Tips for smoking 30 racks of baby backs

[tomass22]

Hi, new to posting but read a lot of posts you guys are great! I need so advice, I am smoking 20-30 racks of ribs for a party Saturday.(65-75 adults). Also will be serving sausage (not smoked just grilled an few sides) Looking for any advice on the best way to do it. My main questions are how to judge the time being that much meat in the box at once? Best way to wrap that many ribs fast enough to keep up with time? Any any other advice would be great! I have a Masterbuilt 44” propane smoker with only the door gasket mod. I do plan on using rib racks, I can not cook the day before, has to be the day of. But the good news is the party starts at 4pm looking to serve at 5pm. So have a lot of time that day.
Thanks

 

[RiversideSm0ker]

30 would be a whole lot of ribs perhaps with sausage and sides you could go closer to the 20 side. I’m pretty sure this is where I would embrace a no wrap method of smoking. Just curious if you believe you could actually fit 30 racks of ribs in your smoker at one time? I plan on watching your thread because I’m very interested in how you end up accomplishing your goal.

George

 

[zachd]

I would think you need a bigger or secondary smoker

 

[gmc2003]

This is going to be interesting. I don't know how many ribs will fit in your smoker at once, but I'm guessing not 30. Given your circumstances I would say your going to have to get up real early and start smoking those ribs. Then you'll have to reheat them in your oven. Put the finished ribs in a foil pan brushed with your favorite sauce and cover with foil. Then put them into your oven at 350 until warm. Someone may have a better idea, but that's the only way that comes to mind currently. Good luck and let us know how you go about this.

Chris

 

[zachd]

You could do them 3 2 1 with help of your oven
Start as many as you can in smoker for the 3
take out and wrap in foil and put in oven

Put new batch in smoker for 3 and continue to use smoker to cook those and use the oven to finish the other


The ones that you finish the 2 1 in the oven will still have smoke since you started them in the smoker

 

[kelbro]

You could do them 3 2 1 with help of your oven
Start as many as you can in smoker for the 3
take out and wrap in foil and put in oven

Put new batch in smoker for 3 and continue to use smoker to cook those and use the oven to finish the other


The ones that you finish the 2 1 in the oven will still have smoke since you started them in the smoker

That's how I have done it.

 

[Jeff Wright]

Then put them into your oven at 350 until warm.

Actually, I am trying to visualize 30 racks of ribs in my oven, and it isn't really a small oven. Good luck with this smoke!! Gonna be interesting. I must say the sight of 30 racks of ribs sitting on the table would be a sight to behold!!! Dig in.

 

[tomass22]

Thanks for the input. My plan is 6 rib racks, my smoker has 6 racks in it so 1 rib rack per rack. The rib racks hold 5 ribs.thata where I’m getting 30. Maybe I’m crazy for even trying this? I figured on rotating the racks during the cook to keep the bottom racks from cooking fast. I was also thinking to put the rib racks in a foil pan and wrapping that to avoid pulling all the ribs off the racks. My biggest fear is the cook taking a lot longer because of the amount of meat, even if I only end up with 20 racks in there at once. Worst case I guess I could use my grill indirect?

 

[tomass22]

Also would you guys recommend watching the ribs by temperature? I’m afraid the 3 2 1 may not work because of the amount of food cooking at once. What is the best temperature for ribs
Thanks

 

[phatbac]

I recently did a cook for 150 people and made ribs amongst other items. I figured 5 people per rack. I cut them I to individual bones and they went pretty far. I smoked at 300 for 3.5 hours a couple weeks ahead of time (they were fall off the bone) then I vac sealed and day of the party I sauced and put in oven at 325 for 20 minutes. Cut them up and served hot. These were St Louis so your times will vary. Good luck!

Happy Smoking,
phatbac (Aaron)

 

[tropics]

Every time you open that door think about how much longer it is going to take!!