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Cook Talk

roast beef for a crowd and on a budget
Bethany
11/12/13
I am helping a local groups that serves homeless teens (14-24) serve their Thanksgiving Dinner. They are already planning ahead for Christmas dinner. They are doing the traditional turkey and ham for T-giving so they would like to change it up for Christmas. The gentleman in charge asked me about doing roast beef. I have helped prepare roast beef but not done it personally. Several questions came to mind...

Normally we have people donate the meat already prepared - what type of beef should we ask for? How many pounds to feed 150 buffet style? It that something that could be prepared ahead of time and will it reheat well? or should we plan on cooking all of it day of?

Any help would be appreciated...

ellen
11/12/13
The most economical roast beef is top round cooked low and slow and chilled, then sliced thin, possible reheated au jus. You would need 75 pounds raw, 55 cooked ready to serve, wi8th good sides.
Please read the article about roasting and reheating beef in the holiday cooking section at the top of big pots, then write back if you need to.
-Do be sure to plan a menu that has some non-meat dishes that can be used as entrees, such as scalloped potatoes with cheese.
-Add 1-2 extra side nice dishes such as corn pudding or other veggies, to reduce the amount of meat needed.
-Add good rolls and butter, 12-15 pounds per 100
Bethany
11/12/13
thank you for the advice...

I went to Sam's today so I could get an idea of price and all they have is Round eye, bottom round and tenderloin. of those I am only familiar with tenderloin, but that is the most expensive. I know you specified top round - would bottom round work? It was 3.48/lb - would top round be much cheaper? I am trying to figure out accessability if several people end up donating 75 pounds of this meat.

ellen
11/12/13
Bottom round is tougher, and thus a little less expensive than top round. Eye of the round is also tougher than top round. Tenderloin is not what you want for this crowd, or this budget. Talk to a few real meat shops/butchers, and then ask for "top round or donation" from your meat-givers.
Bethany
11/13/13
sounds good...I will let you know how it goes.

thanks so much!!

Bethany
12/03/13
thank you for the advice so far. I did reach out to a butcher and they are suggesting Tip since you end up with 95% meat. we will be feeding 180-190 mostly teens/young people and we want them to be able to come through the line a couple of times and take leftovers home - this organization works with homeless teens age 14-24. We are doing beef and roasted chicken so if we do say 40# of beef, how much roasted chicken should we plan on? This will all be donation and roasted ahead of time so I will be asking for the larger roasting hens versus the smaller chickens.
ellen
12/03/13
That is not nearly enough beef. You need at least 80 pounds. The shrinkage is still around 20%.
Then, 1 chicken per 8 for everyone for the second meat
Bethany
12/03/13
so I would need 80# of beef and 22 of the big roasting chickens? I'm confused because originally I was thinking 75# if it was the only meat...
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