Advice on cooking for a crowd - Escape Trailer Owners Community
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×

Go Back   Escape Trailer Owners Community > Escape Me | General Topics > General Escape
Click Here to Login
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 07-06-2017, 01:25 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
Ruthe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Highland Park, New Jersey
Trailer: Escape 19 February 2014
Posts: 975
Advice on cooking for a crowd

When we reach the Tetons we'll be cooking for 8 and I'm hoping people have ideas for simple meals for a crowd. On my list is chili, tacos, minestrone soup, chicken cacciatore, hamburger stew but I'd love some input -- plus one of us is vegetarian so I need to figure out what to do about that. We bought a Weber grill for this trip and we'er loving it, but I am not sure it will be large enough for our crowd.
Ruthe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-06-2017, 01:30 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Southwick, Massachusetts
Trailer: None, sold my 2014 5.0TA
Posts: 7,124
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruthe View Post
When we reach the Tetons we'll be cooking for 8 and I'm hoping people have ideas for simple meals for a crowd. On my list is chili, tacos, minestrone soup, chicken cacciatore, hamburger stew but I'd love some input -- plus one of us is vegetarian so I need to figure out what to do about that. We bought a Weber grill for this trip and we'er loving it, but I am not sure it will be large enough for our crowd.
Are you going to have hookups?
__________________
Happy Motoring
Bob
padlin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-06-2017, 01:56 PM   #3
Site Team
 
Donna D.'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Portland, Oregon
Trailer: 2014 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 11,023
If it's not too hot to have a campfire, foil-packet meals are good and easy clean up too.
__________________
Donna D.
Ten Forward
2014 Escape 5.0TA
Donna D. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-06-2017, 02:20 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Juneau, Alaska
Trailer: 2015 17A - Ready for more Maiden Voyages ....
Posts: 881
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruthe View Post
When we reach the Tetons we'll be cooking for 8 and I'm hoping people have ideas for simple meals for a crowd. On my list is chili, tacos, minestrone soup, chicken cacciatore, hamburger stew but I'd love some input -- plus one of us is vegetarian so I need to figure out what to do about that. We bought a Weber grill for this trip and we'er loving it, but I am not sure it will be large enough for our crowd.
Hi Ruthe,
I'm going to follow this thread with a lot of interest as I like to cook.

Suggest making things that you can fix ahead of time - caution: you may not want to spend all day cooking. Such as potato salad, chowders and stews with garlic bread, large green salads extended with apple slices and walnuts. Tacos are always appreciated plus for the vege you can make some with sautéed portabella mushrooms, onions, sweet peppers, etc. BBQ brats .... could easily fit 8 at a time on your grill - warm buns on top when nearly done plus bag of chips and salsa .... with a full rack of cold beer / meal. Double that for breakfast.

Camp next to Baglo and tell him that you doubt his grill will really roast a whole chicken or two.

Sloppy Joes feed lots. Maybe BBQ the meat or chicken first for added flavor.

I shop at Costco a lot. Best day is Thursday for free samples and ideas. I buy my walnuts (+other nuts there - 3 lb bags), cheeses, and canned clams (3 lb. cans), chips, their cooler this time of year has great dark red cherries. Other fruits and vegetables and packaged for a group.

Corn on the cob - place ears with husk right on the grill - soak in water first or wrap in foil. Aspergas on the que with a little pepper and olive oil.

Tom
__________________
Consciousness: That confusing time between naps
StarvingHyena is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-06-2017, 02:56 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Juneau, Alaska
Trailer: 2015 17A - Ready for more Maiden Voyages ....
Posts: 881
When I need ideas for many subjects but especially cooking / food, I go to a site and app called "Pinterest" and for example search 'camp cooking', of say 'tacos' or similar. You'll get hundreds of ideas.

