[RufusTF]

I host a weekly music rehearsal at my home, and after we play I feed 'em. While I usually have a bunch of good ideas about what to cook I thought I'd ask the food brainpool about cooking things that will allow for the following criteria:

1. The rehearsal is 3 hours long, so something that requires about that much cooking and is then ready with minimal prep would be ideal.

2. No gluten, one of the musicians has Crone's disease. A small amount of flour in a sauce or on meat is permissible, but no pasta, bread, or beer. Yes, I really do feel for the guy.

3. Other than the above limitations, everyone is omnivorous. No raw food vegans in this band.

4. The cheaper the better!

Slow roasted meats seem like a good idea, and things that can stay warm for a while without bad side effects (stews, curries, chili) seem good too. I'm sure someone here has got a good idea or two I haven't thought of, so bring it on, folks.
Oh, we can't break to eat. Most guys play winds and brass instruments and are not too keen on playing right after eating (food particles get in the horn & can cause real problems in some cases).

Thanks-
RTF

[teamfat]

Perhaps a beef chuck, brisket or pork shoulder put in a roasting pan with lots of sliced onion, a head or two of garlic (okay, a clove or two for the faint of palate), maybe some chilis, a bit of red wine for the beef, chicken broth for the pork, covered and slow roasted for the duration of the rehearsal. These can be served in slices and chunks with barbecue sauce, or served on some sort of bread for those who so desire. Lamb shanks and oxtails are also some fairly inexpensive options for slow braised goodies. Some sort of cold salad or relish tray prepped beforehand would be a nice side attraction.

Another path to take could be stir fry. Prep all the veggies, marinate the meat and such beforehand. When rehearsal is over, put the fire under the wok or fry pan, get the containers of prepared ingredients out of the fridge and by the time the instruments are in their cases and the bathroom breaks are over you have a pile of hot, fresh food ready to go.

mjb.

[Chef21]

a suggestion i can give is to check out the entertaining recipe widget on the Kraft website. it helps u plan events and it gives u recipes to serve at those events. They have a lot of good suggestions for bday parties, special occasions, etc.. lots to choose from.

[FishAholic]

When I have to cook for a large number of people I typically throw, Chicken, Burgers, dogs or brats on the grill. All of which can be done pretty cheap. If you can't grill, why not a giant pot of Chili, then have Shredded cheese, Onions, Sour Cream and other condiments for them to dress it up.....

[Mezzaluna]

Fillings for tacos could be kept warm (al pastor, beef, ground beef, etc.) and the other toppings prepped in advance (shredded lettuce, etc.). I know there are gluten-free tortillas available, as I have a good friend who must also avoid gluten.

Consider some smoked meat or other "low and slow" barbecue. I'm not very familiar with it, but there are a good many BBQ experts here who could tell you what you could choose that could be done in the 3-hour window. You could also start the BBQ/smoking before the rehearsal if you need more time to be able to have what you want. I understand brisket can take longer than 3 hours.

[MaryB]

BBQ chicken can be done in a couple hours. Setup your grill to cook with indirect heat (no coals in the center, turn the center burner off etc.). Season with a good rub, tie the legs and wings in so they don't burn, cook over medium heat until the juices in the thigh/leg joint are clear. Use a drip pan with water in it under the chicken to prevent a grease fire. Same setup works well for a small turkey too. Ribs can be done in 4-5 hours but they require some attention during cooking.

[shroomgirl]

if you can do somethings prior to practice beginning.......

Last Wed I finished off a meal tout suite in 15 minutes...... though the pork took about 25 minutes on the grill.

Pork loin with salt, pepper, rosemary.....grilled on high heat then the cover shut and temp lowered to finish

Sauteed garlic scapes in olive oil

Grilled flat breads with olive oil

Salad of arugula, tomatoes, grilled asparagus with port balsamic dressing

Cheesy morel grits (pre cooked (30 minutes) finished off with cream to warm

Strawberry/rhubarb goo (cooked the goo with rhubarb then at serving tossed in strawberries) served with raspberry/chambord whipped cream and shortbread could have easily gone on ice cream.

Chevre with pesto, olives was on table.....other mold ripened cheese with cherries for dessert too.

Composed Salads can be made ahead of time and are really great in the summer.

One of my clients/friends has glutin free crackers she brings to eating events.

Heating up the house is such a bear that I'd just rather cook in the morning or on the grill, forget indoor long cooking.....just too dang hot.

[deltadoc]

Someone with Crohn's Disease generally can't eat anything that produces gas or speeds up peristaltic motion.

No-Nos (in general)
beer
pop
onions
garlic
raw vegetables
spicy stuff
molasses
brown sugar
caffeine
chocolate

I'd think it easier to ask him what he'd like to eat, and then make something for everybody else.

doc

[RufusTF]

Very cool, all good suggestions that will likely be implemented.

Our guy with Crohn's is not the most, um, disciplined guy when it comes to stuff he can't eat, and says corn tortillas are just fine.

Your (deltadoc) list of no-nos raises a question, though. Do you include sparkling water as pop? There's no sugar, but there's bubbles, and the guy is always drinking it, along with lambrusco, a bubbly italian red wine.

Thank you all for your recommendations, I completely forgot about slow braised meats!

RTF