Topic: BIR in bulk

[fitdog]

So new member here and have been using BIR methods for a while, but my question, sometimes i cook large quantities of curry say 20 portions for friends and family, can the BIR base sauce be used in a massive Karahi or stock pot to cook big quantities? Obviously im not going to get the heat and caramalisation or am i better just reverting back to traditional methods.  This week i am making a pot of a chicken curry all done in one pot  a basic dish but will be for 20 people, i am considering using a base sauce as my stock what do you think?

[Sverige]

There are a few bulk recipes on here. A good starting point is to use the search facility and search "bulk" with the "search only in topic title" option ticked. That will show up a few threads started by 976bar, who is our resident bulk BIR expert.

[livo]

You will also find that spicing levels for bulk cooking has been debated. I did a bulk cook a few years ago and I have another coming up in 6 months. My research at the time showed that having 20 serves won't use 20 X the amount of spices. I think it may have been increasing spice by only 50% every time the quantity doubled after the first time. Others disagreed based on the argument of cooking individual portions and combining.

This is especially the case for chilli but from memory I applied it to all spices.  So 1 tsp of chilli in a single serve goes up at about 7 tsp for 16 serves or 8 for 20 serves.  Eg 1 tsp for 1, 2 for 2, 3 for 4, 4.5 for 8 and 6.75 for 16. From this you would use only 8 - 10 tsp for 20 serves.

I also used a thicker base gravy as you can't get the same reduction, and used less of it per serve as well. Otherwise your meats will be swimming.  You can caramelise some gravy and add it back into the bulk cook.

[livo]

I was positive there was more extensive discussion on the reduced ratio spice level for bulk cooking and I even recall posting a link to another chef discussion site about it, but I can't find it. I did find where I mentioned it but not in the detail I recall. 

As for quantity, I used 6 thigh cutlets for a combined weight of just over 1.2 kg so used the given qty of spicing.

The reason I mention this is because I've just read down further and I found an interesting point in one of the comments underneath , regarding increased quantity and adjusting spicing.  The advice given seems to be to increase spicing by 50% at each doubling of the bulk ingredients.

The discussion on bulk cooking I remember at the time I cooked for 40 (September 2015) was left in the air when Littlechilie disappeared without providing details of his recipe.
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=14046.0

There is a thread started by Moodymare (August / September 2013) titled "Help! I have to cook curry lunch for 60." 
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=12241.msg98320#msg98320
It has some useful information and Chewytikka has provided links to the New Zealand boarding school bulk curry cook.

[livo]

Here is one quote from a discussion on spice non-linearity that explains it fairly well.

"Username | I have done this for a living for a very long time, and it never ceases to amaze me that some spices seem to grow exponentially. Especially the hot ones. So say you are making Vindaloo and it calls for 4 TB. seasoning, if you make a 4x batch, you should only double the spice, especially if you make it a day ahead. OR freeze it - seems to keep getting hotter. Other spices (besides seasonings heavy on hot peppers) that are brutal and potentially dish ruining if multiplied straight out are Cardamom and Cloves, Any of the Anises, dried herbs like thyme -but not rosemary, interestingly, Saffron, hmmm - some Paprikas, Coriander, Allspice, and oh God, Nutmeg. For a start, I would only double the spice for a 4x batch and taste it the next day. See what you think. The only spices I multiply straight out are Vanilla, Garlic, Black Pepper, and Cumin."

and another,

"Username | September 30, 2014 at 7:45 PM | Reply
Hi dear, I am gonna try this delicious dish on this Eid. If I make it with 4 chickens what proportion of spices and paste should I use? I am always confused with it.. Please can you suggest me?
Author | October 1, 2014 at 7:12 AM | Reply
 

[fitdog]

Cheers guys a bit of light reading for bed then!

[chewytikka]

So new member here and have been using BIR methods for a while, but my question, sometimes i cook large quantities of curry say 20 portions for friends and family, can the BIR base sauce be used in a massive Karahi or stock pot to cook big quantities? Obviously im not going to get the heat and caramalisation or am i better just reverting back to traditional methods.  This week i am making a pot of a chicken curry all done in one pot  a basic dish but will be for 20 people, i am considering using a base sauce as my stock what do you think?

Obviously you can, but it can never be quite the same as a single portion BIR curry.

But serving 20 people isn

[Peripatetic Phil]

976bar (Bob) is the forum's resident expert on bulk BIR

[fitdog]

I was positive there was more extensive discussion on the reduced ratio spice level for bulk cooking and I even recall posting a link to another chef discussion site about it, but I can't find it. I did find where I mentioned it but not in the detail I recall. 

As for quantity, I used 6 thigh cutlets for a combined weight of just over 1.2 kg so used the given qty of spicing.

The reason I mention this is because I've just read down further and I found an interesting point in one of the comments underneath , regarding increased quantity and adjusting spicing.  The advice given seems to be to increase spicing by 50% at each doubling of the bulk ingredients.

The discussion on bulk cooking I remember at the time I cooked for 40 (September 2015) was left in the air when Littlechilie disappeared without providing details of his recipe.
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=14046.0

There is a thread started by Moodymare (August / September 2013) titled "Help! I have to cook curry lunch for 60." 
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=12241.msg98320#msg98320
It has some useful information and Chewytikka has provided links to the New Zealand boarding school bulk curry cook.

Thanks i enjoyed the videos!

[livo]

I'd imagine other masala pastes would be able to replace the NZ bulk commercial product. To make a multi-serve batch would involve determination of the appropriate amount to use.  This should not be too difficult to achieve from the direction of use on labels.