Cooking in advance for festivals/events

getyourrubonbbq · 09-03-2010, 01:03 PM

Hello all,

Question, for those of you that do large events/festivals how far in advance do you normally cook your butts and briskets (if you do briskets)? I'm thinking of doing a 1 day event from 9Am-7PM and want to do my ribs onsite. I can't get there until 5AM to set up, I'll have plenty of time that morning to get several racks rolling, but did not want to kill myself with the butts and briskets.

Any advise/input would be greatly appreciated.

James

5-0 BBQ · 09-03-2010, 01:49 PM

I run my rig the night before. Then in the morning I will pan them up and put the meat in either coolers or in my warmer box.

PCDoctor_1979 · 09-03-2010, 01:55 PM

Same here. I time things out so that the butts and briskets are done when it's time to put the ribs on. Butts and briskets can rest and go through final prep in the time it takes to cook the ribs. Might be a bit rough with a 05:00 setup time, but that's part of this crazy business!

Ford · 09-03-2010, 03:37 PM

My HD SOP's document my cooling, freezing, thawing and reheating processes so it's all legal for me. If I didn't have NSF fridge/freezer I couldn't do it here in MI. May be different in TN. I often cook and pull Wednesday to sell Saturday and it just lkeeps in the fridge. I can store about 30 full pans in each fridge. Can't sell that much thru my window in a day.

bluetang · 09-03-2010, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ford

My HD SOP's document my cooling, freezing, thawing and reheating processes so it's all legal for me. If I didn't have NSF fridge/freezer I couldn't do it here in MI. May be different in TN. I often cook and pull Wednesday to sell Saturday and it just lkeeps in the fridge. I can store about 30 full pans in each fridge. Can't sell that much thru my window in a day.

We are not doing this yet, so inexperienced question here: Am I understanding this correctly that you are cooking and then serving 3 days later? I don't have a safety concern here , but a WOF concern. Is there no "left over" flavor, Or is there a storage temp that retards oxidative rancidity?

CivilWarBBQ · 09-03-2010, 08:33 PM

Allow me to decode for you...

Your health department has specific requirements for how fast you must chill hot food to what holding temps, and how long you are allowed to hold that food before throwing it out. There are similar requirements for going the opposite way; heating chilled food to safe temp and holding it for serving.

Residential refrigeration equipment typically does not have the capacity to cool big hot pork butts fast enough to meet these requirements, so most HD's simply demand that commercial kitchens only use NSF stamped equipment rather than try to do technical tests to see if your fridge/freezers are good enough. NSF is a testing organization that certifies commercial food prep products meet government requirements just like UL certifies consumer goods.

As far as the quality of the product, yes it will not be as good as it would be fresh from the smoker after a 12 hour cook, but it will still be quite good and more than adequate for vending. There is simply no way you can succeed at high volume vending unless you precook. Being able to re-heat to meet demand is the difference between staying profitable and financial disaster when you are at the whim of crowd attendance and weather.

jbrink01 · 09-03-2010, 08:37 PM

I'm HD compliant, so I cook it a couple days ahead and re-heat on site in my FEC 500.

Trucky1008 · 09-15-2010, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbrink01

I'm HD compliant, so I cook it a couple days ahead and re-heat on site in my FEC 500.

Are you pulling the butts apart prior to cooling or do they go in the fridge whole? Also, when reheating do you add any liquid (apple juice, water) to keep the meat moist, or is that not needed? Just trying to get a feel on how you reheat and keep moist. Thanks

CivilWarBBQ · 09-15-2010, 10:42 PM

You'll have a better product if you hold off pulling until just before you use it. If you break down the butts in advance, you'll probably have to add some type of moisture to the pans of pulled meat to combat drying. Stock, AJ, even water will do in a pinch.

Our typical vending method is to bring pre-cooked butts wrapped in foil in coolers on ice. We take a big stick burner on an open trailer and reheat them onsite as needed, then take them out and chop them up in view of the public. Usually we'll prep a couple pans ahead, so you have the opportunity to reinforce the flavor with a fresh hit of smoke if desired by simply putting the uncovered pans back in the smoker.

The public sees big chunks of hot pork coming out of the smoker and being processed into sandwiches. As far as they know, you stayed up all night cooking on site. ;)

jbrink01 · 09-15-2010, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trucky1008

Are you pulling the butts apart prior to cooling or do they go in the fridge whole? Also, when reheating do you add any liquid (apple juice, water) to keep the meat moist, or is that not needed? Just trying to get a feel on how you reheat and keep moist. Thanks

When I vend, I use whole butts. When catering I pull ahead then add apple juice and rub. 265 degrees for a full pan for 2.5 - 3 hours to heat.

Ford · 09-16-2010, 07:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CivilWarBBQ

Our typical vending method is to bring pre-cooked butts wrapped in foil in coolers on ice.

this is illegal in MI. Need to check with HD in other States. Here we can only transport raw meat in coolers and can only have it it coolers for a max of 4 hours. To cook, chill and reheat here we must have NSF rated commercial fridges and freezers.

jbrink01 · 09-16-2010, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ford

this is illegal in MI. Need to check with HD in other States. Here we can only transport raw meat in coolers and can only have it it coolers for a max of 4 hours. To cook, chill and reheat here we must have NSF rated commercial fridges and freezers.

Exactly why I have an NSF fridge on my trailer, NSF coolers in my shop and 2 NSF pits (FEC500).

CivilWarBBQ · 09-16-2010, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ford

this is illegal in MI. Need to check with HD in other States. Here we can only transport raw meat in coolers and can only have it it coolers for a max of 4 hours. To cook, chill and reheat here we must have NSF rated commercial fridges and freezers.

Well that sucks. The HD has never given us any grief here.

