I posted something last year about this but couldn't find the thread. I have a guy that hires me to do 3-4 large caterings (300-500 people) and he has no budget and doesn't care what I cook. He likes smaller app type items so I normally do about 8 items at large scale. He asked me to do one next month and it's going to be around 500 people. Wanting to try some new stuff. I'll have access to a fryer and a large live fire cooker powered by wood coals.

Because it's so many people eating at once I normally show up with already smoked wings and a homemade sauce as one item that I can just throw into the fryer then sauce in a bowl and it's ready. Another item that I do every time is tablitas from mexican meat market that's really good and already prepped. Any ideas would be appreciated! These things take a ton of prep so I'm already getting started!

One that I'm doing soon is a crostini with a whipped brie and a drizzle of honey. Use a hot honey if you want something with heat. It's an easy one-bit thing.
I've made these pork skewers before. They would be a quick thing to grill. https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013871-spanish-pork-skewers?unlocked_article_code=1.0FA.Vq-x.VlzI1rE5FNmi&smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share

Takes a bit of work on prep, but I've done a boil with 61-70 shrimp, A reds quartered, and sausage rings sliced and quartered. Served with toothpicks. Not on your scale…I cooked for 75. Separate pot for people with shrimp allergy.

Small fried red snapper bites with a nice sauce drizzled.

Red oil dumpling. You can make ahead and freeze.

Cut watermelon in a thin sheet, cut into triangles then put in dehydrator. Use it as the "nacho" base, and grill some sort of white fish, add some heat like a mango habanero pico.

Small steak piece, with a red chimichurri over a tostone

Lamb chop, cut into 1/4s (small pieces), honey and mint baste, serve on a water cracker with a pickled jalapeno on top

Is the wood-fired cooker an oven?

Because if it is, I'd offer small Italian sandwiches.

Shredded lettuce, tomatoes, pepperoncini, peppers marinated in olive oil and garlic, oil and vinegar offered as toppings/dressings. Salami/capicola/mortadella/prosciutto/provolone offered.

Toss some bread dough into the oven on the spot to make rolls, slice them open, top, and serve.

I'd also offer mini-pizzas, but I don't know if you consider that an appetizer.

agcrock2005 said:

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I posted something last year about this but couldn't find the thread. I have a guy that hires me to do 3-4 large caterings (300-500 people) and he has no budget and doesn't care what I cook. He likes smaller app type items so I normally do about 8 items at large scale. He asked me to do one next month and it's going to be around 500 people. Wanting to try some new stuff. I'll have access to a fryer and a large live fire cooker powered by wood coals.

Because it's so many people eating at once I normally show up with already smoked wings and a homemade sauce as one item that I can just throw into the fryer then sauce in a bowl and it's ready. Another item that I do every time is tablitas from mexican meat market that's really good and already prepped. Any ideas would be appreciated! These things take a ton of prep so I'm already getting started!

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The first 8 words of your second paragraph are the key. Some of the suggestions in responses here are fine for parties of 10/15 folks or less but are really too time, prep and cook intensive during a short time for 500 people to eat at the same time. For the last 30 plus years a group of 6/7 of us has been cooking for the buyers down at the SA junior Livestock auction in Feb. That's usually 350 people plus but it's not a "sit down " meal type of event We usually buy cases of sausage, catfish, boned chicken thighs, shrimp and prepare either fried or grilled in bite size pieces. We make large one pot gumbos, chili's and stews. Have made potato salad and beans in fairly large quantities which will serve a lot but take up little space and can be made ahead, Do shish ka bobs. Grill fajitas of various type meats. All the sauces like tarter, shrimp, salsas and BBQ are made before the event and will all keep for a long period. Cook briskets and pork shoulders for pulled pork.

