Posted by Sam Sears, CEC on April 26, 19100 at 22:50:51 :
In Reply to: Warming Question posted by Trina Huffman on April 26, 19100 at 15:11:46 :
: I really hope that someone on this board can help me. I am not a caterer and not trying to be a caterer but I am trying to plan a relatively large meal. I am going to prepare a stuffed chicken dinner for 75 people. I am going to prepare the food on Thursday and serve the meal at 8PM Saturday evening.
: My question is about warming the food. I am going to serve it in chafing dishes. What is the best way to warm the food. Should I take the food out in the morning and let it warm to room temp and then put it in the chafing dish about an hour before.
: Please let me know. The party is next weekend I am in desperate need of help.
: Thanks in advance!
Ron is completly right (see his post)...the laws and regulations that we live by are as follows: food can only be in the "Danger Zone" 45 - 140 degrees for a MAXIMUM of 4 hours, that includes prep time, storage, transportation, ect...all other times the birds need to be either below that temp or above...now if you cook your birds to 165 as the law requires poultry, and then put into a home type refridg..they would most likely still be above 45 degrees several hours later, chicken (even boneless) is a dense product........that being said....on to the re-heating and holding.......you would need to rapidly heat the birds to above 165 and some how hold them at above 140; and the law says that if the product falls below 140 it must be rapidly reheated again to 165 and if it falls below 140 again, it must be discarded......remember chafing dishes DO NOT HEAT FOOD, they just attempt to hold already hot food............As Ron Said this is a situation that a caterer would not EVER do.......for fear we would infect all 75 with samonella..........this is the reality.............Sam Sears, CEC - Certified Executive Chef - American Culinary Federation........