HELP-Smoking Ribs

[Rotney]

I’m smoking 3 rack of ribs for Thanksgiving. The problem I have is we’re eating at noon. I love my family, I have a stick burner, but I’m not getting up at 3am to smoke some ribs. I’m going to do 3-2-1 method. My question is, what’s the best way to have them warm at noon on thanksgiving since I’ll smoke em the day before?

Suggestions

[Charles]

Cook them at 300-325 and they will be done in 4 hours or less.

[howabouttheiris]

I've used 2 gallon Ziplock bags and hot water to reheat.

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[Twist]

Depends on what kind they are.

Spare ribs that tend to be larger. I do a 3-2-1, first 3 hours meat up. Spritz with apple cider vinegar about every 20-30 minutes. Temp sits at 200° max.

From there, wrap in butcher paper and lick the heat up to 225°, meat side down. Last hour open the butcher paper, have the meat side up and continue the previously mentioned spritzing.

If you’re doing baby backs, they tend to be a bit smaller so I adjust down to a 2-2-1.

Thing is if you have a pit that you can trust to maintain temperature, wake up early, get it going, drop the ribs on and go back to bed for the first 2 or 3 hour leg. That’s not the easiest to do on an actual stick burner and that’s one of the reasons I bought a pellet grill quite a while back as I’ve had more than my share of overnighters or waking up entirely to early in order to complete a several hour cook.

Cheating? Maybe, but I’d prefer to look at it as cooking smarter.

[Johnny Dangerr]

I do 3-2 serve...................

[Rotney]

Also another caveat, it will take an hour to drive there. I know once I get them warm I’ll wrap em in towels and put in a cooler. Just wondering the best way to reward them.

[AlaskaFlyerFan]

I would still do the 3-2-1 method but modify it a little. Do the 3-2 and take them off, leave them wrapped. Once they cool, put them in the fridge overnight. Take them out first thing in the morning and let them get to room temperature. Then throw them on the smoker for the 1.

[Rotney]

By the way, I’m sorry this is not a bow hunting only question since it is Texas Bowhunters

[twistedmidnite]

Lol, if they're baby backs you can get by with 3-1-1. After the last 1 id rewrap in foil, cover with towels in a cooler and haul donkey.

Edit: id probably put them in a big disposable aluminum pan and cover and haul donkey lol

[Dale Moser]

If you have a vacuum sealer, vacuum seal them and reheat in a foil pan with 2" of water in it, in the oven.

[eradicator]

Hmmm, not sure what to say. Get up early(not 3am), cook the ribs, drive to said final destination, eat. Regardless of what everyone says, ribs dont take 6 hrs. 4hrs tops for baby backs and 5 hrs tops for spare ribs. Anything more than that and they pull apart

[quackadikt]

I cooked a rack of St Louis yesterday and modified a 3-2-1 method to a 2.5-1.2-.5 and they were fantastic. 2.5hrs at 225, wrapped in foil and added just a splash of two of apple cider vinegar and cranked the heat to 250, then pulled them out of the foil and went to 325ish to finish(it was more like 20 minutes than 30). They were probably the most tender ribs I’ve ever cooked.

Baby backs, I only cook 3-4hrs at 225.

But if you’re going to cook them the day before, I’d just pull them after the 3-2 portion and leave them wrapped until the cool off, then put them in the oven at 225-250 until they warmed up good.


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[Mtltx]

By the way, I’m sorry this is not a bow hunting only question since it is Texas Bowhunters

Ha!

3-2 and put in a cooler wrapped and they will be perfect. I usually do the 3-2-1 but end up taking them off and keeping them warm after the 3-2. I wouldn’t sweat it a bit.

[eradicator]

I cooked a rack of St Louis yesterday and modified a 3-2-1 method to a 2.5-1.2-.5 and they were fantastic. 2.5hrs at 225, wrapped in foil and added just a splash of two of apple cider vinegar and cranked the heat to 250, then pulled them out of the foil and went to 325ish to finish(it was more like 20 minutes than 30). They were probably the most tender ribs I’ve ever cooked.

Baby backs, I only cook 3-4hrs at 225.

But if you’re going to cook them the day before, I’d just pull them after the 3-2 portion and leave them wrapped until the cool off, then put them in the oven at 225-250 until they warmed up good.


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Yep. I usually don't wrap cause I'm a glutton for smoke flavor/taste. If I'm cooking for the masses, Ill wrap on the back half. Wrapping tends to reduce cooking time as well.

[Twist]

Hmmm, not sure what to say. Get up early(not 3am), cook the ribs, drive to said final destination, eat. Regardless of what everyone says, ribs dont take 6 hrs. 4hrs tops for baby backs and 5 hrs tops for spare ribs. Anything more than that and they pull apart

The “cook” part is not wrong by any means and can actually be done in less time. OP asked about Smoking ribs though and yes, there is a difference.

I am definitely not saying you’re wrong because what works for one might not work for another. The post below the one of yours that I quoted has another method that I have used before as well and yes, it definitely works. Especially if the ribs need to sit up for a little while before serving or to elaborate, let them rest.

That said, ribs won’t necessarily fall apart if they’ve smoked/cooked more than 4-5 hours. They absolutely can but I can get mine to stay on the bone or pull off the bone depending on what’s preferred, cooking 6 hours either way.