Hot holding ribs?

Q_Done_Right · 06-01-2017, 06:45 PM

How do you all hot hold your ribs when vending? I have a $175 Carlisle Hot Box that works awesome for whole pork butts and briskets...I've only "tested" them out so far but they keep the meat real warm for several hours when doubled wrapped in heavy duty foil. And I can just pull out as needed.

But I also need a way to effectively hot hold the spare ribs I'll be making. The plan so far is to let them rest uncovered out of the smoker for 5-10 minutes and then tightly single wrap in heavy duty foil while keeping them in the hot box...will pull out slabs as needed when ordered. The longest they would ever sit in the hot box would be for an hour and a half or two at the most...where I will be vending we plan to sell dinner between 5-7ish. Not worried if the bark goes soft or they are a little fall off the bone-like as they will already have been cooked in foil the last hour before pulling off the smoker. I'm going to test this method out soon and *think* it will work but just wanted to see what others recommend. We're planning to sell them by the 1/3 rack. We have table counter top warmers as well but those are strictly for pulled pork, pulled chicken and sausage. Haven't heard good things about holding ribs that way.

mchar69 · 06-01-2017, 10:21 PM

I'm interested in answers as well, since my 2 1/2 - 1 - 1/2 turned out mushy.
No hold time. AT 275.
If it were catering, and had buns on hand, woulda been spectacular.
All ears on holding, how do you prevent turning it to mush.. >?
Ribs are a dicey entity.

bigdogphin · 06-02-2017, 03:01 AM

FYI the hotboxes are great until you start opening the door and going in and out of them. You can get taller lids for your electric warmer. You can wrap them in food service film and stack them in there after you have cooked them and rested them. From your description it doesn't sound like you have enough equipment for a menu like you want. How many warmers do you have and what type. Can you put pork and chicken in one warmed then do chicken and beans in another then ribs in a third? Where is your smoker you can hold ribs in there as well just get the temp below 200 somewher but above 150.

Cook · 06-02-2017, 06:28 AM

Heated holding cabinet. You can get a half-sized model. Don't overcook the ribs & they don't go to mush.

Bbq Bubba · 06-02-2017, 06:56 AM

Stop wrapping your ribs in foil, causing them to get mushy.

Q_Done_Right · 06-02-2017, 11:26 AM

Let me clarify a few things:

1) I cook my spare ribs (cut to St. Louis) just shy of being done because I know they may sit a while. They are anything but fall off the bone. So, if they become a little less firm while holding it's no big deal.

2) I only cook mine in foil for the last hour with nothing included in the wrap. The first 2 3/4 hours are unwrapped at 275. After they are finished I let them rest tented for a bit and apply a light glaze. I and the people I generally cook for really like the texture/consistency this way. Flavor is outstanding and ribs are very moist without tasting like mush...they aren't mushy at all to be honest and I cook a LOT of ribs both wrapped and unwrapped.

3) I agree that opening and closing a hot box ends up defeating its purpose. I'm thinking of getting a second Carlisle one that I wouldn't have to go into very often and if I did it would be very quickly. Again, the ribs wouldn't be spending a lot of time in them as we're doing this more small scale and more less expect them to sell quickly. A heated hot cabinet isn't an option this summer due to cost and space/storage limitations. If we end up doing this on a larger scale next summer with a trailer, we're looking at an Alto Sham.

4) We have three Avantco electric counter top food warmers (12x20). One we were planning to use for pulled pork, the second for pulled chicken or sausage and the third for a side like baked beans or Mac and cheese. I guess I could try testing out ribs wrapped in food grade film this way but I've heard about bad experiences people have had keeping ribs in this type of warmer...even on lower temps they get so steamed they end up breaking down badly over time. But maybe someone on here hasn't had that experience? I'm open to learning.

Cook · 06-03-2017, 10:52 PM

No...don't put the ribs in a steam table! A heated cabinet is what you need & want.

06-01-2017, 06:45 PM	#1
Q_Done_Right On the road to being a farker Join Date: 03-13-17 Location: Chi-Town	Hot holding ribs? How do you all hot hold your ribs when vending? I have a $175 Carlisle Hot Box that works awesome for whole pork butts and briskets...I've only "tested" them out so far but they keep the meat real warm for several hours when doubled wrapped in heavy duty foil. And I can just pull out as needed. But I also need a way to effectively hot hold the spare ribs I'll be making. The plan so far is to let them rest uncovered out of the smoker for 5-10 minutes and then tightly single wrap in heavy duty foil while keeping them in the hot box...will pull out slabs as needed when ordered. The longest they would ever sit in the hot box would be for an hour and a half or two at the most...where I will be vending we plan to sell dinner between 5-7ish. Not worried if the bark goes soft or they are a little fall off the bone-like as they will already have been cooked in foil the last hour before pulling off the smoker. I'm going to test this method out soon and think it will work but just wanted to see what others recommend. We're planning to sell them by the 1/3 rack. We have table counter top warmers as well but those are strictly for pulled pork, pulled chicken and sausage. Haven't heard good things about holding ribs that way.

