vac-seal Ribs

Hi, Cook17,
I just label with a marking pen on the area that will be cut off when opening the vac-pack.
No, you don't need to add any preservatives, the meat will keep just fine in the refrigerator for a few days or in the freezer for longer periods of time. I usually date everything I put in the freezer.
With ribs, depending on the bones, you may have to cover the ends with paper towel "socks" to keep them from puncturing the vacuum bag.
Normally, ribs don't last long enough around here to vac-pack them. If there's any leftovers, I usually wrap in saran then foil.
To reheat, just place in the oven at about 250* for an hour or so. That's it. They usually come out great.

I find that if I portion ribs in single bones with the exposed part(up)towards the seal in the bag I lose less packages due to puncture. On the other hand if I package 1/2 racks, the bones sit sideways in the bag and tend to go through the plastic. Another way is to place in styro tray. All depends on what amount you are going to package.

cook17, is this for yourself. For home use, don't worry about preservatives, just get a good seal on the bag. Are you going to "sell" them, then the labeling depends on the health laws and postal laws about 'labeling'. See it's your first post, so tell us about yourself background. You'll find people are more helpful if they understand what your background is, as far a Q.

Mike, I don't know about there, but most people here won't buy ribs "individually" packed, but if you've got the customers GOOD for you. For takeout - it's a whole slab usually. If the ribs are puncturing the plastic, your plastic is the wrong stuff, you might get a thicker bag.

Smokin'

Thanks Smokinokie I'am from a small town in wi I have been BQ pork,beef etc for all type of occasions for about 10 years, I have my own rubs that I use for years. I make my own sausage I do alot of home smoking.I love cooking I would like to try smoking ribs and meats for the stores in my area.I'am looking for the right help to get started? reading on the fourm this is the place. so I will try this again.looking for info on packaging meats with the right info and what types of perservatives to use for shelf life in the stores. Thanks in advance cook17

Cook17,
I'm not positive but I believe you are about to enter the not so wonderful world of FDA regulations. In my opinion, your best bet would be to consult with a food lab. They can determine the requirements for your product's packaging, storage, labeling, shelf-life, and processing.

You may be able to get free info from a local university, assuming there's one near by and it has a food science or related department. If not, try searching the on-line directories for "food processing consultant".

On second thought, you may want to start with a call to your local health department. They should be able to provide, free of charge, some of the info you are seeking, in addition to the requirements for your packaging facility. I�m assuming you want to do this legally.

Fresh is best.

I'm a huge fan of spares & babybacks and have ordered them from Corky's, New Braunfels, and other noted sources just to put them up against my own. They always fall short...probably cuz they go into a blast freezer after cooking. Even my own ribs and pulled pork taste a bit "lazy" after a rest in the freezer.

I'd shy away from perservatives. Kept at proper temp., smoked meat should have a shelve life of 5-7 days. Try to build your concept within a product that can be "turned around" within that time frame.

Before launching your project, check with the Health Dept. as to what code requirements you must meet. You'll also want to check-in with your insurance agent for product liability protection.

Good luck!

A company I worked for looked into doing take and bake pizzas about 10 years ago. I remember very few of the details, but I seem to remember that the ingredients needed to be listed, along with nutrition info. There were also special requirements for making your product eligible to be purchased with food stamps, which was a concern for selling through grocery stores. As others have suggested, a first call to your local health dept. would be in order. I'm not sure where you do your cooking, but there is a good chance you will need a commercial kitchen, and not something you can do from your home. Also ask them if they can send you a copy of their regulations for food processors. I would read the regulations thoroughly to get an idea of what's involved in complying with the code.

As Topchef mentioned, proper insurance for this venture is a must. I would further recommend consulting with your attorney about your liability exposure after you've done your own preliminary research.

Turning a BBQ sideline into a business is a pretty large task, but if you are up to the challenge, it can be a heck of a lot of fun, also! Best of luck to you!

I realize that smokin, my problem is that I have limited availability as to bag thickness here, and importation is not an easy task in this country. Also, with our local market, I find a lot of the small restaurants that I sell to end up choppping up the racks (country style) and putting 2 or three meaty bones on the plate, so I try to make it easier for them by making a pack a service. I have not had anyone not rave over my products, this is more a result of VERY little competition rather than my BBQ prowess. There are only two rib restaurants in this city of approx 2 million, and one is Tony Roma's (no comment). Neither have authentic pits and neither use wood fuel. I feel (hope) I have a good opportunity here, but, it's an uphill climb. I always appreciate your comments and suggestions. I hope one day to purchase an Ole Hickory, and send poor old Negra Matea to the Venezuelan BBQ museum.

Here's a Foodsaver Hot Tip from Flanagan's Galley:

I use cone coffee filters to cover the ends of things that might puncture the bag and also to prevent juices from getting sucked into the machine. Fish tails fit perfectly in them!