tailgate help needed

[emo]

looking for suggestions...doing ribs for a postgame tailgate buffet on saturday, game is at 2pm, serving at about 4pm, travel time is about 1 hr to game site...10 racks will be smoked saturday morning...looking for best way to transport and serve hot as there will be no cooking done at site...(leave racks whole and foil??, cut up and pan them??...not sure)...

[Bentley]

Dump boiling water in cooler, let stand 15 mints, dump water out of cooler, double foil ribs after cook, then wrap in towles, throw in cooler, procced to event! Best I can think of...throw in chemical heaters if you got them!

[RichardF]

looking for suggestions...doing ribs for a postgame tailgate buffet on saturday, game is at 2pm, serving at about 4pm, travel time is about 1 hr to game site...10 racks will be smoked saturday morning...looking for best way to transport and serve hot as there will be no cooking done at site...(leave racks whole and foil??, cut up and pan them??...not sure)...

Leave rack whole, wrap as required, place in cooler HOT with any airspace taken up by towels and or crumpled-up news paper.

[jrb03]

I have used electric heating pads inside a cooler and kept the food perfect. Wrap the food in foil, wrap the pad in a towel.

The heating pad Im talking about is the type you use on a stiff back etc. Make sure the pad does not have an "auto off" feature, I was hosed by that once! Damn safety features :-P

[thenewguy]

So I'm to assume that you'll be leaving for the game @noonish?
Does anyone think that there might be some dryness occuring in 4 hrs time?
Would a spritzer bath then foil help it any?

[LMAJ]

foil them, put them into a pre-warmed cooler lined with towels - they will be fine. Even better if you throw a few fatties in there with the ribs....

[Bbq Bubba]

I have used electric heating pads inside a cooler and kept the food perfect. Wrap the food in foil, wrap the pad in a towel.

The heating pad Im talking about is the type you use on a stiff back etc. Make sure the pad does not have an "auto off" feature, I was hosed by that once! Damn safety features :-P

You'll need a LONG extension cord though...:wink:

foil them, put them into a pre-warmed cooler lined with towels - they will be fine. Even better if you throw a few fatties in there with the ribs....

Yup, should still be hot at dinner time!!

[jrb03]

You'll need a LONG extension cord though...:wink:



Why in the world would you need a long extension cord? If the place he is at has no power outlets available, surely he will have his vehicle there. I use this setup all the time plugged into my truck. I even used on of those power packs once.

Holding briskets and butts in the cooler with towels works fine for hours. But my experience with ribs has not been the same, and he is cooking ribs. A heating pad in the cooler will keep those hot for hours.

[thenewguy]

This is why I was wondering about the ribs drying out in that time due to the lack of mass compared to a butt or brisket.
I can't seem to get my ribs to last more than 20 minuites out of the smoke-peoples fingers get in the way....

[jrb03]

The ribs will cool down MUCH faster than a butt or brisket, even in the cooler with a towel. I havent been able to keep them at an acceptable eating temp longer than an hour or so. I have kept them warm with the heating pad 6+ hours, and they were perfect, not dry. Just wrap in foil.

[emo]

thanks all for the input...going with the heating pad...thanks again!

emo

[gotwood]

paver bricks....they hold on to a tremendous amount of heat

[Roo-B-Q'N]

This is why I was wondering about the ribs drying out in that time due to the lack of mass compared to a butt or brisket.
I can't seem to get my ribs to last more than 20 minuites out of the smoke-peoples fingers get in the way....

They will not dry out wrapped double wrapped in foil, however they will continue to steam in the foil and perhaps become mushy. I would undercook them some and then wrap and let the steam created from wrapping carry them the rest of the way.

paver bricks....they hold on to a tremendous amount of heat

This idea really works if you do not have the ability to plug into your car electrically. They stay hot for a long time

[jrb03]

Never heard of the paver brick thing. Do you preheat them? Heating pad has always worked great for me, but might need a backup option sometime.