Freezing Ribs

[tknotek]

Im planning on smoking about 30 slabs for my wifes 40th b-day. I want to do them ahead of time, freeze them, then when ready, thaw and warm on grill. Has anybody done this and any advice or tips that I can use.
Thanks
Tom

 

[sumosmoke]

I haven't tried freezing pre-cooked ribs yet, but your method sounds like it will work. Be sure to seal them up really well to avoid frost bite. Do you have a foodsaver?

 

[tknotek]

I do have a vacume sealer and only plan on doing it about 2-3 days ahead

 

[bigsteve]

I wrap them tight in saran wrap, then put in freezer bags. I try best I can to get as much of the air out of thr freezer bag as I can. I've never reheated on the grill. I always hated them reheated in the wave, so now I put them in a 250* oven for about an hour. I put them in an aluminum roasting pan with some liquid and cover with foil.

 

[forluvofsmoke]

Yep. And, if the "O" can't handle the volume, fire the smoker up and do the same with it.

Eric

 

[ocsnapper]

It will be fine, I have done this and they came out great days later. Just wrap them in plastic wrap then reheat on the grill.. good luck

 

[billbo]

I ate some ribs last night that I had vacuum sealed June 14. I put them in boiling water to heat. They tasted like they just came off the smoker!

 

[lcruzen]

Ribs are excellent re-heated. Assuming you use the 3-2-1 method or a variation, do the 3-2 on the smoker, freeze, then slowly reheat and sauce on the grill.

 

[pops6927]

30 slabs of ribs?? Well, what's everyone else gonna eat?

 

[bernie]

question... why freeze the ribs if you're going to thaw them and reheat them the day after? would it make more sense to just cryovac them with some liquid and refrigerate, then reheat in an oven, smoker or grill?

also, do you recommend cooking the ribs all the way through before freezing/storing?

 

[mballi3011]

One thing you have to do is make sure you keep all the air out of your packing. I think you should buy a food saver with your smoker because they go so well together. Then you can buy more meat and not pay so much for it.

 

[scpatterson]

I do this all the time. Just ate some from the freezer I cooked over a month ago. I have heated them on the smoker and the wave/oven. They are all good and I do not prefer 1 over the other. We take them camping alot and actually heat them over an open fire. I move some coals form our fire and put under my steel grating and just put teh ribs off to the side and they are great that way. Beats hot dogs anyday and I like a good hot dog...

 

[bman62526]

I agree with what another poster said, maybe everyone else missed this, or I've misunderstood something?

These are all great suggestions for re-heating ribs, but if you are smoking these only THREE DAYS before you plan to eat them - then there is no need to freeze, IMO.

I would take the finished ribs (no sauce applied yet) off the smoker, cut them into 1/4 or 1/3 slabs, and just put them into big ziplock bags.

Two days later, remove from the bags and line them up in a big foil roaster, cover with heavy duty aluminum foil TIGHT (w/ some apple juice in the bottom - maybe 1/2 cup each roaster pan) and heat them for one hour in a pre-heated 250° oven. Pull off the foil after one hour, apply any sauce needed, and after 10 more min. back in the oven uncovered - you're done!