Tips for holding ribs before serving?

cbegg

First post, what an awesome resource this place is!! Cooking 8-10 racks of baby backs for about 20 people. I have had great success using a dry rub, cook for 4.5 hours, no foil, no looking - let them go method. Finished product has been an incredible bark with pull off the bone tenderness....Definitely want to avoid the fall off the bone mush. Would like to have everything done an hour or so before folks arrive so I can be sure to see everyone and enjoy the party. Planning to cut them into two-bone servings on a buffet style set up. Any advice on warming/holding/serving for such a large group? Thanks!

Mickey

Good question. Also welcome to our little part of the world. Mine get eaten as soon as off the grill. Never held them.

JRWhitee

The only way I know would be FTC, foil to cooler packed with towels.

BigGreenBamaGriller

I have had no issues FTC (wrapped in foil, then towel, placed in a cooler) with ribs for that amount of time. Gonna need a big cooler in your case. If you have something, I'd place a wad of towels on the bottom and another wad on top.

cazzy

I would wrap them individually in HD foil, then wrap 3 to 4 together. There isn't alot of mass on ribs, so I would group them together and have them keep each other warm. Then throw them in cooler with towels.

cbegg

Will do guys, thanks for the help, much appreciated!

cazzy

cbegg said:

Will do guys, thanks for the help, much appreciated!

Glad to help and welcome. Like big green bama said, plenty of towels below and above your ribs. You want the chest completely insulated.

Hill_Country_BGE

BigGreenBamaGriller said:

I have had no issues FTC (wrapped in foil, then towel, placed in a cooler) with ribs for that amount of time. Gonna need a big cooler in your case. If you have something, I'd place a wad of towels on the bottom and another wad on top.

I second this....seems to work well for me.  And as someone else says, use HD foil and double wrap to minimize possible tears due to bones.

JRWhitee

Hill_Country_BGE said:

BigGreenBamaGriller said:

I have had no issues FTC (wrapped in foil, then towel, placed in a cooler) with ribs for that amount of time. Gonna need a big cooler in your case. If you have something, I'd place a wad of towels on the bottom and another wad on top.

I second this....seems to work well for me.  And as someone else says, use HD foil and double wrap to minimize possible tears due to bones.

I have kept them like this for up to 5 hours and still hot to the touch.

Little Steven

Another option would be to get a Maitre D'Hotel pan from Costco. They charge about $40 in Canada so I would think they would be cheaper in the US. They are a deep rectangular stainless pan that sits on top of a water pan with Sterno cans underneath. They have a tight fitting lid that I would sit on top canted a bit to the side.

henapple

I'm with steven on the serving. Either cut into singles or slightly larger... Will stay warm and looks better than serving out of a cooler. Guess it depends on who you're serving.

Little Steven

I noticed that Black and Decker and Phillips have some electric "buffet" pans but I don't think they would have the capacity.

cbegg

Planning on serving them in chafing dishes over sternos as Steven suggests, the FTC method should be perfect until time to cut.

henapple

Sam's Club has a pack of three