Suckling pig

It certainly isn’t an embassy party - very informal and fun.

My people believe winter starts on December 1, and it is after that, so definitely a winter party.

I am thinking brisket or tenderloin or rib roast…

What about a couple legs of lamb, roasted or grilled? Can be served warm not hot, so can be made a couple hours in advance. Slice and plate right before folks arrive.

Winter Party?

Cook a beef tenderloin or a ham and have it for slicing with nice rolls and lots of condiments. I like tenderloin with the option of Boursin, mustard, cultured compound butter, gremolata and pickled onions/peppers. Or ham with choice of pimento cheese, mustard, chutney, cultured butter or a pineapple salsa.

I'm assuming this isn't a seated Embassy dinner? This will be buffet style?

You could do several Beef Wellingtons, but it's going to be time-consuming and expensive for that many people. It will be decorative and delicious, though!

Easier to do would be any number of stew dishes, but you talked about a centerpiece, and short of bringing them to the table in your immensely heavy 15 qt flame or teal Le Creuset, maybe that's not the look you're going for?

It’s still fall

Anonymous wrote:You’re cooking dinner for 40-50 people?

I would do cold tenderloin, using a sous vide if you have one and then finish them under the broiler. Or do a reverse sear with a low temp oven instead of the sous vide.

I do have a sous vide. That is a good option. If I buy the tenderloin in one of those costco wet packed things can i sous vide it in the packet it comes in?

Anonymous wrote:You want something that looks good as a centerpiece (big hunk of ham) or you want to build a menu around meat?

The former. It isn’t really a menu, people will be snacking on different things and with different degrees of hunger. Buffet style.

You’re cooking dinner for 40-50 people?

I would do cold tenderloin, using a sous vide if you have one and then finish them under the broiler. Or do a reverse sear with a low temp oven instead of the sous vide.

Crown roast of pork.

I'm also a bit confused as to what you are looking for. You want this to look good in the middle of the table, or just be a hearty main?

Some options:

beef wellington
cioppino

You want something that looks good as a centerpiece (big hunk of ham) or you want to build a menu around meat?

We are hosting a party for 40 or 50 people and I want to do a meat centerpiece and am looking for suggestions. There will be lots of other sides and mains.

I am an adventurous cook so willing to try anything.

In the past we have done chili, beef rendang, chicken sate, carnitas etc.