutton]

If you can use Pam’s cooler method with the various layers, a savory sweet potato hash would work. It’s just sweet potatoes, apples or pears, and breakfast sausage or bacon (crumble whichever one you want). Very simple. We fry the sausage, steam the sweet potatoes until they are almost done, and then combine either in a frying pan or oven for the time required for the sliced pears to cook through and the sweet potatoes to finish cooking. You can slice the sweet potatoes or chunk them.

[kbutton]

Baked beans (meaty ones for a main dish) are also really good served cold after being cooked thoroughly to carmelize them.

[DawnM]

18 hours ago, regentrude said:

well, if it has to be a meat, ham is really the only thing I would be comfortable transporting at room temperature for this long.

(Btw, vegan loaf isn't "fake" meat - it's just mushroom, walnuts, and lentils. )

They are not the mushroom, walnut, lentils types.   These are southern meat and potatoes folks.   

[DawnM]

15 hours ago, KungFuPanda said:

This sounds like a set up. “Bring a main dish that’s hot and ready to eat the minute you get here AFTER two hours in the car. No, you can’t use the oven.” The person driving two hours should be assigned salads, breads, desserts, or drinks. Can you make a swap with someone who lives closer. I’d have no trouble handing off the dessert and doing two mains if I was the one who lived close to the host’s house. 

No, it isn't a set up.   It is just our annual Christmas gathering and everyone is expected to bring multiple dishes.   I am the one who moved here and joined them, so I want to honor the way they have always done it.   

 

 

[DawnM]

14 hours ago, SHP said:

This. 2 hours is a long drive. Add children and meal expectations and no, just no. 

I have reached the point where I just do not care anymore. I would flat out say it is unreasonable and that I wouldn't be bothered to do more than order/pick up cheap pizza/KFC. If there is any push back they would get a salad fixings from the nearest grocery store, tossed on the counter, still in the bags, with a note "Some assembly required" and I would park my rear in a chair and stare at my phone and pointedly ignore everything except for "dinners ready".

 

They are not being demanding, I WANT to do this the way they have always done it.   I don't want to be the one who is demanding and park myself and stare at my phone.  That doesn't sound like me at all.

They put tons of effort into this every year and it is a highlight of the year and I love going.   I will comply as best I can.

[BusyMom5]

What types of insulation containers do you have?   What is considered main dish?  Does it have to have meat?  

Hashbrown casserole?  Sweet potato casserole?  I've transported them 1.5 hours and they are still hot!  Take directly out of oven right before you leave- top with foil.  Set on a big, thick bath towel folded in half, then flip up the ends over the top of the casserole.  Place in cooler with any other hot items.  I don't think this would work well with meat, but thicker things like casseroles hold heat better.

[Forget-Me-Not]

You can buy crockpot car adapters. If this is a yearly event, it might be worth the small investment!

[Innisfree]

I’d be tempted to find a recipe that would lend itself to slow cooking, Dutch oven or crockpot style. Here, that might be braised beef with onions, or beef burgundy, or something of the sort. Maybe pulled pork in a sauce? Anyway, get it pretty well cooked before you leave. Last thing before leaving, bring it to a boil, then pack as @Pam in CT described above. In a well insulated box the residual heat will continue to cook the food for surprisingly long. This is a very old technique, back at least into the early nineteenth century, but I’d be amazed if people weren’t doing it before then.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haybox

ETA: to do this I’d transport the food in the same heat-retentive dish it was prepared in: a heavy dutch oven or such. We’ve used the good vintage Corning Ware, but a good enameled-iron dutch oven might be even better. No transferring the food to a different container, or you’d lose too much heat.

Edited November 14, 2023 by Innisfree

[pinball]

You could make Italian sausages in peppers & onions OR Polish sausage in sauerkraut. Put in crock while hot. Then wrap the crock (just the ceramic part, not the metal heating part, too) in towels and put in a cardboard box just big enough to hold it & the towels (not a lot of extra space). Tuck the box in your car & cover it with your emergency winter blanket.

it will lose very little heat 

[DawnM]

44 minutes ago, BusyMom5 said:

What types of insulation containers do you have?   What is considered main dish?  Does it have to have meat?  

