Skip to main content

10 replies

Freebies at caterings?

FM Former Member
Years ago I started doing something free for almost every catering job where we served. Generally it would be something like a veggie tray with dip, or a cheese tray. This served three purposes; first, it gave people something to nibble on, and also gave the kids something to hold them over until serving time, which kept them out of our hair. Secondly, I noted the "freebie" in the event log. I also made sure that the host knew it was free "because we know that a lot of people like cheese/veggies/etc". Frequently this turned the freebie into a paid item the next time around, or when other business we got from that event asked for the item. And lastly, I always used this as a chance to introduce the host to something they were unfamiliar with. Around here a lot of people won't order brisket, so I'd make a dip with burnt ends, cream cheese, sour cream, and mayo, some red onions, and crackers, and next thing you know they like brisket and order it too the next time around.

Last summer, I started putting out trays(bowls really) of home made pickles and spicy pickled veggies. These seem to go over really well and require little time to prepare. I also do a big basket of hush puppies and cups of honey butter first thing when I arrive on site. The way I see it, this is cheap enough to maybe be recoverable via smaller portions on the serving line. I haven't put that theory to test yet, but I can see a difference. It also keeps the host happy as people aren't getting agitated about serving time. Eating people are happy people.

My dill pickle recipe is straight from the Dinosaur BBQ book(but adjusted for quantity) and people love them! The pickled veggies are just cauliflower, celery, onions, radishes, and carrots in white vinegar with red pepper flakes, assorted hot peppers, and a little salt. Sometimes I've done a tray with thinly sliced smoked sausage, home made boursin cheese, sliced apples and crackers. This usually results in an order for the next event too, either for the whole thing or just the sausage.

Note: Put 1tbsp of TenderQuick in a gallon of water and drop your apples in there as you slice them. It's like lemon juice on steroids. Sliced apples on the tray will stay fresh for 12 days.....in the sun. Smiler

I see all of this as a way to build business through happy customers and upselling. I've made them happy if they don't want any extras next time around, but if they do want the extras, I can frequenty get an extra $3-5+ per person which makes me happy. It's kind of like asking "do you want fries with that?". Everybody wins!

Anyway, my question is, does anyone else do this? If so, what kind of items do you offer? Just looking for an exchange of ideas or thoughts on the benefits of freebies. Thanks.
Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

FM Former Member
quote:
Originally posted by SmokinOkie:
Todd, you're really bringing in some good info lately, hope we get some responses, sometimes the pro forum is quiet during the summer (busy people)?

One guy I know makes his pickles by putting them in Jalepono jars to get the heat from the juice.


Smokin' I've got the "I want to open a BBQ joint" itch real bad right now for some reason. I've been staying up late just thinking about it. I've been working on menus and kitchen layout, equipment needs, etc. I don't like where this is headed. Smiler

I'm try to keep reminding myself why I got out of the restaurant business, while at the same time I'm trying to "talk out" the restaurant demons here on the forum. Thanks for giving me an outlet. Talking about it here has fewer (and cheaper) consequencies than signing a lease.
FM Former Member
Not a problem, I'll post over there as well.

Boursin Cheese

1.5# cream cheese
1.0# goat cheese- plain or peppered
.5# butter
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
2 packages ranch dressing mix
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp coarse grind black pepper(omit if using peppered cheese)
2 tbsp lemon juice

Variation: Use just one package ranch dressing mix, but add 1 tbsp garlic powder, or 2 tbsp minced garlic. It's just a matter of taste.

Let cheeses and butter soften. Combine well in mixer. Best if held overnight to allow flavors to develop. My cost is about $13 per batch as shown above, and it's a substantial batch. Roughly 1/2gal by volume. Store bought Boursin sells for $1.45 an ounce around here. This clocks in at about .27 cents per ounce.

Try the recipe as shown, then possible changes and their likely outcome will be obvious. You can also change it up a little by adding chopped sundried tomatoes, finely diced veggies(carrots, onions, celery, parsely), chopped olives, roasted peppers, etc.
Last edited by Former Member
FM Former Member
Just got back from a party for about 100 people. I cooked my first whole hog in several years, and people seemed to enjoy the spectacle. No matter how hard you try, if you cook a whole hog, you're going to get some on you. Lots of grease!

Anyway, I was leaving this morning and for no real reason I threw 1.5 (I ate the other half Friday) corned eye rounds in the cooler along with a couple of heads of cabbage saved from the slaw pile. As soon as I set up on site, I put the cabbage on the cooker in pie tins with a little chicken stock and butter, and I put the foil wrapped eye rounds in too. The hog had another two hours to go at this point.

About an hour later when people started to arrive I pulled the al'dente cabbage and cut it into chunks about 1" square and speared them with toothpicks. I sliced the eye round about 1/4" thick and cut those slices in half and set the whole thing out on the cutting board with a jar of spicy mustard. Total cost: ~$19.00. Total value of the two pig pickin's I sold before I even opened the cooker again: $3,000.00. Satisfaction I feel from learning how to corn beef a few years ago: PRICELESS. It seems that people love smoked cabbage. Who knew?

I also put out a cheese and apple tray with crackers. They liked this too, but I think the smoked cabbage sold them.

Also, FWIW, I normally use Bush's beans as the base for my baked beans which are heavily modified. I used Van Camps Original Baked Beans today straight from the can and they were darn good after sitting in the smoker for the last two hours. If nothing else, I liked their viscosity because I can't stand runny beans. But at about half the price of Bush's($3.34 vs $5.97/#10) and straight from the can good, I think I've found a new bean.
Last edited by Former Member
FM Former Member
Depending on the amount of beans I need, I usually make them in either a large crockpot or a very large(30qt) water jacketed pot, and I cook them for several hours or even overnight. Normally I don't smoke my beans at all. I usually put beans in a disposable half pan and take to the event or freeze. Beans do freeze well.

This time I just poured the beans into a half pan and set it on the grate of the pig cooker along with another half pan of corn and a couple of pans of sauce. Everything kind of surrounding the pig for the last 2 hours or so of cooking. Sure is nice to have 24sqft of cooking area.
FM Former Member
To add to the "freebies" idea, I picked up a couple of bar condiment caddies like these a few weeks back. each compartment holds up to a quart. You can get caddies that have more, but smaller, compartments.



Make some cheese spread(think cream cheese with ranch dressing or onion soup mix or sun dried tomatoes and capers, maybe some chopped liver or tuna salad or smoked chicken salad, and sweet pickles and some hot peppers. Fill the compartments the night before if you want, then put out on a cutting board with toast and crackers. Cheap. Easy. And the people will love you.

Add Reply

Post

Membership Required

We're sorry. You must be signed in to continue. Sign In or Register
×
Are you sure you want to remove from your Block List?
×
Loading...
×
When you block a person, they can no longer invite you to a private message or post to your profile wall. Replies and comments they make will be collapsed/hidden by default. Finally, you'll never receive email notifications about content they create or likes they designate for your content.
Note: if you proceed, you will no longer be following .
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×