Can You Pre-Cook Food For Mobile Catering

by Sadie
(Uk)

Hi me and my daughter are just starting out and have different ways of cooking, keeping food warm. Can you pre cook your stuff then keep it warm in the Baine Marie?

For example -bacon? Can this be cooked then kept warm then put on the griddle to re crisp heat up? This is how I have been told to do it but surly the bacon will dry out.

Also can you cook hash browns and mushrooms on the griddle? Also do you have and advice as to what sells best on the vans?

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Jan 27, 2014
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starstarstarstarstar 		Regarding pre- cooked food
by: Rob

The smell of cooking in general, but especially bacon draws customers to your van. What ever you sell prepare every portion to the best of you ability, don't get slack, if something is n't quite up to scratch rather not sell it.Your food will grow your reputation and success will follow.
Good luck
Jan 27, 2014
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starstarstarstarstar 		Keep it fresh
by: Tim

Most places do precook and keep warm but we always cook fresh. It doesn't take long and the taste is better. The only exception to this is sausages which we precook the night before then slice in half and warm up on the griddle. Customers are happy to wait a bit - they often want a break and a chat anyway.

The only time we cook ahead a bit is at busy food festivals where we start with a few burgers sausages etc and I keep topping up whilst my partner serves. We were able to sell £1200 worth of cheeseburgers sausages and pulled pork in three hours at a recent Christmas fair this way and people were happy to queue. We never precook bacon though
Jan 14, 2014
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starstarstarstarstar 		Cooking Bacon On Griddle
by: David

Hello and good to hear from you.

The main function of the Baine Marie is to keep cooked food at the right temperature and ready to serve. If you want to fully cook bacon and then place on the griddle to make it a little crispier for your customers this should be fine.

I find a wet Baine Marie (water based) dries out the food a little less than the dry version (which uses hot air). You could also cook in smaller quantities as bacon doesn’t really take too long on a hot griddle; or slow cook the bacon on the griddle on a low flame and fully cook when needed. Once you are established you will have a better idea of when customers are likely to turn up and so can cook accordingly.


You can certainly cook mushrooms, tomatoes and hash browns on the griddle, even toast if need be. As for what to sell, I would stick when first starting out to the normal menu of burgers, bacon, eggs, full breakfast and then vary it as you get more established and discover your customers needs.
Best of luck
David


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