A couple of Q's for the rib masters.
I have a family reunion coming up where I have been asked to provide pulled pork and ribs. The plan is to pre cook everything, vac pac and reheat. Pulled pork is no problem. What I want to know is, does this work well for ribs also? And if it does, should I pac them as full slabs, half slabs, or other? Also, how many bones per person do you all recommend?
Any other pointers or tips would be greatly appreciated.
Best way to reheat ribs would be a quick 4-6 minutes on a hot grill flipping once or twice.
Sometimes I will also slather a little BBQ sauce on them when reheating on the grill but only when grilling, straight off the smoker no Q sauce but that's your best bet and it doesn't take long.
Vac sealing you don't necessarily have to do unless doing the ribs way ahead of time and freezing, otherwise stacking them in a large hotel pan and covering with plastic wrap and foil will be just fine and a lot easier and leaving them whole would be easier as well for when you go to reheat them..
For how many bones I would say 3-4 per person if they are also eating a PP sandwich and sides as well, that would be a mighty fine plate for anyone.
I'm a big fan of the Hawgheaven Rib Reheat Method ®
Quote:
Originally Posted by HawgHeaven
Normally what I do is vacu-seal them before freezing. When I reheat, I thaw them first, remove from the bag, then place them in a disposable aluminum pan, bone down, and pour a bit of apple juice in the pan. Cover with foil, set the oven at 350, and heat for 20 to 30 minutes.
Works great. Don't know if it's practical for the amount you have to do though.
Dave
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I smoke em & vac pack for a friend. He reheats on the grill aboot medium-low to warm them up & then sauces & finishes over the heat to set up. I've had em & they are actually pretty good. I also like to pre wrap them in Saran type wrap before vac packing freezing, in case bone edges are showing.
Well, I'm doing the ribs this Sunday. Weekends are so busy, with the sorghum mill rebuild and that whole project. I'm running out of time to get all the food smoked. So it will be 3 weeks before we eat them.
So I figured 1/2 a slab per person (except for me of course), so I guess I'll have plenty.
I'll be using electric roasters to re-heat everything.
The entire state is under an open fire ban, and I'm thinking they may frown on a stick burning smoker at a state park. That's why I'm pre-cooking everything.
Electric roaster should do a fine job reheating them long as you don't have it too hot so they heat throughout before crisping the outside too much.
If rotating they may baste themselves but you may want to have a spritz on hand just in case you need to hit them with a little moisture.
Hope everything turns out great, I'm sure it will be lots of fun and a tasty meal!
I almost always pre-cook, vac seal, freeze and reheat when I have ribs for a cater gig. I use the 11 inch roll and freeze two racks per pouch. Not the best pic to see that detail, but the only one I have...
Kind of a pain in the butt to get in the pouch, so I cut a thin flexible cutting board to aboot the size of a rack of St. Looies, lay the rack on the board, lay the board on my arm, slide it in the bag, remove the board. For big gigs, I thaw in a cooler full of cool water, then put 4 racks in a covered foil pan, reheat in the oven. For pesonal reheat, I just flip them around on my little gasser. Also, when I cook a lot of ribs that I know I'm gonna freeze, I skip the last hour of the 3-2-1.
Another reheat trick I've tried and liked for a big reheat is thaw in a tub of HOT water, changing the water as it cools because of the frozen ribs. Gets them pretty warm, then finish off in the oven or grill, or even the smoker if I have time.
Oh, and I do 2 bones per person with PP sammies, three bones per if no other meat on the line.
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I almost always pre-cook, vac seal, freeze and reheat when I have ribs for a cater gig. I use the 11 inch roll and freeze two racks per pouch. Not the best pic to see that detail, but the only one I have...
Kind of a pain in the butt to get in the pouch, so I cut a thin flexible cutting board to aboot the size of a rack of St. Looies, lay the rack on the board, lay the board on my arm, slide it in the bag, remove the board. For big gigs, I thaw in a cooler full of cool water, then put 4 racks in a covered foil pan, reheat in the oven. For pesonal reheat, I just flip them around on my little gasser. Also, when I cook a lot of ribs that I know I'm gonna freeze, I skip the last hour of the 3-2-1.
Another reheat trick I've tried and liked for a big reheat is thaw in a tub of HOT water, changing the water as it cools because of the frozen ribs. Gets them pretty warm, then finish off in the oven or grill, or even the smoker if I have time.
Oh, and I do 2 bones per person with PP sammies, three bones per if no other meat on the line.
Now there's a great idear!!!
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Make it right with just enough, or make it fail with a bit too much...
Truth be told I found that vac sealed ribs reheat in the microwave in the bag just fine and I figure a rack for three people with all the other fixings is more than enough
I am not a pro. But, I have done a lot of ribs at differnt gigs and one person wants a lot of extras for later. I do about 38 BB for him. I use the commercial cellophane wrap. one slab at a time while still warm or hot. seems to kinda shrink wrap around the rib and makes a great seal.
Bubba told me with this wrap you can warm it in the oven and not worry about taking it off. and nuke it ta book. so I have tried both. and it works.
suprised Bubba has not talked of how he has done it for ever it seems.
there is an ole boy here that has a roach coach and smokes meats ta seel at road side. he does it this way also. and says it works great. I saw him put stuff in his warmer wrapped and it comes out good.
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You guys are the best.
12 racks of ribs are on, hickory is putting out almost invisible smoke. My mouth is already watering. I hope I can wait till Labor Day weekend.
I don't remember where I saw it, but someone had to do a reheat of a lot of ribs and didn't have the grill resources for heating that way, took the ribs that were vac sealed and layers them in a big cooler, poured boiling water over them to get them hot. Had a second cooler he did same with corn on cob. After hot, he took ribs out and put them in full chafers. I think he cut them in 3 ribbers. I think ribs were defrosted before doing this.
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I just thought of another variable here. Since I will be freezing the ribs and reheating, would you forgo the last hour of the cook for reheating?
For instance; if I'm using the 3-2-1 method, smoke for 3 hours, foil for 2 hours, and since the last unfoiled hour is for firming up, would you go ahead and pack them in the freezer, then I need them, thaw them and place them on a 250° grill for an hour to firm and reheat?
I just thought of another variable here. Since I will be freezing the ribs and reheating, would you forgo the last hour of the cook for reheating?
For instance; if I'm using the 3-2-1 method, smoke for 3 hours, foil for 2 hours, and since the last unfoiled hour is for firming up, would you go ahead and pack them in the freezer, then I need them, thaw them and place them on a 250° grill for an hour to firm and reheat?
It's an option that works... However, I usually go thru with the entire cook, then freeze. That way, all the goodness of the final glaze gets sucked into the vacuum sealed bag and REALLY gives the ribs added flavor as they sit in the freezer.
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Make it right with just enough, or make it fail with a bit too much...
It's an option that works... However, I usually go thru with the entire cook, then freeze. That way, all the goodness of the final glaze gets sucked into the vacuum sealed bag and REALLY gives the ribs added flavor as they sit in the freezer.
Agreed, would go through with the full cook.
Not only for the tastiness of the finished product/glaze/bark but also you want them at their final stage (or 15 minutes under so the bones/meat don't break apart when lifting with tongs after reheating) but you will want to take them all the way to the finished stage then cool, and a rapid cool would be even better to help everything firm up and hold together.
Also the rapid cooling (nothing more than from smoker to fridge uncovered, on a cooling/cookie rack is even better, until fully cooled and then covered) helps trap in moisture and firmness and will make the reheated final product that much better, moister and pull off the bone tasty!
Questions for the rib pro's here.
Don't know if it's practical for the amount you have to do though. 
)
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