Hashbrown casserole?  Sweet potato casserole?  I've transported them 1.5 hours and they are still hot!  Take directly out of oven right before you leave- top with foil.  Set on a big, thick bath towel folded in half, then flip up the ends over the top of the casserole.  Place in cooler with any other hot items.  I don't think this would work well with meat, but thicker things like casseroles hold heat better.

Those are considered sides.   Yes, it need to have meat to be a main dish.  Now, would anyone tell me I can't come next year if I don't bring meat?   No.   But I want to do what everyone else is doing and bring the same as what is expected.   

I have pyrex containers but not sure I will have them all unpacked by then.   I didn't think of that part (unpacking) until this afternoon.   

Maybe it is best for me to pick up a bucket of chicken on the way......hmmmm.....

[DawnM]

13 minutes ago, Innisfree said:

I’d be tempted to find a recipe that would lend itself to slow cooking, Dutch oven or crockpot style. Here, that might be braised beef with onions, or beef burgundy, or something of the sort. Maybe pulled pork in a sauce? Anyway, get it pretty well cooked before you leave. Last thing before leaving, bring it to a boil, then pack as @Pam in CT described above. In a well insulated box the residual heat will continue to cook the food for surprisingly long. This is a very old technique, back at least into the early nineteenth century, but I’d be amazed if people weren’t doing it before then.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haybox

ETA: to do this I’d transport the food in the same heat-retentive dish it was prepared in: a heavy dutch oven or such. We’ve used the good vintage Corning Ware, but a good enameled-iron dutch oven might be even better. No transferring the food to a different container, or you’d lose too much heat.

Pulled pork might work.   DH makes about 10 pounds at a time on the smoker and we freeze in 1 lb containers.   Not sure about heating, but I might be able to figure that out.

[fairfarmhand]

15 minutes ago, DawnM said:

Pulled pork might work.   DH makes about 10 pounds at a time on the smoker and we freeze in 1 lb containers.   Not sure about heating, but I might be able to figure that out.

Get a power adapter for your car.

https://www.amazon.com/Power-Inverter-Outlet-Adapter-Converter/dp/B092TXDJZX/ref=asc_df_B092TXDJZX/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=507696692386&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14530218976917727919&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9013167&hvtargid=pla-1313958427081&psc=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA0syqBhBxEiwAeNx9N53AykxfqzkYvzO-f1ycefpywz13ZugijTFLtUnLQIwFDNAiDO8yUhoCnjIQAvD_BwE

(Some newer cars have electrical plugs already, my dh's truck does.) Then put the thawed pulled pork in a slow cooker on low as you drive. It should be in good shape when you arrive.

[silver]

If you cook a pork shoulder until 205°+, wrap it in foil, and then put it in a cooler full of rags/towels, it stays warm for a surprisingly long time. Then you can shred it once you're there.

Hot Logic makes carrier bags that you can plug in to a car adapter and it will cook/keep food warm. But it doesn't look like the size that fits 9x13 comes with a car plug, only a normal outlet plug. 

[DawnM]

46 minutes ago, fairfarmhand said:

Get a power adapter for your car.

https://www.amazon.com/Power-Inverter-Outlet-Adapter-Converter/dp/B092TXDJZX/ref=asc_df_B092TXDJZX/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=507696692386&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14530218976917727919&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9013167&hvtargid=pla-1313958427081&psc=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA0syqBhBxEiwAeNx9N53AykxfqzkYvzO-f1ycefpywz13ZugijTFLtUnLQIwFDNAiDO8yUhoCnjIQAvD_BwE

(Some newer cars have electrical plugs already, my dh's truck does.) Then put the thawed pulled pork in a slow cooker on low as you drive. It should be in good shape when you arrive.

If I can find my crockpot by then and if I can find a way to make it not spill.

