Hot Kiddush- how to keep food warm?

productivity

Thu, Jun 13 2019, 11:48 pm

We are IyH hosting a kiddush this week in a small shul that does not have any warmer etc. We ordered a pan of kugel and cholent and the caterer does not provide a warmer. I was wondering if anyone has tips on how to keep the food warm on a hot plate without it getting burnt. TIA!

Cookiegirl

Fri, Jun 14 2019, 1:06 am

We do this every week for our shul. You can get an 18-22 quart crockpot for the cholent. For the kugel, buy or borrow a large hot plate. Place a deep aluminum foil roaster pan on the hot plate and fill it with an inch or two of water. Lay the kugel (hopefully in a more shallow aluminum foil kugel pan) into the roaster pan. Make sure the edges are sealed so that the water doesn't steam out altogether. You can cover the top with aluminum foil to make sure. Also a good idea to set both the crock pot and the hot plate on timers to go off an hour after the time of the kiddush (just triple check them before Shabbos). Make sure the shul electrical fuses can handle the electricity load. Work on this on Friday afternoon so you don't have any last minute unforeseen issues.

Enjoy the kiddush!

jewish613

Fri, Jun 14 2019, 1:40 am

Cookiegirl wrote:

Not OP, but do you put the Kuggel on the hot plate before Shabbos and keep it there until the kiddish Shabbos morning?

FranticFrummie

Fri, Jun 14 2019, 4:15 am

Look into the halachot of a water blech. It's so lenient! It's a kli sheini, so you can take things on and off as needed. The extra benefit is that there is absolutely no way you can burn the bottom of the food.

On a stovetop, put down a large baking sheet with one inch sides. Fill with boiling water before Shabbos, and set a burner or two to "simmer". Put another slightly larger baking sheet on top, upside down, to keep the steam from escaping. Voila!

I do this when I have a lot company, or in the winter when I'm having a lot of warm food. After Shabbos I spill all the hot water from the blech out onto the kitchen floor, and give it a quick mopping.

I will be forever grateful to the wonderful hostess who taught me this. It's made my life so much easier.

Cookiegirl

Fri, Jun 14 2019, 8:41 am

jewish613 wrote:

Not OP, but do you put the Kuggel on the hot plate before Shabbos and keep it there until the kiddish Shabbos morning?

Yes, we set everything up before Shabbos and leave it overnight. That is why you need to make sure the steam is not escaping...Basically overnight potato kugel, but works with lukshen kugel as well.

productivity

Fri, Jun 14 2019, 10:44 am

FranticFrummie wrote:

Do you think a heavy roaster pan of kugel would put too much weight on the upper pan?

amother

Turquoise

Fri, Jun 14 2019, 11:22 am

Is there an oven? You can keep them on the oven overnight on like 200 degrees or so. Put water on top of kugel and cover tightly and make sure cholent has liquid.

productivity

Fri, Jun 14 2019, 1:49 pm

amother [ Turquoise ] wrote:

Is there an oven? You can keep them on the oven overnight on like 200 degrees or so. Put water on top of kugel and cover tightly and make sure cholent has liquid.

Unfortunately not Sad

productivity

Sat, Jun 15 2019, 11:48 pm

Thanks to the Imas who responded- much appreciated.

Cookiegirl- your method was the most doable and practical for us so we tried it and it worked like a charm. We had no crock pot so we used it for the cholent and kugel and was perfect. Food stayed piping hot without drying out at all. Ty!