Tom
__________________
Consciousness: That confusing time between naps
StarvingHyena is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-06-2017, 05:09 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: North of Danbury, Wisconsin
Trailer: 2018 Escape 21C
Posts: 3,033
We smoke a couple of large pork shoulders at home , then shred the pork ,put it in seal a meal bags and freeze.
When camping we just put the shredded smoke pork in a crockpot with some BBQ sauce for pulled pork sandwiches.
Add in some potato salad and a few cans of baked beans and you've got supper.
We also have a large electric griddle which makes cooking up pork sausage and pancakes or French toast for 8 or 10 people for breakfast real easy.
steve dunham is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-06-2017, 05:38 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
cpaharley2008's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
I'm camping next to Steve next time.
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
cpaharley2008 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-06-2017, 06:02 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: North of Danbury, Wisconsin
Trailer: 2018 Escape 21C
Posts: 3,033
Quote:
Originally Posted by cpaharley2008 View Post
I'm camping next to Steve next time.
In the late winter / early spring we make a large roaster
( 20 quarts ) of homemade baked beans with double smoked bacon , molasses, onions and brown sugar.
We also make homemade breakfast , bratwurst , chorizo and Italian sausage plus grind up sirloin tip for homemade hamburgers.
We put it all in seal a meal bags in portions to feed 2 people and freeze.
When time to go camping we just take along exactly what we need.
The seal a meal bags really work well in a cooler because when the ice melts the bags keep the food from getting waterlogged.

Jim if we are ever lucky enough to go to the same rally , I will bring you some homemade sausage to try.
steve dunham is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-06-2017, 11:02 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Juneau, Alaska
Trailer: 2015 17A - Ready for more Maiden Voyages ....
Posts: 881
Hi Ruthe and others,

Here is something I have had fun with for potlucks and small groups .... Bar-B-Que'd pizza. Its easy and generally guests enjoy making their own .... here is how:

Start with making pizza dough (recipes on web) allow to rise, punch down and rise a bit again, pinch off a golf ball size piece of dough and pinch or roll with wine bottle ( I like to start with a full one ... as long as its empty when I'm done) till your pie is about 6 - 8" in diameter and 1/4" - 3/8" thick. Or make square to fit your grill - need a little space along all edges for heat to circulate.
Or ...
Store bought dough in a tube. Follow directions and roll out as above. Take a pull or two off wine bottle.

Place pies on grill and grill on one side only. If your grill doesn't have a lid, a foil tent will help. Object is to have pies well toasted on one side only and the other side a little dry so stacking them they won't stick together. Make as many pies, cooked one side, as you are going to eat. Make more than you think you all will eat.

Above can be done earlier and 1/2 cooked pies will freeze well.

Stack them up and hand them out to your guests with the instructions to put filling on the cooked side. Paint pizza sauce ( tomato sauce ... maybe some BBQ sauce or make a white sauce ahead) with a basting brush or paint brush as long as it hasn't been recently used for bottom painting. Add ingrediences as follows:
Just some suggestions - anchovies or less salty sardines, onions, sautéed asparagus, garlic chunks, sliced pepperoni, pineapple, diced ham, sliced olives- black or green, onions, sweet peppers (sautéed?), capers, basil leaves (yes!) .... or whatever interesting things you have.

Cover with shredded cheese, mozzarella works well but so do other cheeses. Best is one that melts easy. Again don't pile too high or it won't melt down into your fillings. Keep cheese back a little from the edge or your clean up will be more involved.

Caution guests to not pile high ... basically 1 layer thick+ or your pie will be soggy. A good rule: the maker only gets to eat 1/2 of his pizza, the other half is shared - this makes it so everyone gets to eat some right away. Once the momentum is built up they will come off the grill pretty quickly. Sometimes I will add a finger sized stick of some local hardwood - peel the bark - to add a little smoky flavor - best if the Ranger is looking the other way.

Cook "raw" side down until cheese is melted together.

Yum!

You won't need a pizza stone this way as long as your dough isn't too runny. Some foil on stand by may be helpful. Takes a little tinkering until the BBQ temp is right. Typically, I ask guests to bring a cup of their favorite ingrediences for variety. Everyone has fun being involved and contests to see who can produce the goofiest pizza are common.

There can be many variations to the above so whoever has a good idea please chime in.
__________________
Consciousness: That confusing time between naps
StarvingHyena is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-07-2017, 01:20 AM   #10
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Juneau, Alaska
Trailer: 2015 17A - Ready for more Maiden Voyages ....
Posts: 881
Guests bring a cup of each of their favorite additions.

