Interrupted smoking

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uncle bubba

Newbie
Original poster
Jan 2, 2015
6
10
Seems like a bunch of us are in the same situation, though each is a little different.

So next week I have a large gathering at my house (going away party for good friends) and want to do ribs two ways as part of the menu.  The issue is the timing of the day.  Guest arriving around 4:30-5:00, meaning we eat around 6:00-6:30 or so. 

Ribs on the grill start around 3:00, but I also wanted to smoke some as well.  The problem is that my son has a baseball game from 12:00 to 2:30.

Do you think I could smoke them from 10 to 12 (with the smoke), then let them sit, either in the smoker or in covered pans, for a couple of hours, then return them to the smoker for the last couple of hours?

I have a gas smoker which has a hard time controlling the low temp, and my wife will be at the game too, so she can't handle it for me.

Thanks. 
 
NO !!!!!    Once you start cooking food / meat etc...   the bacteria starts to multiply...  the meat is in the perfect temperature zone for those bacteria to really grow and grow fast...    any hesitation in completing the cook allows them to multiply to possibly lethal levels....

Soooooooo, once you start cooking, finish the cooking to recommended USDA temps for the meat you are cooking...  whether it be 145, 160 or 165......  to insure the pathogens are killed......
 
You can do 3-2 with the Ribs and refer then 4:00 or so put them back in the Smoker to finish. The first steps will get them cooked as in over 140 and then you just need to reheat and finish the cook to get them tender...JJ
 
You are fine cooking them completely and then re-warming them but do not partially cook them and then try to finish them off later.

Cook the ribs fully in advance and then wrap in foil. This could be a couple of hours before or even the day before. Once cooked the ribs will be sterile as far (as bacteria are concerned anyway).

If cooking the day before then as soon as they are cool place them in the fridge.

If cooking a few hours before then foil and keep in insulated box (e.g. a chiller box) until required.

When required then re-heat either in the oven or in the smoker before serving. Ribs reheat well. If you chilled them overnight then just make sure that they are back up to 165 F before serving. If you kept them warm after cooking then, providing you are eating them within 2 hours and they did not fall below 140 F, you are fine. If they fell below 140 F then simply reheat them back to 165 F before serving.
 
 
You can do 3-2 with the Ribs and refer then 4:00 or so put them back in the Smoker to finish. The first steps will get them cooked as in over 140 and then you just need to reheat and finish the cook to get them tender...JJ
I totally agree. After the 3:2 the ribs will effectively be fully cooked anyway.
 
Thanks!   I have no problem getting up early in the AM, so I will smoke them first thing for 3:2, pull them out, then get them going again to heat up to serve.

Not looking forward to my friends leaving the state, but at least I can thrown a good party for them.
 
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