Rib smoking/holding long time question.

1. No
2. yes

Okay, I know not enough of an answer.

How much experience do you have with ribs (I don't know how much to give you in the answer)? Never, some, lots?

Question one: Ribs finishing at a set time:

The first will depend on how big and what type of ribs. Large, untrimmed Spares can weight almost 5lb while small BB can be about 1.5 lbs

BIG difference in cooking duration

So, what type are you cooking and how many?

Question two: Reheating

On average, you'll have 12 bones in spares, that that's only 6 portions per rack and you'll need 12 racks or so, is that right?

I'm not a fan of reheated ribs. If I do, I like to undercook them a little, but reheat on a hot grill to firm up the outside.

For your issue, I wouldn't cut into sections, they'll lose a lot of moisture that way. Leave them whole and if you can, get some high quality plastic wrap (from Sam's, not the grocery store), wrap them in plastic then wrap them in foil. Alternatively, you can put several racks in an aluminum pan, wrap tightly.

To reheat, you want to reheat, not cook, so reheat them gently until they're 140. You can do that in a pan with a little juice, maybe reseason them.

One trick that I mention above is doing them on the grill, when you can add a sauce and glaze them that way. Trim them to order or at the very last. It really doesn't take long to trim them all up and you'll get better quality.

Thank you for the swift reply. Sounds like good advice. Answers to your questions....

These will be baby back ribs. I have done ribs in this smoker for a few years but generally for serving in the evening, so I put a rub on them, smoke them about 4 hours at 220 then foil them with sauce on them and then another 4 hour to 6 hours at 170 degrees.

For the first occasion I will be cooking only for 3 people. 2 who are light eaters. These will be part of a complete meal.

I'll want to be serving the ribs for the graduation as finger food with other finger foods and over a period of 4 hours. I'll have the smoker on the patio at the serving site. I'd like to take them out and serve as needed as people come and go. I'm thinking I'll need about two smokers full. I'll be mainly cooking/serving at the buffet table so I could smoke them as a rack and then separate them as I serve them. I probably won't have a grill to use. Might have, most likely not, could if its really important...

Any more advice is most certainly welcome.

Thanks!

I've found it possible to use a timer on my smoker. Plug the smoker into a timer that plugs into the outlet, set the timer and then load up the smoker. At the predetermined time, the timer will cause the smoker to start and the process has started without waking me up. Of course the smoker's static temperature, being outside, is about 40 degrees, so as to keep the meat from spoiling waiting for the timer to go off.

quote:

Originally posted by Alteran:
These will be baby back ribs. I have done ribs in this smoker for a few years but generally for serving in the evening, so I put a rub on them, smoke them about 4 hours at 220 then foil them with sauce on them and then another 4 hour to 6 hours at 170 degrees.

For Baby Backs? 8-10 hours in the smoker. Really?

quote:

Originally posted by Todd G.:

quote:

Originally posted by Alteran:
These will be baby back ribs. I have done ribs in this smoker for a few years but generally for serving in the evening, so I put a rub on them, smoke them about 4 hours at 220 then foil them with sauce on them and then another 4 hour to 6 hours at 170 degrees.

For Baby Backs? 8-10 hours in the smoker. Really?

Thats what I've done and they were good. I'm always willing to learn. What do you suggest as a better method/different time?

Alteran,

I don't think it's the method, just the duration. If they're BB's as you describe, 4 hours in the smoke and 4 to 6 more in foil would seem to long, like to the point the bones would fall out.

3lb BB's should be done around the 6 hour point, depending on the temp.

Foiling will cut the time as it will steam/soften the ribs (the effect many want when using foil).

Key point? If it works for you, keep doing it. Regardless of my temps, methods, you will improve your smoking by keeping good notes and determining what times/temps work for you.

Al,

I wouldn't change what your doing for this time if it has worked before. Next time your cooking some 3lb BB ribs and it is only for you and your household, try something a little different, only to compare.

Cook them at 250* for 4 hrs, open door to dump moisture. Spritz with apple juice and rotate racks. Cook another 1 hr, open door spritz and put on some sauce. Check with toothpick for doneness, probably 45min to 1hr longer in smoker.

Remove FTC for 30 minutes and let us know how they compare to the way your doing it. It is only a thought!!!

This sounds like something I would like to try. Questions...

So leave then uncovered for the entire time?

And what is FTC?

As always, thank you men for the help.
Any and all more suggestions are appreciated.

quote:

Originally posted by cal:
Al,

I wouldn't change what your doing for this time if it has worked before. Next time your cooking some 3lb BB ribs and it is only for you and your household, try something a little different, only to compare.

Cook them at 250* for 4 hrs, open door to dump moisture. Spritz with apple juice and rotate racks. Cook another 1 hr, open door spritz and put on some sauce. Check with toothpick for doneness, probably 45min to 1hr longer in smoker.

Remove FTC for 30 minutes and let us know how they compare to the way your doing it. It is only a thought!!!

FTC. When the meat is done, wrap it in double heavy duty foil (F), wrap a beach towel around it (T,) and place it in a cooler (C). It will stay hot and safe for several hours that way. Tends to help the meat get a little more tender also.

It is primarily a way to hold meat when done before you plan to eat. A lot of us plan for the meat get to get done earlier than we want it, then FTC. By planning on an early finish, you can keep the meat when it's done as planned (FTC), and if your creation takes longer than planned, you have some leeway without delaying dinner.

Many don't foil the ribs while smoking them. When they're done, pull them and eat or FTC for awhile. Toothpick test will tell you when they're done.

Al,

These times may be a little long if you don't want fall off the bone ribs, but that is what you have been doing,IMO.

The opening of the door does a couple things that you have to experience. Spritzing the ribs will help carmelize the meat. Opening the door will add time to cook, so thats why this may seem a little longer. Pags told you right, let the FTC tender the ribs, but remember at the higher temp of 250*, the ribs will keep cooking in the cooler.

Here lately, I have been foiling when they come out and only wrapping in the towel for 30 minutes, no need for the cooler unless you need to keep warm for longer peroid of time.

I try to keep them from being fall off the bone, so I open at 3hr mark turn ribs rotate shelves and spritz, then 45 min,spritz and glaze and another 45 min.

You will always need to check with toothpick and decide after a few times how you like them.

Always keep good notes on weight, time, and results. Foil is not needed in the smoker, personally I don't like the mess I make when I use foil on the ribs in my cs020.