Cooking a sit down meal for 500 is vastly different than one for even 25 as to choices of entres, timing, equipment needed and workload. I hope you have some help that has actually done large meals. We have folks that like to "help" but don't have a clue as to prep, timing, methodology, etc etc etc involved in feeding that many people.........one of these also comes in real handy for such efforts

Yes, you are correct. I have people that "want to help" but that means showing up and drinking beer and cooking on the day of. These events require a massive amount of food purchasing/prepping/logistics. Hardest part is making sure everything is prepped ahead of time and all the supplies are loaded up. The cooking part is a lot of work, but fun. I'll post my menu when I finalize it. Guy that hired me asked me to do "fried ribeye bites". This will be the fourth time I've made them for him. It pains me to do it but he's buying. Just bought $1K in ribeye roasts so that I can cut up and deep fry...sad stuff! Seriously they're pretty good, but I hate using ribeye. I've thought about buying some chuck or something else, but he's paying me for ribeye so that's what I've bought.

Another one I thought of is patatas bravas. You can blanch the potatoes ahead of time and crisp them up before service, and you can make the salsa brava ahead too. Portion the potatoes, squirt them with the sauce, and you're done.

agcrock2005 said:

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Yes, you are correct. I have people that "want to help" but that means showing up and drinking beer and cooking on the day of. These events require a massive amount of food purchasing/prepping/logistics. Hardest part is making sure everything is prepped ahead of time and all the supplies are loaded up. The cooking part is a lot of work, but fun. I'll post my menu when I finalize it. Guy that hired me asked me to do "fried ribeye bites". This will be the fourth time I've made them for him. It pains me to do it but he's buying. Just bought $1K in ribeye roasts so that I can cut up and deep fry...sad stuff! Seriously they're pretty good, but I hate using ribeye. I've thought about buying some chuck or something else, but he's paying me for ribeye so that's what I've bought.

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Chicken fried ribeye bites were/are one of the favorites down at the junior livestock auction. We go through about 4 boneless rib roasts. It's only money and ours are provided for us. Where are you located if you don't mind me asking?

If you're able to keep large quantities of something cold then a chilled seafood option would be good whether it's shrimp cocktails or ceviche. Antipasto skewers with nice meats, fresh mozzarella, roasted peppers, tomatoes, olives, etc. Bruschetta is something I'm generally pretty happy about seeing and it's simple and tasty, tomatoes are in season too. Grilled flatbreads with prosciutto and grilled peaches could be a good option if you have access to open fire. Perhaps overly simple but if you have access to fryers then freshly fried tortilla chips with grilled salsa or fresh pico is always an option too especially if this event is full of Texans.

I'm in north Fort Worth but the event is a Tarleton tailgate in Stephenville. That long transport doesn't make things easier! If any of you have gone to Tarleton football games over the past couple years you might have seen us out there.

Pulled pork sliders are easy for a large group. A few ways to fancy it up.

Have a quality bun. I use a Mexican bakery who makes buns fresh even for those quantities. You can go sweeter like a Hawaiian roll or for texture with a crust on the outside and really soft in the middle.

If you really want to step it up, lightly steam the rolls. They will be warm and soft.

Find a local bakery and start sampling. A super top notch bun/roll will elevate and do wonders.

Also have an upscale condiment bar. Homemade picked onions, jalapenos etc along with regular pickles, sliced onions etc.

If you do a different sauces that's great, if not buy different ones and put them in some nicer looking dispensers.

People can serve themselves buffet style and you won't have to worry about who likes what. The people who like sauce will have options and the people who don't will be happy that it's not pre sauced.

As others have mentioned, this is a big cook. I do a handful of bbq cooks a year for groups of 150-250 and a 500 ish person cook about every other year or so.

There are 3 of use who are the core team and we focus on the cooking. With brisket we always slice fresh as you go through the line. Too many companies make an excellent brisket, then the catering company servers slice it all up 2 hours before dinner and everyone gets dry brisket.

For all other duties we hire event staff from bartending to serving to helping clean up. For the bigger events we even have a 1 or more kitchen helpers who help prep sides, heat appetizers, etc

You go through a lot of trash bags serving 500 people and all those trips alone would be a time killer for one person to do.

Look for some event staff you can hire to help you and pass the cost on. Having someone doing dishes and trash is worth every penny.