Homemade Steam Table

Catering functions can be a challenge. Family reunions, church dinners or meals by the lake can mean bringing many dishes that need to be served at 140 degrees or hotter to prevent bacteria growth and food-borne illness. With a little effort and ingenuity, it's fun and easy to make portable steam tables to keep food warm. Use inexpensive disposable foil pans and a wire rack to keep the next big dinner safe, hot and tasty for all guests.

Instructions

1

Place the wire chafing racks on the serving table about four inches apart from each other. Keep the racks away from the edge of the table to prevent them from accidentally getting knocked off and posing a fire hazard.

2

Place one heavy-duty 12-by-20-inch foil pan into each chafing rack. These pans will hold the water that keeps the food hot.

3

Pour water from the gallon jugs into each heavy-duty foil pan to a depth of two inches. This is just deep enough so that the serving pans will rest in the hot water. The pans must be touching the water to transfer enough heat to the food.

4

Pop the lid off a Sterno can and place the lit Sterno into the round depression on the bottom of the chafing rack. Light the Sterno with the butane fireplace lighter. Place another Sterno can in the depression beside the first one and light it. Each chafing rack will hold two cans of Sterno.

5

Put two lit cans of Sterno fuel under each chafing rack that you are using. The Sterno will keep the food hot for four to six hours.

6

Tear off aluminum foil sheets long enough to cover the side of the chafing rack and attach them to the rack by crimping them over the edges of the pan. Placing the aluminum foil around the outside of the rack will protect the Sterno fire from wind and increase the efficiency of the chafing racks, which now have become steam tables.

7

Place the foil pans holding the food onto the steam tables. You can use two half-size pans or three loaf pans on each steam table. Cover the food with foil until it is time to serve.