Tom

I have mostly used charcoal grills but propane should work great as long as temp can be set low enough.
__________________
Consciousness: That confusing time between naps
StarvingHyena is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-07-2017, 08:49 AM   #11
Senior Member
 
Ruthe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Highland Park, New Jersey
Trailer: Escape 19 February 2014
Posts: 975
Thanks all. We will have complete hookups but making things ahead from home isn't possible since we'Re already on the road. Donna can you go into more detail about foil meals? I'm awed by the pizza meal
Ruthe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-07-2017, 08:56 AM   #12
Senior Member
 
Ruthe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Highland Park, New Jersey
Trailer: Escape 19 February 2014
Posts: 975
Also I. Think I need to check out grocery stoes ahead of time so i know what is available in jackson. There will be huge crowds and the grocery store in Colter bay is a good one but I think it will be overtaxed. I need to also think of meals that rely on dry goods since refrigeration for 8 people for a week will be tricky. Coolers will be necessary.
Ruthe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-08-2017, 09:05 AM   #13
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Opelika, Alabama
Trailer: 2012 19
Posts: 130
It looks like fire restrictions may not be as bad at this time as they were last year but but that could change and cooking with charcoal could be a problem. I think the external propane connection and portable propane grill would come in handy. Then you can also cook with a larger burner and pot/wok and not heat up the inside. A real shortcut with the pizza is to buy the pre-made crusts and put on your toppings. My experience is they don't have a very long shelf life unless refrigerated. (like most bread)
gyuill is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-09-2017, 05:42 PM   #14
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: central, Florida
Trailer: 2003 Lance 845
Posts: 23
Premade pizza crust would be great also crock pot meals but first buy the liners, they're the best thing since bbq.

Pork and saurkraut : rinse kraut, layer onions, kraut, and pork. About 6 - 7 hours
15 bean soup: buy the mix don't have to add meat or even presoak, takes about 8-9 hours
Meat loaf, roast,etc but be sure to get the liners
turtle is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-31-2017, 08:24 AM   #15
Senior Member
 
Ruthe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Highland Park, New Jersey
Trailer: Escape 19 February 2014
Posts: 975
So here's an update. It turned out not to be so hard. For breakfast I made lots of hard boiled eggs, had cold cereals, bread, lunch meat, granola. For lunch everyone was on their own.

Dinners: I was cooking for 8 -- my daughter with the grandkids mostly cooked separately for her family of 6 -- A couple nights though she cooked for all. She's a chef by trade so it wasn't hard for her to make a huge pot of chicken soup and rice one night (I made the salad) and another night she did curried chicken. One night we grilled salmon fillets for our group of 8. On the first night when everyone arrived I made minestrone soup and added ground beef -- everyone arrived at different times so I kept the soup hot.

One night we grilled hamburgers and hot dogs and I boiled potatoes. Another night I made chicken cacciatore.

My vegetarian daughter-in-law came a few days later than everyone else so when she got there I made lentil soup and rice. I always had bread and cheese to supplement as well as pickled vegetables.

Being in Colter Bay made life easier because there is a well stocked grocery store and they ordered more food on the eclipse weekend in anticipation of the large crowds (eclipse day they had record breaking sales). I was able to get fresh fruit and vegetables and they had a reasonable selection of meat -- including grass fed.

What made things way easier was that I used paper plates and bowls and plastic silverware. My kids would have helped with the dishes, but washing them outside was just not feasible. There is no camper sink in the RV Park at Colter Bay for dumping gray water -- and I didn't want everyone traipsing in and out of the trailer to use the tiny sink. I have a system -- and no one else would have understood it.

The thing that made cooking a bit more work was that we couldn't set up an outdoor kitchen because of the bears. EVERYTHING had to be put away -- including water carriers, which frankly I thought was ridiculous since they let people keep their tablecloths outside. But Terry took care of storing the grill and the stove.

We're in Illinois now, back on the Mississippi at Illiniwiik Forest Preserve for Labor Day Weekend and no one cares what we leave outside.
Ruthe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-31-2017, 09:02 AM   #16
Senior Member
 
Iowa Dave's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Benton County, Iowa
Trailer: 2013 Escape 21 Classic Number 6, pulled by 2018 Toyota Highlander
Posts: 8,234
Smorgasbord

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruthe View Post
So here's an update. It turned out not to be so hard. For breakfast I made lots of hard boiled eggs, had cold cereals, bread, lunch meat, granola. For lunch everyone was on their own.

