Need catering advice

[Skishy]

So my fiance and I are planning on getting married in early September of this year. So to cut down on catering costs since we want to fit the bill for the wedding. I had decided that I will make a huge batch of pulled pork for everyone to enjoy at the reception. However, I have to face that not everyone might like pork. I was wondering if there are any other meats that i can smoke and prep ahead of time so that way when the reception comes all we have to do is heat and eat. Thoughts? Anything you guys have done in the past that works?

Thanks for the input!

[3rensho]

Well brisket comes to mind.  Can fix well in advance, freeze and warm up.  Ditto for smoked salmon - I cold smoke it, cut into portions and freeze.  That comes out great.  Smoked cheese, smoked chicken (game hens, quail), duck breast.  Many things are possible.

[beefmann]

one of my favorites meats to  smoke is tri tip, also if you  can find it  is do a  beef roast and  slice it up for sandwiches ...congrats  on getting  married

[Salmonsmoker]

You can also do pulled beef just as you would do the pulled pork.

[Tenpoint5]

You can also do pulled beef just as you would do the pulled pork.

I would suggest the pulled beef. A few nice big chuck roasts should fit the bill

[squirtthecat]

You can do a pile of split chicken breasts, then cool and pull for chicken sliders.  You can reheat in a vacseal bag, and they will stay nice and moist.  Serve on pre-split dinner rolls. (those work great for pulled pork as well)  We do this a lot when they go on sale for 99 cents/lb.

You can also do some racks of bback ribs, then cut 'hollywood' style.  Bone down the middle, with meat on both sides.   You'll have some waste from the end pieces, but you can also trim that meat off to season a pot of beans. (or just use as the cook's sampler  ;))

Again, a vacuum sealer will be your friend here.    You can cook an vacseal them in 1/2-rack portinos, then thaw and cut/heat the day of your festivities.

And congrats, by the way.........

[cajunboudreaux]

I do alot of catering for weddings. Porkbutts are usually my go to when customers want bbq. I would suggest pulled pork, babyback ribs, rib tips. they can be cooked ahead of time then split and put into your hot trays about 2 hours before the reception. That is usually enough time for them to heat up. Sometimes i do the meat and go to a local bbq place and pickup a few trays of mac n chesse and bbq beans. I like to do a big tray of dirty rice, that is always a hit.

[SiFumar]

Smoked meatloaf!  Makes great sammies also!

[Skishy]

I do alot of catering for weddings. Porkbutts are usually my go to when customers want bbq

So when you do pork butts do you have them sauced and ready to go? Could I do sliced/chopped brisket the same way?

Thanks everyone for all the great advice and thanks for the congrats.

I want to try to get married without going broke in the process especially with some of what local catering companies charge.

[BAM1]

Serve the pork in roasters and have a variety of sauces for your patrons to try.  Some like it mild some a little zippy.  The pulled chicken Squirt suggested and the chuckies 10.5 suggested are both good compliments to the pork.  A Roman style pork puller makes fast work of both pork butts and the chicken breasts.  You could have a smoked three meat offering.

[Skishy]

Ok.thanks for the heads up, I may do that variety. The Roman does look very handy. However I recruited a buddy of mine to have BBQ Pitmasters wddding edition.

I am kinda afraid to do pulled chicken.  My chicken skills are pretty lacking. Any fool proof techniques to not have dry flavorfull pulled chicken breasts?

[devo]

I would just get someone to cater the event and tell them what you want....the way people sue each other for small things like food poisoning  :o I would let someone with a food   licence take care of all the details

[cajunboudreaux]

I leave the butts together wrapped until the event. i pull them the day of( or a few hours before) and let the sternos heat it up. mixing often.

[Skishy]

Thanks for the advice Cajun. I like that option of keeping them whole as much as possible until the day of event. I think I have everything all set to get it done. We are doing the wedding the weekend after labor day. So it will still be perfect smoking weather. I'm taking the week before the wedding off to do a lot of the prepping and cooking for the reception.

[Habanero Smoker]

I find if you pull it ahead of time, all the flavors from the bark; especially the smoke flavor mingle throughout the meat. I shave the bark off, chop it up and them mix it in with the pulled pork.