And none of our cars are newer.   but I do have a power adapter somewhere if I can find it.

Edited November 14, 2023 by DawnM

[Bootsie]

56 minutes ago, fairfarmhand said:

Get a power adapter for your car.

https://www.amazon.com/Power-Inverter-Outlet-Adapter-Converter/dp/B092TXDJZX/ref=asc_df_B092TXDJZX/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=507696692386&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14530218976917727919&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9013167&hvtargid=pla-1313958427081&psc=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA0syqBhBxEiwAeNx9N53AykxfqzkYvzO-f1ycefpywz13ZugijTFLtUnLQIwFDNAiDO8yUhoCnjIQAvD_BwE

(Some newer cars have electrical plugs already, my dh's truck does.) Then put the thawed pulled pork in a slow cooker on low as you drive. It should be in good shape when you arrive.

Have you tried one of the car power adapters?  We had one years ago and found it did not work well. Maybe they have improved a good deal since then.

[Terabith]

Agreeing that this seems like a trap and I would seriously be reconsidering if it was an event I wanted to attend.  

It's patently unfair to ask you to 1) travel 2 hours, 2) bring a main dish that contains meat, and 3) not be allowed to use the oven when you arrive.  

[DawnM]

13 hours ago, Terabith said:

Agreeing that this seems like a trap and I would seriously be reconsidering if it was an event I wanted to attend.  

It's patently unfair to ask you to 1) travel 2 hours, 2) bring a main dish that contains meat, and 3) not be allowed to use the oven when you arrive.  

Again, this is not a "trap" I don't even know what that means.   Every single family brings an appetizer, a main dish, and a dessert.   They dont' have to be grand or a lot of food, but that is what my mom's side of the family has done for generations.   I moved here and walked into an established routine.   I am happy to do it, and I love these people.

I am not asking for opinions on my relatives or their methods or their ways.   I simply asked for a dish for traveling.   And I get, "Your family is trying to trap you!  You should sit in the corner and sulk until they call you to eat.   

And the oven is TINY.   This is my aunt's home and it isn't a hard "You can't use it!" it is just that it is always full when I get there with my aunt's stuff and she makes TONS!   

The meat part is just this family and what they consider a main dish vs. what some who don't eat much meat feel is a main dish.

[El...]

19 hours ago, Forget-Me-Not said:

You can buy crockpot car adapters. If this is a yearly event, it might be worth the small investment!

That is too cool. I'm getting dh one of those for Christmas. Thanks!

[catz]

Well I might do little ham and cheese sliders on little buns.  Would be fine in a cooler, would be fine sitting at room temp for a while.  Could bring a couple condiments.  Would have been popular with our big kid/family get toghethers.  

Or I would do something in a crock pot that could be plugged in for the drive.  We use adaptors for road trips constantly and have had to do that a couple times.  I'd  look for a recipe made for slow crock pot.  Mac and cheese?  Pulled meat?  Stew or chili?  Nothing too sloppy.  

[almondbutterandjelly]

Sandwiches of chicken salad on croissants?  That's always yummy, and if you don't want to make the chicken salad from scratch, grocery stores (and Sam's Club) have pre-made chicken salad.  And you can buy a container of croissants for sure.

Now I'm hungry.

[amyx4]

I've put two elastics on the crockpot. Put it around the handle on the right side and then on the knob of the lid. Repeat for the left side. Practice with the crockpot empty to find the right size elastics. 

When I arrive, I take the elastics off and put them on the handle of my serving utensiles, so I know I'm taking the right utensiles home. Good luck!

[Lady Florida.]

Agreeing that spiral ham is the best option. Pulled pork would be my second choice if you have a way to keep it insulated for the trip.

