Ribs for the masses? suggestions welcome...

salsashark · Mar 26, 2010

OK, so my plans got derailed and I'm looking for some suggestions on cooking around 50Lbs of ribs.

I have a Kingfisher Kooker on order that would have easily handled this quantity, but production got delayed and I have a BBQ planned for next weekend. So, now I'm stuck with my pitmaster, my grill, and 13 racks of ribs to cook.

I was hoping to cook them in a slightly modified 3-2-1 method.

Night before the smoke
-dry rub and chill all the ribs

Day before the Q
-3 hours smoke
-2 hours wrapped
**taken out, cut up and packaged**

Day of
-Planning to take several pans of ribs and reheat them on the grill at the Q (It's not at my house so all I have available is a gas grill)

Here's my problem. The pitmaster can't handle the full amount so I'm going to have to do this in stages. I was planning on smoking as many racks as I can reasonably fit into the smoker, then transfer them to the grill for the wrapped cook time while the next set of ribs goes into the smoke.

Since I'm relatively new to cooking ribs, I guess I'm looking for suggestions or comments to make sure these come out good. I'm not worried about seasonings... I've worked out a really good rub. I'm more concerned about cook times and reheating the day of the Q.

Thanks all...

rbranstner · Mar 26, 2010

I don't see why you couldn't foil the first batch and throw them on your grill (as long as you can keep the temps around 225-250) while you put the second batch on the smoker.

salsashark · Mar 26, 2010

That's the plan for now...

Unless by some miracle my KK shows up next week, but I'm not holding my breath.

mballi3011 · Mar 26, 2010

It sounds like you have a good plan so now all you have to do is apply your plan and everything will work out by it's self. Good luck and don't forget the Qview.

boiseque · Mar 26, 2010

Yeah your plans sounds good, just make sure you keep you temps on the gas grill 225-250 like rbranstner said and dont loose track of time. I had a part time job a while back cooking for the national guard here in Boise, we were feeding all the troops getting ready for deployment. Up to 800 per night, I pan fried 750 steaks one night! Timing is everything in a task like that so just keep track of temps and your time and you will be golden! I would like to see the qview as well, thats a lot of ribs! Good luck brother!

salsashark · Mar 26, 2010

thanks... I'll definitely get some qview.

hmmm maybe do up some ABTs since I'll be home all day anyways!

erain · Mar 26, 2010

you can probably get more ribs on than what you think... pile em on and just keep rotating them around with tongs. have finished off on weber just like your planing, racks stacked 6 hi. just keep shuffling around. at that point your ribs are pretty much done anyway. your just finishing off the outsides and saucing if you use sauce. you will see the bottom and top cooking fastest, move to center of pile as you rotate.

salsashark · Mar 26, 2010

Why didn't I think of that?!

I've always been hung up on racking them and smoking them on the vertical... hmmm something new to think about.

erain · Mar 26, 2010

for the smoking portion you dont want to stack, but to finish them off on a grill after foil is what i meant.

rp ribking · Mar 26, 2010

I have smoked 11 slabs of spares in 2 different smoking sessions, the only way I could do it cause of limited space. Be prepared, get plenty of rest and don't drink to much Beer during the 1st smoke or during the 2nd smoke you'll ware down. I do not use any foil during smoking, but for holding the ribs, it probably would be helpful or you could reheat them in a oven or microwave.

smokin' dick · Mar 26, 2010

Last Fall I needed to do 25 racks of Babybacks for a party. Have a Silver Smoker, WSM and a drum. Like to cook my ribs flat, so it's 6 racks in the SS, 6 racks in the 2 rack drum and none in the WSM 'cuz I like to cook full racks. After three hours in the smoke the ribs went into full size alum. pans, foiled and into a 200* oven. Loaded up the smokers for another run of ribs which then got the same treatment. After 1 1/2 hours in the oven the pans went into the fridge till the next day when the same smokers were fired up to finish the job from the day before. Everything came out great for the Beer Club Party and I am invited back next year to do it again. So do not fear the oven. Once things are foiled, heat is heat and if you don't tell anyone, neither will I.

salsashark · Mar 26, 2010

Thanks... it sounds like I'm on the right track... we'll see how they turn out.

salsashark · Apr 3, 2010

Allrighty! Time to do a little update w/ some qview.

Got the ribs all rubbed down with some "pitch n throw" rub (pitch in some of this and throw in some of that). Needing such a large amount, I bought a premade salt rub and doctored it up.

But, the star of the show is definitely the ground jalapeno powder.

All rubbed up and ready for the night in the fridge

Unfortunately my new Kingfisher is still on order so I had to break the smoke into two batches. Here's the first

Outta the smoke and into the foil. I doused the ribs with some apple juice and Jim Beam before wrapping them up and putting them into the oven

Done with the tastey sauna and heading back outside for some fire time

mmmmm tastey tastey fire!

Ready to go under the knife

...and a little quality control

Now I have 40Lbs of smoked, cooked and sliced ribs ready for the BBQ tomorrow. With any luck, I'll grab a few pics and post up some happy eaters!

Thanks for all the advice, they've turned out quite well.

old poi dog · Apr 3, 2010

Great job sticking to the plan. The results speak for themselves.

caveman · Apr 3, 2010

Outstanding!! Great job at handling a huge load of ribs.

salsashark · Apr 3, 2010

Survey says!

That was a successful BBQ! (more pics)

dirt guy · Apr 3, 2010

Great pics! Man, everything from a Ducati to an Interceptor in the slideshow. Looks like a great gathering. I'm glad it all worked out for you.

FWIW, in a crunch, I've finished up ribs several hours before needed. They were wrapped in foil and placed in an ice chest. All were still good and hot for the feed that day. We sliced and served them as needed. We had a grill on "stand by" if they had come out of the chest cold. But the latent heat stayed with them. I have a friend that owns a steak house. He said this practice is the same as what he does for large catering jobs.

salsashark · Apr 5, 2010

It worked out allright. I had the ribs cut up and in a couple of aluminum pans. Put the pans on the grill for 20 minutes or so, then dropped them off inside.

Yeah we had a bit of everything show up to the Q.
-Mostly Japanese sport bikes
-A couple Harleys and a few other cruisers
-A lot of Euro's (Ducati, Triumph, BMW, and even a Norton!)
-And a few unsavory dual sporters :)

Good times were had by all. I look forward to doing it again!

northern greenhorn · Apr 5, 2010

Great food, great bikes, good times,

Ribs for the masses? suggestions welcome...

Fire Starter

Smoking Guru

Fire Starter

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

Smoke Blower

Fire Starter

Master of the Pit

Fire Starter

Master of the Pit

Smoking Fanatic

Smoking Fanatic

Fire Starter

Fire Starter

Master of the Pit

Master of the Pit

Fire Starter

Smoking Fanatic

Fire Starter

Master of the Pit

Similar threads

Hot Threads