Cooking for a Big Group this Summer? Here's how to nail it!
If you love cooking for your family and friends in a big group, you have probably missed this lovely pastime in the past year. The coronavirus pandemic has stopped us from gathering in big groups, but with a large number of people being vaccinated daily, it is starting to become possible to gather once again.
If you’ve got plans for a big summer of eating together, you might be wondering how to pull this off without getting stressed out! Cooking for many is a different skill to cooking for few; read on to find out how to nail your big cookout moments this summer.
Investing in the right cookery equipment
Cooking for many people requires a lot of elbow grease, forward planning, and, you guessed it, equipment. Even if you only have a small kitchen, the right pots, pans, knives and boards can transform your mass cooking experience into an easy, fun activity.
Here are a few pieces of equipment that are highly useful when you are cooking for a big group.
- A large cast-iron pot. Cast iron pots can be expensive, but they are the most useful thing in the world for cooking en masse. You can throw in a bunch of ingredients, stick the lid on, and let the heat do the work.
- A griddle. If you are frying meats or making pancakes for friends and family, a griddle is an essential asset to your kitchen. Click here to find answers to all the questions you could have about cooking on a griddle!
- A high quality kitchen knife. Chopping lots of vegetables can be an arduous task, so a high quality, sharp knife will be your best friend. Believe it or not, chopping with a sharp knife is actually safer than a blunt one - this is because the sharp knife is less likely to slip off from pressure and accidentally cause a cut. Here's a chef's knife I like.
- Large wooden platter boards. Whether these are used for chopping or serving food, large wooden platter boards are super useful for cooking in large batches. I love this one!
Making it a group effort
If you plan to invite lots of friends and family over for a big meal and drinks, why not make the cooking a group effort? Cooking together is one of the best bonding experiences that humans can have; you will laugh, learn and generally get your day off to a great start by inviting your guests to share in the fun.
Embracing family-style
Ultimately, no matter if your guests are high and mighty or just your pals from next door, family-style dining is something everybody loves. You don’t need to make your presentation or decor fancy for your guests; delicious food and good company is all a good dinner party needs to succeed!
Embracing family-style dining will make life easier for you when you are cooking the big meal, and it’ll be generally more enjoyable for your guests too.
Final Thoughts
If you love cooking for the people you love, use this helpful guide to keep your cooking on top form this summer!
Looking for some crowd pleasing recipes to try this Summer? Check out these faves!
Easy Breakfast Casserole: perfect for breakfast or brunch with friends
Gluten Free Dutch Baby Pancake with Mandarin Curd and Fresh Berries: another family favorite! Plus it looks so good no one will know its a cinch to make!
Healthified Smoked Chicken Pasta: Creamy, smoky and secretly healthy! What's not to love about this easy pasta dish?!
Super Simple Salmon Supper: with this simple dish, you can make the quinoa and avocado sauce before your guests arrive. Then simply cook the salmon right before serving for a fancy-looking but totally stress-free meal.
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