Making a beef stew for 70 people

Wow, I hope someone else is paying for the cost of all that meat!

You can get an idea of the measurment ratios for various ingredients by checking out some of these recipes:

These serve 100 people

http://members.tripod.com/~lotsofinfo/H35beefstew.htm

http://members.tripod.com/~lotsofinfo/H57beefstew.htm

since you are cooking for an army how about using the US Army recipe???here

This is for 100, so cut it down by a quarter.

Aside from the money involved, I'm interested in Hawkeye's recipe re the timing, which must be multiples of the usual, depending on the utensils and stove involved. Will check out his recipe, not that I intend to cook for 70.

Ah, I see there's no beef browning or pre-sauteing of onions, etc. Separately browning all that meat could be a big deal in an ordinary kitchen.

Not that it's necessary, depends on who you're talking to on that.

The army recipe was written when it was cooked in a giant steam heated vat (1950's). It is now done in a tilt grill, which is like a giant grittle with high sides, which does allow for browning.

However, the cheat is to dice the meat and toss with oil, cook in a high oven in a roasting pan , convection if you have it. When about half done toss in onions are garlic. when brown add the rest and either cook in the oven covered or transfer to a stock pot. Usually the oven method is faster with less chance of burning. either way stir now and then.

thank you for all the help it is much appreciated.

Hawk, listening to what you are saying there...




Years ago, I was a lab tech hired to start a lab (well, I did that a few times, but this was when I was young and quite green). It was successful and I found myself working at least 8 and sometimes 12+ hour days getting stuff out, so the department allowed that I hire some help. I chose a fellow who was an ex army cook and then lab tech for x years, at that time retired (how that all happened, I dunno, it was years ago for me to remember his interesting history) a man who was morbidly obese but seemed to know what he was talking about re lab work.

He turned out to be great at the job, and liked me for the simple act of hiring him. (I could go on about all that, the scorn he dealt with.) Now, years later, I wish I'd asked him more about his Army cooking past.
He was, natch, production oriented, but also had an eye for what didn't fit, and was trustworthy on multiple review/testing of problematic slides.