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Making hash browns early for a crowd

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Pete

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Apr 3, 2010, 3:09:09 PM4/3/10
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I have been asked to make hash browns for a benefit at a VFW. Expected
attendance is about 300 people. That's a lot of potatoes. I want to
make them a day or 2 or 3 early and heat them up as needed on the day
of the benefit. What is the best way to preserve them and reheat them
for the day of the event? I can use their facilities for cooking.

Brian Mailman

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Apr 3, 2010, 3:36:47 PM4/3/10
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Freezing.

What's the equipment you have for reheating? Grill (aka "flat top"),
range (home or industrial), large pans... what?

B/

gloria.p

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Apr 3, 2010, 3:40:25 PM4/3/10
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How will you ever peel and chop them all? I'd go to a wholesale
restaurant food supply store and buy frozen hash browns, with the prep
done and just the cooking left. You could cook them on a big griddle if
available, or on shallow baking sheets in the oven. That's not an easy
dish for that size crowd.

gloria p

Pete

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Apr 3, 2010, 5:44:23 PM4/3/10
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Pete

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Apr 3, 2010, 5:54:05 PM4/3/10
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On Apr 3, 2:40 pm, "gloria.p" <gpues...@comcast.net> wrote:

I use fresh potaotes. There will be volunteers to help scrub and chop
them. They will not be peeled though.
Reheating them on cookie sheets sounds like a good idea to me.
I have a great seasoning for these, which is why I got asked to make
these for this benefit. It seems I always
get the difficult task in volunteer activities. I am happy though to
help out

Pete

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Apr 3, 2010, 6:00:07 PM4/3/10
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I am thinking of using the oven and reheating them on cookie sheets.
The grill
will be busy cooking eggs as ordered. I don't know who is cooking the
eggs.
Hopefully not me. I got enough on my hands.

Brian Mailman

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Apr 3, 2010, 10:08:33 PM4/3/10
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Pete wrote:
> On Apr 3, 2:36 pm, Brian Mailman <bmail...@sfo.invalid> wrote:
>> Pete wrote:
>> > I have been asked to make hash browns for a benefit at a VFW. Expected
>> > attendance is about 300 people. That's a lot of potatoes. I want to
>> > make them a day or 2 or 3 early and heat them up as needed on the day
>> > of the benefit. What is the best way to preserve them and reheat them
>> > for the day of the event? I can use their facilities for cooking.
>>
>> Freezing.
>>
>> What's the equipment you have for reheating? Grill (aka "flat top"),
>> range (home or industrial), large pans... what?

> I am thinking of using the oven and reheating them on cookie sheets.

Greased/oiled cookie sheets. Preheated. In rotation or the latter ones
used will be dried out and nasty.

> The grill will be busy cooking eggs as ordered.

When I was a short order cook and doing the eggs, I kept a pile of
cooking potatoes on the back of the grill, and the grill man put new
ones on the end of the line as I moved the cooked ones toward me. The
pile was put on about 45 minutes or so before the rush time and turned
every once in a while.

B/

Wallace

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Apr 3, 2010, 10:46:57 PM4/3/10
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"Pete" <paul...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:a4dd9f51-49ce-4212...@q15g2000yqj.googlegroups.com...

Well, if they are going to try to cook eggs on a grill . . . Oh, you mean
GRIDDLE!

ok. Well, I would grab the griddle ahead of time and cook off the hash
browns. Won't you get a better brown on the griddle rather than in the oven?
Then, keep them in a hold oven (200 degrees) until service. If possible,
blast them again on the griddle just before you serve.

How fast will these 300 meals be going out? that might make a difference in
your planning.

If I were doing the eggs, I'd be using several good non-stick pans. Maybe
quite a few, depending on how fast the entire 300 were to be sent out.


Pete

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Apr 4, 2010, 3:50:20 PM4/4/10
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On Apr 3, 9:46 pm, "Wallace" <pleasenos...@microsoft.com> wrote:
> "Pete" <paul4...@gmail.com> wrote in message

It will open at 7 and go to probably about noon. I don't know how
many will be cooking the eggs. I hope at least six. The hash browns
will be pre cooked and reheated in the oven. Then put in large pans
for serving after they get their eggs cooked to order. Choices will be
O/E, O/M, O/H or scrambled. The meat, bacon or sausage patties too
will be cooked and reheated. Just glad I will not be cooking eggs. I
have a hard time flipping eggs for an O/E style.

Will be a busy day.. I don't particiapte in clean up. I will have done
enough.......

Wallace

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Apr 4, 2010, 5:20:18 PM4/4/10
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"Pete" <paul...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:46a1c151-10e3-4e2a...@k19g2000yqn.googlegroups.com...

sounds like fun, but one order per minute sounds doable (even for five
hours). You should do the eggs - after the first 299 orders, you'd get the
hang of it.


hellohello

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Apr 6, 2010, 5:43:05 AM4/6/10
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'Pete[_14_ Wrote:
> ;1460458']I have been asked to make hash browns for a benefit at a VFW.

wow,maybe in the refreshing bags or in the refregirator.
no other better ways?


--
hellohello

Wallace

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Apr 20, 2010, 2:59:26 PM4/20/10
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"Pete" <paul...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:7a582989-a054-4401...@o30g2000yqb.googlegroups.com...


Has this event occurred? Please post a recap when you can (not just your
portion of the cooking, but what else you may have observed). thanks.


Brian Mailman

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Apr 21, 2010, 4:49:48 PM4/21/10
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Wallace wrote:

> Has this event occurred? Please post a recap when you can (not just
> your portion of the cooking, but what else you may have observed).

The parts that involve preserving, that is....

B/

ST

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Apr 21, 2010, 10:01:56 PM4/21/10
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I vote for the info that I'll consider interesting, useful or must have.
Shanw Turner
Ohio, USA

edible_spoons

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Jan 14, 2011, 1:34:56 AM1/14/11
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Maybe not for a VFW event, but for a wedding or other event, these
reasonably-priced woven 'potato baskets'
(http://www.dreamersgourmet.com) are quite a hit with people.


--
edible_spoons
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