Make-Ahead (Or Mostly Make-Ahead) Meal For 30 on July 4th

[Rieux]

All,

I could use some help. I've got about 30 people coming for the 4th, and am trying to come up with something other than burgers and dogs to make. I'd like something that is all or mostly make ahead (if I'm doing some finishing touches during the party its O.K.) so, for once, I'm not chained to the grill. Mixed meat eaters and vegetarians. Pluses if I can get the main ingredients at Costco.

I came up with the idea of a taco bar with a smoked or crock pot pork butt, some chicken, and tortillas, etc, but that seems contrary to the patriotic fourth spirit. Otherwise, I thought of pulled pork. Other ideas? No ribs.

I'd like to hit Costco tomorrow afternoon, so quick replies really appreciated! Also ideas for sides

[lion]

Easiest would be to work the grill the day before, store it in aluminum trays and warm it up in the oven. Get chicken and coat it with some Kirkland Signature Sweet Mesquite Seasoning from Costco. Hot dogs and burgers would do the same day as the party. Would use no meat burgers for the vegatarians.

This would at least cut down your grill time to half.

[The Hersch]

I came up with the idea of a taco bar with a smoked or crock pot pork butt, some chicken, and tortillas, etc, but that seems really contrary to the patriotic fourth spirit.

Since a very large part of the United States used to be Mexico, it seems to me that serving Mexican or Tex-Mex food could be considered a way of celebrating our cultural history.

Other ideas: Spatchcock a few chickens, slather with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, roast in a 450F oven till done, disjoint and serve at room temperature. Or before roasting, marinate in olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and lots of crushed garlic. If you have half-sheet pans, you can probably roast three or maybe even four chickens per pan simultaneously. When done this way, a three to three-and-a-half pound chicken takes well under an hour to roast.

Deviled eggs, always a crowd-pleaser.

Potato salad.

Gazpacho, which you could serve in cups or glasses, no spoons required. Make a day ahead and refrigerate. Serve cold.

[DC Deb]

Since you have vegetarians, I suggest that you include something like a farro or wheatberry salad.  That can easily be made ahead and would taste better the next day.  At the risk of landing on the trite food list, a kale or Swiss chard salad/slaw would be good too.

I agree with the pulled pork.  So easy to do ahead and keep warm in a crock pot.  Classic sides like baked beans, potato salad and mac & cheese are always a hit.

If there are kids (or picky eaters) around, you might just have to grill some hotdogs. With the other stuff done ahead, it would be minimal time on the grill.

[Pat]

You could assemble the ingredients for kabobs ahead of time, get the skewers made and refrigerated.  That way, all there is the day of is putting them on the grill.  Make a mixture of meat-containing and all veggie kabobs.  You could probably get all those ingredients at Costco.

Pasta salad or a grains salad would be good.  I made a whole wheat orzo salad yesterday with pesto, nicoise olives, feta, parsley, and cherry tomatoes that would be good for a crowd and could be made ahead.  Deviled eggs.  Potato salad.  Cole slaw.

I don't know if this would take too much hands-on grill time or not, but one of our neighbors always grills a marinated butterflied leg of lamb for an annual party they do.  Marinate the lamb overnight and put it on the grill when you're ready to go.  You could serve with pita bread or tortillas.  If you did a taco bar, you could use lamb as one of the proteins for it.

[Rieux]

Thanks all for the ideas so far.  I will definitely do some sort of grain salad (probably something from Jerusalem, Plenty, or River Cottage Veg).  Leaning using the America's Test Kitchen Pork Butt recipe (on grill in the AM, then finished in oven and kept warm in crock pot) with potato rolls and BBQ sauce, served with pickles and close slaw, and baked beans (Thanks for the idea DC Deb).  For the Vegetarians, I need to come up with another idea to go with the salad.

Maybe stuffed onions?  Spanish Tortilla and gazpacho?

Still open to other ideas!  Not headed to Costco until after the Mexico WC game!

[DonRocks]

Thanks all for the ideas so far.  I will definitely do some sort of grain salad (probably something from Jerusalem, Plenty, or River Cottage Veg).  Leaning using the America's Test Kitchen Pork Butt recipe (on grill in the AM, then finished in oven and kept warm in crock pot) with potato rolls and BBQ sauce, served with pickles and close slaw, and baked beans (Thanks for the idea DC Deb).  For the Vegetarians, I need to come up with another idea to go with the salad.

Maybe stuffed onions?  Spanish Tortilla and gazpacho?

Still open to other ideas!  Not headed to Costco until after the Mexico WC game!

Maybe your salad can be a couscous / chickpea / curry / raisin / celery / Moroccan thing.

It seems like stuffed tomatoes or green (or red) peppers would be easier than stuffed onions - maybe with rice for filler and various other vegetables.

