Things that make you mad as the cook-

[reinhard1]

good post. the thing to remember is you are cooking for OTHERS, not yourself except what your going to eat. normaly if your doing steaks for guests ask them how they like it and do the best you can with it. the rest of the meal people can take what they want anyway. the idea is to enjoy the company, the meal is secondary to your friends. it doesn't bother me one bit what they put on a steak. i put everything out for them. i do more ribs and burgers and chicken anyway. steaks on special occations. even burgers i ask and then they can put whatever they want on that too. good luck.

[Farley]

Thats why I said steaks are kind of different. And I was also exgaeratting(sp?) a little bit. I smoked 30 lbs of pork shoulder for a birthday party for around 40 people last weekend, then brought the leftovers in to work and I got nothing but compliments. Thats kind of more of what I'm getting at. Some people might not like the vinegar finishing sauce I put on it but too bad it's going on anyway.

[reinhard1]

that's sounds great to me. yeah thats what i'm getting at too. steaks for a crowd is a different story. but great cooking you just made is something you make for a crowd so whats there is there in anybodys book. besides if you were not a good cook nobody would come over. good luck.

[Bobby Bass]

I have been cooking big family meals for years and have become the go to place for birthdays and the holidays. I cook and the wife bakes. My peeve is the " making a plate" to take home to x who didn't want to come that day. For years we would let it happen but no longer, maybe because I am getting older and these kids are now all adults. If ya can't come to my house and eat you are not going to get catered food because you are to lazy to show up. A side note would be people who call ahead to ask what is on the menu as if what I am serving will decide if they show or not... I have told the wife on more then a few times we should print a menu, and post prices with it!

[reinhard1]

good post. good humor. good luck.

[sdpikehntr]

I have started to do more smoked ribs and briskets for cookouts rather than steaks on the grill, it seem to allow for more social time as the prep work is done many hours before the guest arrive, and there is, for the most part, not done, done or over done as far as the meat is concerned. Call me a bit selfish, but I like to keep the steaks for myself and my family, and I know how they like them cooked; the same way I do.

How ever, MY GUEST may eat the meal any way they want to, I don't judge them for the way they eat it or what they eat with it, I do ask that they comment on the food and to be very honest, I don't want the "oh it was just fine" comment... I want the truth, as I think I can improve on each meal. As I stated before, Just don't keep asking "What Can I Do" as that will tick me off, all I want you to do is grab me a beer if I ask.

[reinhard1]

those are my favorite meals to make also and i agree about the social time too. it seems that i never sit down to eat a meal though cause i'm eating while i'm cooking. but nobody seems to care cause i'm making the rounds and enjoying the company. most of the time the people that come over know my style of cooking and usualy dont get the same thing twice cause i like to try new stuff all the time. but with the end of summer the crowd grilling will end but i still grill for the family all year around. good luck.

[KEN W]

Thats why I said steaks are kind of different. And I was also exgaeratting(sp?) a little bit. I smoked 30 lbs of pork shoulder for a birthday party for around 40 people last weekend, then brought the leftovers in to work and I got nothing but compliments. Thats kind of more of what I'm getting at. Some people might not like the vinegar finishing sauce I put on it but too bad it's going on anyway.

Right on.....That kind of meal would be like making a turkey or ham.Everyone gets the same the way I cook it.