06-02-2017, 03:01 AM	#3
bigdogphin is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 05-12-09 Location: Sperry, OK	FYI the hotboxes are great until you start opening the door and going in and out of them. You can get taller lids for your electric warmer. You can wrap them in food service film and stack them in there after you have cooked them and rested them. From your description it doesn't sound like you have enough equipment for a menu like you want. How many warmers do you have and what type. Can you put pork and chicken in one warmed then do chicken and beans in another then ribs in a third? Where is your smoker you can hold ribs in there as well just get the temp below 200 somewher but above 150. __________________ Jesse Movin' The Chains BBQ TEAM "Xquelibur" Black badazz Yoder Cimarron Custom Yoder Frontiersman II and YS1500 Reverse FEC 100 & Right Handed FEC 100 1 UDS Desert Thermapen W/ American flag Green Thermapen KCBS & PNWBA CBJ

06-02-2017, 06:28 AM	#4
Cook Babbling Farker Join Date: 12-23-10 Location: Mount Pleasant, SC & Harkers Island, NC Name/Nickname : Jay	Heated holding cabinet. You can get a half-sized model. Don't overcook the ribs & they don't go to mush. __________________ "Barbecue...it's just heat & meat" - Circa 5/10/11 - Quote by Cook

06-02-2017, 06:56 AM	#5
Bbq Bubba somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 05-03-07 Location: New Baltimore, Mi.	Stop wrapping your ribs in foil, causing them to get mushy. __________________ Owner of Bubba's BBQ & Catering L.L.C. Beer Snob I cook the #bestbrisketnorthoftexas. Get over it. #detroitporkmafia BBQ Person of the Year 2013

06-03-2017, 10:52 PM	#7
Cook Babbling Farker Join Date: 12-23-10 Location: Mount Pleasant, SC & Harkers Island, NC Name/Nickname : Jay	No...don't put the ribs in a steam table! A heated cabinet is what you need & want. __________________ "Barbecue...it's just heat & meat" - Circa 5/10/11 - Quote by Cook

06-01-2017, 10:21 PM	#2
mchar69 Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 02-22-14 Location: Kensington, MD	I'm interested in answers as well, since my 2 1/2 - 1 - 1/2 turned out mushy. No hold time. AT 275. If it were catering, and had buns on hand, woulda been spectacular. All ears on holding, how do you prevent turning it to mush.. >? Ribs are a dicey entity.

06-02-2017, 11:26 AM	#6
Q_Done_Right On the road to being a farker Join Date: 03-13-17 Location: Chi-Town	Let me clarify a few things: 1) I cook my spare ribs (cut to St. Louis) just shy of being done because I know they may sit a while. They are anything but fall off the bone. So, if they become a little less firm while holding it's no big deal. 2) I only cook mine in foil for the last hour with nothing included in the wrap. The first 2 3/4 hours are unwrapped at 275. After they are finished I let them rest tented for a bit and apply a light glaze. I and the people I generally cook for really like the texture/consistency this way. Flavor is outstanding and ribs are very moist without tasting like mush...they aren't mushy at all to be honest and I cook a LOT of ribs both wrapped and unwrapped. 3) I agree that opening and closing a hot box ends up defeating its purpose. I'm thinking of getting a second Carlisle one that I wouldn't have to go into very often and if I did it would be very quickly. Again, the ribs wouldn't be spending a lot of time in them as we're doing this more small scale and more less expect them to sell quickly. A heated hot cabinet isn't an option this summer due to cost and space/storage limitations. If we end up doing this on a larger scale next summer with a trailer, we're looking at an Alto Sham. 4) We have three Avantco electric counter top food warmers (12x20). One we were planning to use for pulled pork, the second for pulled chicken or sausage and the third for a side like baked beans or Mac and cheese. I guess I could try testing out ribs wrapped in food grade film this way but I've heard about bad experiences people have had keeping ribs in this type of warmer...even on lower temps they get so steamed they end up breaking down badly over time. But maybe someone on here hasn't had that experience? I'm open to learning.