Pulled Pork menu ideas needed

[bnme]

We are having a big pool party this Saturday to celebrate DS's 5th birthday. It is a family/close friends party of about 30 people. Normally I would bbq but it is too time consuming and I really want to be able to focus on the kids, since it is a birthday party after all.

I have been making pulled pork for a while now, thanks to the BBB but I have never served it at a party. I'd love suggestions for side dishes AND a suggestion for an alternate main dish (since I am not sure everyone will eat this).

My side dish ideas so far are:
-store bought coleslaw (never made fresh before)
-corn on the cob
-baked beans
-orzo pasta salad (but the recipe I use has olives and feta cheese so I am not sure it goes)

Other main dish ideas are:
turkey sausage and peppers
chicken breasts (marinated and grilled earlier in the day and then warmed up)

My only criteria is that I want it to be something that can be prepped ahead and then just reheated (if a hot food). My guests are very varied from extremely picky eaters to people that will try anything to very healthy eaters. I will have hot dogs on hand as I KNOW that I'd be hard pressed to please everyone (unless I did baked ziti which I really don't want to do).

Any thoughts/ideas appreciated!

[SnuggleBuggles]

Personally I think your menu looks great as is! Someone brought pulled pork to our block party last weekend and it was the hit of the party. Most everyone ate it.

Have buns for the pulled pork. Maybe make some corn bread. Fruit and veggies. Maybe some chips. Pickles. It honestly looks like a fine plan. You could even grill the chicken early and serve it cold for sandwiches, slice it up some and have some nice greens to put on the sandwiches.

Beth

[bnme]

The corn bread is a great addition! I never thought to serve the chicken cold for sandwiches. I could do the greens with sliced tomato and fresh mozzerella.

I have been making the pork weekly lately. It is so good and soooo easy. I hope it goes over well because grilling gets tiresome by August.

Thanks for the input.

[sunshine873]

Sounds good!

On a side-note, how do you do your pulled pork...what do you put on it? I'm on the hunt for an easy, tasty recipe.

[Melbel]

It looks great! A crowd pleasing addition to pulled pork in our family is cinnamon apples (saute sliced apples in apple juice/cider, cinnamon and brown sugar).


On a side-note, how do you do your pulled pork...what do you put on it? I'm on the hunt for an easy, tasty recipe.

For our pulled pork, we simply cut a tenderloin in 1/3 portions for 3 shorter sections, put in the crock pot w/ bbq sauce and perhaps some honey and then let it cook. Once it has cooked about 4 hours on high or 6 hours on low (YMMV), we shred the pork with two forks. Super easy.

[Melaine]

I don't really think you need more, but this has been one of my new favorite summer recipes:
http://elise.com/recipes/archives/000578heirloom_tomato_basil_mozzarella_salad.php

[MMMommy]

This dish is always a hit with my family and at potlucks.

Yummy Potatoes

Ingredients:
Butter (salted or unsalted) for greasing baking dish
6 (or more if you like) garlic cloves, minced
3-4 lbs. of russet potatoes, peeled (give or take more or less potatoes)
salt
black pepper
1 pint heavy whipping cream

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Liberally butter a 13 x 9 inch glass baking dish. Scatter minced garlic in bottom of baking dish. Cut the peeled russet potatoes into 1/8 inch thick slices. Layer potatoes in dish, sprinkling each layer with salt and pepper. After layering is complete, pour heavy cream over potatoes. Bake. Once or twice press down on the potatoes with a spatula (flatten or tamp down the potatoes a bit). Bake until golden on top. Cream will be slightly thickened. Bake approximately 1 hr. 15 min.

[Jen841]

At every kid related party I make some mac&cheese. It is against my better judgement, but I do it. I have learned make twice the amount you expect the kids to eat b/c the adults will eat it too!

Sausages, peppers and onions are a big hit too. I make them in the crockpot.

I suggest borrowing some crockpots. Pork, Beans and Sausages (if you go that route) all work well in crockpots on low. We did these for baptism parties. I put the food in to warm up as we headed to the church, and when we arrived it was ready to go and I just put out the cold stuff.

I personally may steer clear of the corn on the cob. I absolutely love it, but if not everyone will have a safe place to eat it is not an easy mobile food.

I make sweet and sour slaw to go wtih BBQ pork, maybe see if you have a store that sells it. Nice twist on the traditional version.

Have fun on the special day! Don't stress out yourself.

p.s. Maybe it is our group of friends, but people have asked for extra BBQ (we use homemade) and hot sauce for BBQ pork sandwiches. Maybe have some out just in case? I mention it b/c i have had to pull it out at the request of guests.

[Twoboos]

You could grill a bunch of veggies the day before and warm them up. Right now I am addicted to peppers/onion/zucchini, tossed w/olive oil, salt, pepper and grill in a grill basket. I LOVE it and the flavors are great! I've also done mushrooms, asparagus, green beans and broccoli in the mix. Or really any variation of veggies would work. I keep forgetting to buy eggplant.

I grill a big bunch maybe once a week and we have it as a side then I use the rest in quesadillas or enchiladas, or toss w/pasta. YUM!