Need grilled menu ideas for large Oktoberfest event

Every year around this time, my work, which is not a food related industry, has a cookout. Over the years, I've become planner and head "chef" for the event. We drag out some Weber kettle grills and go to town. A couple coworkers help me with the grilling. I'm pretty much doing all the legwork and prep for this myself, for about 70 people. I've got 2.5 weeks til the event.

I need some menu suggestions. Make ahead sides and quick-grilling items are a must. Reheating is done in a pan on a grill then kept warm on catering trays. Here's what I'm thinking.

Biermarinierten Huhn (beer marinated grilled chicken)
German potato salad (may buy from German deli)
Sauerkraut (doctor up store bought)
Wursts and curry wursts (from local German deli, I'll make currywurst sauce)
Herbed spaetzel
Homemade Bavarian Mustard
Pickled red onions
Cucumber dill salad
Pretzels (storebought, Restaurant Depot, heat n eat)

Omissions? Suggestions? Thanks!

I'm a mutt but have German roots. A family favorite is pan fried onions and russet potatoes. Decent amount of veggie oil (or better bacon fat) to get onions started copious amounts of salt and pepper. When onions just start to brown add peeled taters thick .25 inchish and toss to coat the whole mess. Cover and steam/fry until potatoes are brownish on the outside but tender and pillowish on the inside.

Super cheap and you can feed a crowd. It's all about seasonings and technique.

Also adding any sausage cooked thwn marinating in a beer bath then finished off to crisp the skin to order is a good thing.

Good suggestion, thank you. I'm not sure I have a big enough pan though. But I do like the idea a lot.

What about pork shoulder? The piece used for coppa in Italy - we (UK) call it the spare rib joint, I think in the US it's Boston Butt..?

Anyway, you can marinade/flavour that however you like and then it's a slow cook with the lid on, indirect heat (fling in a piece of fruit wood - apple, plum - for some nice smoke flavour).

If you're struggling for time you could bake it at home and finish on the BBQ. Also you get to do some slicing performance.

Advantages are: it's a cheap but tasty cut well suited to slow BBQing; it doesn't need much attention while cooking meaning you can carry on with everything else; and takes up less grill space than chicken (whole chicken esp.).

Italian not really German, but it fits in with the theme very well would be a Porkchetta? Could even sous vide it before hand then just warm and give it some color on the grill. Pull or slice and serve on mini-buns with mustard and provolone cheese. It aint German, if you do it right, I bet people will forgive you.

brianh said:

Good suggestion, thank you. I'm not sure I have a big enough pan though. But I do like the idea a lot.

Click to expand...

The cheap disposable pans that you use to cook turkeys in work well for this (the potatoes and onions). I also use disposable pans for the sausage hot tubs:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MXTLHNC/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Done a few German fests at my church. We can usually find one or two folks with a converted half barrel grill. Half of the grill for the pans (usually on a few full sized commercial cookie sheets to insulate them a bit, jelly roll pans also work well for this) and the other half of the grill for cooking off things.

Bratwurst, Thuringer and Knackwurst all in beer baths then finished off on the grill to crisp the skin. Covered in kraut and good stone ground mustard with a heaping side of potatoes and onions (or german potato salad). I wish there was a grilled version of Jaeger Schnitzel cause pork cutlets would be quick and inexpensive as well and the mushroom/onion gravy/topping is another thing that would keep well in a pan.

Good luck! Let us know how it turns out.

All great ideas!

Some pics from previous year or two. Last year was Tex-Mex.

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Quite a spread Brian. Looks professional and delicious! Definitely elevated Tex Mex. Danny would have been proud!

Thank you, sir. Next year I should do a garbage can tandoor in his honor.