Dinners: I was cooking for 8 -- my daughter with the grandkids mostly cooked separately for her family of 6 -- A couple nights though she cooked for all. She's a chef by trade so it wasn't hard for her to make a huge pot of chicken soup and rice one night (I made the salad) and another night she did curried chicken. One night we grilled salmon fillets for our group of 8. On the first night when everyone arrived I made minestrone soup and added ground beef -- everyone arrived at different times so I kept the soup hot.

One night we grilled hamburgers and hot dogs and I boiled potatoes. Another night I made chicken cacciatore.

My vegetarian daughter-in-law came a few days later than everyone else so when she got there I made lentil soup and rice. I always had bread and cheese to supplement as well as pickled vegetables.

Being in Colter Bay made life easier because there is a well stocked grocery store and they ordered more food on the eclipse weekend in anticipation of the large crowds (eclipse day they had record breaking sales). I was able to get fresh fruit and vegetables and they had a reasonable selection of meat -- including grass fed.

What made things way easier was that I used paper plates and bowls and plastic silverware. My kids would have helped with the dishes, but washing them outside was just not feasible. There is no camper sink in the RV Park at Colter Bay for dumping gray water -- and I didn't want everyone traipsing in and out of the trailer to use the tiny sink. I have a system -- and no one else would have understood it.

The thing that made cooking a bit more work was that we couldn't set up an outdoor kitchen because of the bears. EVERYTHING had to be put away -- including water carriers, which frankly I thought was ridiculous since they let people keep their tablecloths outside. But Terry took care of storing the grill and the stove.

We're in Illinois now, back on the Mississippi at Illiniwiik Forest Preserve for Labor Day Weekend and no one cares what we leave outside.
Ruthe
Glad to hear you had a great trip west and are now headed back. There may not be any bears where you are but I can tell you with great certainty that there are raccoons. You will find that Illinois raccoons are somewhat discriminating so only leave out Jet Puffed marshmallows, genuine hershey bars or they will eat Godiva and genuine honey maid graham crackers so they can have a quality s'mores experience. Thank You
Iowa Dave
__________________
Ain’t no trouble jacking a double Burma Shave
Dave
Iowa Dave is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-31-2017, 09:27 AM   #17
Senior Member
 
Ruthe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Highland Park, New Jersey
Trailer: Escape 19 February 2014
Posts: 975
Thanks Dave. We are right on the border with Iowa and are really here because of Le Claire where we have our favorite restaurant. We stayed at Lake Anita State Park the other night -- very pretty -- we are impressed with Iowa Parks. There are a couple of county parks near Davenport -- on the other side of the river, but West Lake Park was full and we really like this location on the Mississippi. I'lll be on the lookout for raccoons. We won't leave food out -- but it is nice to leave the grill in place.
Ruthe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-31-2017, 09:58 AM   #18
Senior Member
 
Iowa Dave's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Benton County, Iowa
Trailer: 2013 Escape 21 Classic Number 6, pulled by 2018 Toyota Highlander
Posts: 8,234
Camps

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruthe View Post
Thanks Dave. We are right on the border with Iowa and are really here because of Le Claire where we have our favorite restaurant. We stayed at Lake Anita State Park the other night -- very pretty -- we are impressed with Iowa Parks. There are a couple of county parks near Davenport -- on the other side of the river, but West Lake Park was full and we really like this location on the Mississippi. I'lll be on the lookout for raccoons. We won't leave food out -- but it is nice to leave the grill in place.
We lived in Western Iowa for 8 years and camped at Lake Anita a couple times each season. We had the Mississippi River Rally at Scott County Park last fall. It's a great park too with lots to do if you like to hike or like history. Leave a little residue on the barbeque grate and that mama coon will clean it up for you. We are.camped a few miles west of Bloomington Indiana awaiting the start of the 2017 football season. We've got a.nice site and Rita has especially appointed the Escape interior for the occasion.
Dave
__________________
Ain’t no trouble jacking a double Burma Shave
Dave
Iowa Dave is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off




» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Escape Trailer Industries or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 07:00 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright 2023 Social Knowledge, LLC All Rights Reserved.