upcoming party..need advice

[allegroc]

Hi all! I just joined SMF a few days ago and Kat was nice enough to welcome me. Thought Id check out the AL folks. I'm here in Owens Cross Roads (right outside of Huntsville). I'm new to smoking and own a Cookshack electric smoker (model 009). I have a big pool party/BBQ buffet coming up and have a question. I did a trial run on ribs last Friday and it was a smashing success! I plan to serve ribs, pulled pork, chicken and peel & eat BBQ shrimp. Planning on 35-40 people and they all bring sides/munchies. My smoker only holds about three, 4lb ea. slabs of spare ribs...pretty small. How can I make ahead and keep warm food w/o drying them out?  Or make ahead and reheat w/o ruining it? It took me 6 hours for the ribs and I read 10-12 for the pork butt. Thinking of grilling chicken instead of smoking for this reason. I'd love to have it all done and in the big foil pans before people arrive. They start showing up around 4:30 and we eat around 6:00. Suggestions PLEASE??? I'm a night owl so I have no problem putting meats in the smoker at all hours of the night/morning.

Thanks and looking forward to getting to know everyone!

Carol

 

[kathrynn]

Hi all! I just joined SMF a few days ago and Kat was nice enough to welcome me. Thought Id check out the AL folks. I'm here in Owens Cross Roads (right outside of Huntsville). I'm new to smoking and own a Cookshack electric smoker (model 009). I have a big pool party/BBQ buffet coming up and have a question. I did a trial run on ribs last Friday and it was a smashing success! I plan to serve ribs, pulled pork, chicken and peel & eat BBQ shrimp. Planning on 35-40 people and they all bring sides/munchies. My smoker only holds about three, 4lb ea. slabs of spare ribs...pretty small. How can I make ahead and keep warm food w/o drying them out?  Or make ahead and reheat w/o ruining it? It took me 6 hours for the ribs and I read 10-12 for the pork butt. Thinking of grilling chicken instead of smoking for this reason. I'd love to have it all done and in the big foil pans before people arrive. They start showing up around 4:30 and we eat around 6:00. Suggestions PLEASE??? I'm a night owl so I have no problem putting meats in the smoker at all hours of the night/morning.

Thanks and looking forward to getting to know everyone!

Carol

Howdy again!  Yes....I would cook the butts ahead of time....like possibly the day before hand...if you can.  Put the pulled pork in a foil pan...cover with either a lid...or foil.  Pop into the fridge.  I warm mine up in the oven at 300* for about 30-45 minutes before serving.  The ribs...I would do that day...but you would do them the same way as the butts. With the butts...plan on around 2 hours per pound...but the IT (internal temp) is what you need to go by...not necessarily the time part.  I had a butt go over 20 hours on me one time.

When we have our annual pool party....that is what I do...smoke everything the day before.  My 2 cents...hope that helped some.

Kat