Unless you power your reefers while under way somehow you'd have a less-safe condition than using ice if you transport any significant distance. Sometimes HD regs are pretty dumb!

jbrink01 · 09-16-2010, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CivilWarBBQ

Well that sucks. The HD has never given us any grief here.

Unless you power your reefers while under way somehow you'd have a less-safe condition than using ice if you transport any significant distance. Sometimes HD regs are pretty dumb!

I power mine under way in my trailer. I LOVES MY HONDA generator!

CivilWarBBQ · 09-17-2010, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbrink01

I power mine under way in my trailer. I LOVES MY HONDA generator!

How do you handle the exhaust? Do you mount the genset on the tongue outside the trailer?

09-03-2010, 01:03 PM	#1
getyourrubonbbq Take a breath! Join Date: 11-02-08 Location: Cordova, TN Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Cooking in advance for festivals/events Hello all, Question, for those of you that do large events/festivals how far in advance do you normally cook your butts and briskets (if you do briskets)? I'm thinking of doing a 1 day event from 9Am-7PM and want to do my ribs onsite. I can't get there until 5AM to set up, I'll have plenty of time that morning to get several racks rolling, but did not want to kill myself with the butts and briskets. Any advise/input would be greatly appreciated. James __________________ James Stephens Extreme BBQ Trailers Cordova, TN. www.extremebbqtrailers.com

09-03-2010, 01:49 PM	#2
5-0 BBQ is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 08-27-10 Location: Hampstead, MD Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I run my rig the night before. Then in the morning I will pan them up and put the meat in either coolers or in my warmer box. __________________ Steve Rogers 5-0 BBQ Competition Team Facebook Owner The BBQ Equipment Store www.bbqequipmentstore.com Proud 2013 Sponsor of Degüello BBQ, Christmas City BBQ, Lo'-N-Slo BBQ, Bar-B-Que Mayham, Uncle Bucks, Finns Finest, Pigheaded, Simply Q and Little Lukes BBQ No Thermapen Here, I have a Water & Shock Resistant Backlit Maverick PT-100BBQ 500 Gal Stickburner - Backwoods Gator, Red Kamado Joe, Primo Oval XL, Maverick Competition Smoker CS-55 and Many Others

09-03-2010, 01:55 PM	#3
PCDoctor_1979 Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 11-01-09 Location: West Des Moines, IA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Same here. I time things out so that the butts and briskets are done when it's time to put the ribs on. Butts and briskets can rest and go through final prep in the time it takes to cook the ribs. Might be a bit rough with a 05:00 setup time, but that's part of this crazy business! __________________ Brian Sweeney - CBJ #3691 - '77 Step Van Mobile Kitchen, Horizon Marshall, WSM with Pro Q Stacker, Weber Kettle & Smokey Joe GOLD. "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic" - Clarke's Third Law

09-03-2010, 03:37 PM	#4
Ford is Blowin Smoke! Join Date: 04-14-07 Location: Lakeland Florida Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	My HD SOP's document my cooling, freezing, thawing and reheating processes so it's all legal for me. If I didn't have NSF fridge/freezer I couldn't do it here in MI. May be different in TN. I often cook and pull Wednesday to sell Saturday and it just lkeeps in the fridge. I can store about 30 full pans in each fridge. Can't sell that much thru my window in a day. __________________ Ford Owner/Head Cook/Chief Bottle Washer for Great Lakes BBQ & Feed Competition BBQ Team FBA Member, KCBS Member & KCBS Certified BBQ Judge Spicewine medium, weber kettle, gas grill

09-03-2010, 08:37 PM	#7
jbrink01 is Blowin Smoke! Join Date: 08-17-06 Location: Washington, Missouri Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I'm HD compliant, so I cook it a couple days ahead and re-heat on site in my FEC 500. __________________ KCBS #13207 **2013 Insane Can Posse Tour** Sponsored By: *Gateway BBQ Store* *Blues Hog BBQ Company* *Plowboys BBQ Company*

09-03-2010, 08:33 PM	#6
CivilWarBBQ is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 08-08-07 Location: Cartersville, GA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Allow me to decode for you... Your health department has specific requirements for how fast you must chill hot food to what holding temps, and how long you are allowed to hold that food before throwing it out. There are similar requirements for going the opposite way; heating chilled food to safe temp and holding it for serving. Residential refrigeration equipment typically does not have the capacity to cool big hot pork butts fast enough to meet these requirements, so most HD's simply demand that commercial kitchens only use NSF stamped equipment rather than try to do technical tests to see if your fridge/freezers are good enough. NSF is a testing organization that certifies commercial food prep products meet government requirements just like UL certifies consumer goods. As far as the quality of the product, yes it will not be as good as it would be fresh from the smoker after a 12 hour cook, but it will still be quite good and more than adequate for vending. There is simply no way you can succeed at high volume vending unless you precook. Being able to re-heat to meet demand is the difference between staying profitable and financial disaster when you are at the whim of crowd attendance and weather.

09-15-2010, 10:42 PM	#9
CivilWarBBQ is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 08-08-07 Location: Cartersville, GA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	You'll have a better product if you hold off pulling until just before you use it. If you break down the butts in advance, you'll probably have to add some type of moisture to the pans of pulled meat to combat drying. Stock, AJ, even water will do in a pinch. Our typical vending method is to bring pre-cooked butts wrapped in foil in coolers on ice. We take a big stick burner on an open trailer and reheat them onsite as needed, then take them out and chop them up in view of the public. Usually we'll prep a couple pans ahead, so you have the opportunity to reinforce the flavor with a fresh hit of smoke if desired by simply putting the uncovered pans back in the smoker. The public sees big chunks of hot pork coming out of the smoker and being processed into sandwiches. As far as they know, you stayed up all night cooking on site. ;)

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