[Pat]

Thanks all for the ideas so far.  I will definitely do some sort of grain salad (probably something from Jerusalem, Plenty, or River Cottage Veg).  Leaning using the America's Test Kitchen Pork Butt recipe (on grill in the AM, then finished in oven and kept warm in crock pot) with potato rolls and BBQ sauce, served with pickles and close slaw, and baked beans (Thanks for the idea DC Deb).  For the Vegetarians, I need to come up with another idea to go with the salad.

Maybe stuffed onions?  Spanish Tortilla and gazpacho?

Still open to other ideas!  Not headed to Costco until after the Mexico WC game!

If you're thinking of a Spanish tortilla, what about a crustless quiche or frittata?  That can be made ahead and refrigerated.  It won't work for vegans, though.  Along those lines, I just made this recipe recently that's basically salsa, cheese, eggs, and sour cream.  It was much better than I expected and tasted as good cool/room temp out of the refrigerator as it did out of the oven.

[Barbara]

Leaning using the America's Test Kitchen Pork Butt recipe (on grill in the AM, then finished in oven and kept warm in crock pot) with potato rolls and BBQ sauce, served with pickles and close slaw, and baked beans 

I did this earlier this month for a birthday party (about 20 +- people). I made Zora's BBQ sauce a week in advance, made the rub for the meat and let it all marinate for a couple of days, and made the cole slaw for it the day before. I also baked a couple of cakes a day or two before the party. The day of the party, I ran to the farmers market and came home and started the coals for the grill. Slapped the two roasts on and left them alone for a couple of hours--which gave me time to do everything else. Put them in the oven for about 3 more hours, and they were ready to be shredded before the guests showed up. This was also pot-luck, so some of my guests brought salads and such for everybody.

Bear in mind, my party started at 5 pm, so plan accordingly.

[weezy]

For the Vegetarians, I need to come up with another idea to go with the salad.

Maybe stuffed onions?  Spanish Tortilla and gazpacho?

Still open to other ideas!  Not headed to Costco until after the Mexico WC game!

Why not grill ahead some giant portobello caps and then reheat slathered with BBQ sauce.  They can be put on a bun for a BBQ sandwich with coleslaw and certainly will be in keeping with the 4th theme

[Rieux]

Thanks all, I cobbled together most of your suggestions.  In the end, this is what I am making:

Two 6.5 lb boneless pork butts from Costco (they didn't have the bone-in ones) using the ATK recipe for a charcoal grill, which will be shredded with Zora's BBQ sauce and served on potato rolls with dill pickles.

Some portabello caps with the same sauce (cooked in advance)

Cole Slaw (from Costco, could not be bothered to make it)

Bush's baked beans

New potatoes with green beans and olives from River Cottage Veg

Hummus and carrots and pita chips

Betty Crocker yellow cake with Cool Whip on top decorated with strawberries and blueberries to look like the flag.  (It kills me to make a box cake, but it is tradition, and it is really good.  I have been hosting this BBQ every year since 1999 and this is the main thing the guests request).

Fruit salad

Selection of Mexican beers and some Amstel Light

Home-made ginger, lime, lemongrass drink.

[thistle]

That sounds delicious, I was going to second the idea of pulled pork, because it's easy, most people like it, & you can always freeze leftovers. & your sides sound great, now, just fix your drink ahead of time, enjoy your guests, & don't worry about cleanup until the 5th. Happy Independence Day!

[Rieux]

Posting this here since I am not getting any help in the Barbecue thread it was moved to.  Any suggestions appreciated!

I've got two 6.5 lb boneless butts. Do you all think I can cook them at the same time (they'll fit) and have them take the same amount of time as stated in the recipe? I don't see why not, given that they are separate, and not one big piece, but since I have people coming over at 4 pm I don't want to chance it. I can't do any cooking in advance of the morning of the fourth (unless I leave one smoking outside in the grill all night, but that seems like a bad idea).  What about putting it on to smoke Thursday night for three hours, putting it in the fridge, and then putting it back in the oven to finish on the morning of the 4th?

[dcandohio]

I have smoked on the day before and finished in oven...also started meat in oven and finished off on smoker for a light smoke finish. I sometimes think the smoke first, oven-finish later produces a superior result because the juices really redistribute during the rest after smoking.

[thistle]

I would cook them together, they may take longer than you think, & it's not a problem to leave them smoking overnight (as long as you've loaded up the charcoal). I have finished butts in lots of 'hail mary' situations, in the oven, slow cooker (what a nightmare). With pork, I think longer is better, almost impossible to overcook, but if it's under, you won't be able to pull it.

[Rieux]

Did one day in the rub, then smoked on Wednesday night for 3 hours.  Put it in the fridge, and then stuck it in the oven at 350 this morning for 4 hours.  When I pulled it out, the temp read between 195 and 210 in most places, except the very center of one butt, which read 190.  Put all of it in a paper bag for an hour, and then pulled the pork.  95% of it pulled easily.  Now it is in the crock pot on warm, with Zora's sauce, and I must say it is goood.