Saving ribs for later

J

jimewer

Guest
Hey all, I'll be going away for a weekend with some people and they asked me to bring some ribs. Now where we are going there isnt a smoker but a small bbq grill. I was wondering, does anyone know if at home I can prepair and smoke some Baby backs or St. Louis to about 80% done and let them cool, vaccuum seal and finish cooking them a few days later? Or should I just go 100% and quick sauce and finish fast on the grill? Any input would be helpfull! Thanks guys and gals! :becky:
 
I cook them all the way, cool, vacu-seal, and freeze.

To reheat, I thaw them, then gently heat them to serving temp. If you choose to sauce or glaze them, do that while reheating. I prefer a grill to reheat, but it can be done in an oven also.
 
good question, as I am in the same boat. I was going to cook them all the way through..except the last 1 hour or so. So essentially they would be down just not firmed up...cool and seal
jimewer said:
Hey all, I'll be going away for a weekend with some people and they asked me to bring some ribs. Now where we are going there isnt a smoker but a small bbq grill. I was wondering, does anyone know if at home I can prepair and smoke some Baby backs or St. Louis to about 80% done and let them cool, vaccuum seal and finish cooking them a few days later? Or should I just go 100% and quick sauce and finish fast on the grill? Any input would be helpfull! Thanks guys and gals! :becky:
Click to expand...

even on a lets say a 2-2-1 method? I was thinking of not doing the last hour...then just re-heating
augie said:
I cook them all the way, cool, vacu-seal, and freeze.

To reheat, I thaw them, then gently heat them to serving temp. If you choose to sauce or glaze them, do that while reheating. I prefer a grill to reheat, but it can be done in an oven also.
Click to expand...
Not trying to high jack the thread I figure you might have some of the same questions jimewer.
 
awesome. then thats what I'll do. I was worried by cooking them 100% then freezing then reheating that they would dry out. But if I reheat slow I shouldnt have that issue. Thanks Augie!
 
jimewer

I do this all the time, cook fully and vaccum seal. It should take about 25 minutes at a rolling boil to bring them alive. Then onto the gasser/charcoal grill to set sauce/glaze.
 
We usually smoke 5-6 racks of spares at a cook. Wrap them in foil and freeze them. Heat them for an hour at 300 when we want some. They don't last too long in the freezer around our house!
 
got14u, I would hesitate to cook anything part way, then save to finish later. I'd be afraid that it would be too easy for some or all of the food to be in the "danger zone" during the combination of time spent cooking, cooling down, thawing, and finishing.

jimewer, if you plan to cook the ribs no more than a day or two before reheating and serving, then you can omit the freezing/thawing steps as long as they are cooled quickly, sealed, and kept cool until time to reheat.

Enjoy!
 
Jim,
For traveling and family cookouts I often cook ribs until tender, vacuum seal in my Cabella's CG-15 and freeze. To prepare them for the table I:
1. Thaw in the fridge
2. Put sealed ribs in boiling water for 3-4 minutes until warm
3. Brush with sauce (or not)
4. Drop on a hot grill to finish.

If you don't have access to a grill you can just heat a few minutes more in the water and then glaze. These taste pretty close to fresh off the grill ribs and are always a hit.
 
If I was following the 2-2-1 method they would be cooked all the way after the 4 hour mark. that was my question on if a better product would come out of vacuum seal them after the 4 hour mark or leave them in for the 5 hour mark to firm back up...fully cooked is to what 165 after 4 hours they would most definitely be to that point, so no danger there. I think I will take them the whole way tho.
augie said:
got14u, I would hesitate to cook anything part way, then save to finish later. I'd be afraid that it would be too easy for some or all of the food to be in the "danger zone" during the combination of time spent cooking, cooling down, thawing, and finishing.

jimewer, if you plan to cook the ribs no more than a day or two before reheating and serving, then you can omit the freezing/thawing steps as long as they are cooled quickly, sealed, and kept cool until time to reheat.

Enjoy!
Click to expand...
 
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