[Bootsie]

If every family is bringing a main dish, I would not be concerned about taking a hot main dish.  If there is a place to pick up fried chicken (or Chick fila nugget tray), that would be the kind of thing my family would love at an event like this.  Or, I saw a recipe for some turkey roll-ups (don't remember exactly where I saw it so I don't remember the particulars), that were basically spinach wraps with spread with a cream cheese/cranberry spread, and then sliced turkey, rolled, and then cut pinwheel style; they were festive looking with the green wraps and the red cranberries and had traditional turkey/cranberry holiday foods.  

[prairiewindmomma]

Meatballs.

Any sort of casserole

savory tarte---like ham and gruyere

Basically, whatever you do, you either need an insulated casserole carrying bag or you need a travel adapter for a travel crockpot.  When we have had to travel, we took our laundry basket, layered it with towels, then put insulated casserole carrying bags in, then more towels on top.  The food needs to be piping hot when you pack it.  If you are worried about it melting the carrying bag, put kitchen towels inside of it first.

[Terabith]

5 hours ago, DawnM said:

Again, this is not a "trap" I don't even know what that means.   Every single family brings an appetizer, a main dish, and a dessert.   They dont' have to be grand or a lot of food, but that is what my mom's side of the family has done for generations.   I moved here and walked into an established routine.   I am happy to do it, and I love these people.

I am not asking for opinions on my relatives or their methods or their ways.   I simply asked for a dish for traveling.   And I get, "Your family is trying to trap you!  You should sit in the corner and sulk until they call you to eat.   

And the oven is TINY.   This is my aunt's home and it isn't a hard "You can't use it!" it is just that it is always full when I get there with my aunt's stuff and she makes TONS!   

The meat part is just this family and what they consider a main dish vs. what some who don't eat much meat feel is a main dish.

I apologize.  I’m sorry. I hadn’t seen your comment about this is how it’s been for generations, and I agree that if everyone is bringing a main dish, that’s a different story than the only main dish to feed 30 people. I would totally do something like chicken salad or KFC or chick fil a or whatever seems reasonable and not worry nearly as much as if it were all on me.  

[DawnM]

1 hour ago, Terabith said:

I apologize.  I’m sorry. I hadn’t seen your comment about this is how it’s been for generations, and I agree that if everyone is bringing a main dish, that’s a different story than the only main dish to feed 30 people. I would totally do something like chicken salad or KFC or chick fil a or whatever seems reasonable and not worry nearly as much as if it were all on me.  

Yeah, I am kind of leaning towards getting a 12 piece bucket of chicken on the way and then taking my 7 layer salad and something very easy like buckeye bars for dessert.   They have a few "family favorites" of desserts that come in and honestly, they aren't my favorites, but that's ok, they are theirs.

I had planned to make buckeye bars anyway for us, so I will just make a double batch.  

Last year I took the 7 layer salad and after listening to my cousins who are constantly making comments about how they "shouldn't be eating X or y" due to calories, etc....I took a salad.   Those stinkers told me, "Oh, well, we come to the Christmas party to eat the good stuff!"   But then they ate my entire large 7 layer salad, so someone was glad I bought it!   🤣

[DawnM]

7 hours ago, almondbutterandjelly said:

Sandwiches of chicken salad on croissants?  That's always yummy, and if you don't want to make the chicken salad from scratch, grocery stores (and Sam's Club) have pre-made chicken salad.  And you can buy a container of croissants for sure.

Now I'm hungry.

Costco has some holiday dips, one is a cranberry something or other and I did take that one year as the appetizer, along with some pita chips.   They did seem to like that.

[pinball]

So what did you end up taking?

@DawnM

[Reefgazer]

Chili in a crockpot, plugged into your car power source (there are adapters you can buy if your car does not have a standard outlet).  Pair with cornbread.  That should satisfy the Southern in them!

 

If a cold dish is acceptable, what about a sub platter from a sub shop?

Edited November 30, 2023 by Reefgazer

[DawnM]

On 11/27/2023 at 8:49 AM, pinball said:

So what did you end up taking?

@DawnM

The get together isn't until the 9th of Dec.  I have pretty much decided on pulled pork, 7 layer salad, and buckeye bars.   But it hasn't happened yet, so we will see.