# How do some restaurants do it? (Ribs)



## smoke_chef (Oct 22, 2009)

How do some restaurants do it? (Ribs)

I live in a town that only has one real BBQ restaurant. And since I’m not mentioning any names… I’ll be real frank… Their ribs SUCK! They have the taste and consistency of pot roast. Now… pot roast is good… but if you want ribs… you want ribs. I’m sure it has to do with how … and how long… they have keep them warm. But, you go to other places any time in the day… and you get good quality ribs. Ribs should taste like ribs and have the consistency of ….. Hmmmm…. What’s a good analogy? I would say like a tender steak. You know? It shouldn’t be tough, but still have a little bite to it. It should come away from the bone (mostly) but not fall off the bone by just gravity.  Who ever came up with the expression “Fall of the bone good” has very different taste that I do I guess? So what do you all think? How is that some restaurants can serve “fresh” ribs any time of day?


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## justsmoke2 (Oct 22, 2009)

probably you  have gotten some BOILED ribs.  Now a friend of mine who owns bar and grill wanted to learn how to make great ribs but didn't have access or the time needed to do them daily.  So he partially cooked then like for 4 to 5 hours the day before and then just thru them on the grill to finish them off the next day on his rib day.  Sauce and sent out to the table.  He was known for his ribs after that.


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## forluvofsmoke (Oct 22, 2009)

I doesn't really matter on the method of cooking, as some places will oven roast the meats using liquid smoke and call it Bbq. Others that actually smoke the meats, either by electric, gas, charcoal/lump, or wood fired smokers, and either use hot smoking temps for low and slow cooking, or use Bbq temps for faster cooking.

I think the main issue with being able to get a fresher product served to you is how often they start their meat batches for cooking. This will depend on their customer base and product consumption. The more they sell, the more often they do batches, and they will (should) plan for larger batches as well during peak hours of sales. So, if you go to a reputable establishment that regularly draws a crowd, they will have the freshest product, instead of it be held for long periods in a warmer. The next step is to find out which method they use for cooking, and decide if that is what you prefer or not.

A good way to judge a restaurant is to simply drive around and check out the perspective places you are thinking about trying, and then see how full the parking lot is. If it's a take-out joint, just look for a long line during prime dining hours...a long line or full parking lot would probably nudge me enough into giving them a try. 

Lastly, if you can talk to some of their customers (outdoors, so you don't offend the management), they can tell you what they like/dislike about the place, or their favorite foods they've eaten. Word of mouth carries alot of weight for a business' reputation.

Good luck!

Eric


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## ronp (Oct 22, 2009)

I can't speak for anyone else, but when we did ours in the reastauant we cooked them in the oven until they were tender, then refrigerated and cooled. We were not a high volume joint. Then we would just reheat under the broiler with sauce till hot and served them. Never had a complaint.

The place you are speaking of is probably holding them at temps that break them down too long. I had a full service sit down place so we had plenty of time to reheat them.


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## got14u (Oct 22, 2009)

I also think a lot of "bbq" places smoke them or cook them then to hold them they put in a steam basket or steam holder for temp controls. this will just water down the taste depending on how long they sit. If they don;t turn out a lot of ribs that day yours could have sat there for a couple hours or so.


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## raceyb (Oct 22, 2009)

We have a lot of BBQ joints here in Jacksonville Florida. One that I used to hit up a lot for a lunch plate had a nice wood pit. They were always smoking ribs, chicken, pork, etc. While sitting at the counter, you see a lot. 

I always saw this place pull ribs out of a reach in cooler and reheat and sauce on the wood grill. They looked great from where I sat, but I never ordered any, as I am cheap and was always there for the pulled pork lunch special.


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## smoke_chef (Oct 22, 2009)

Thanks all for the good input. 

Since I hope to own a BBQ place someday, I guess I need to start "practicing" at home. From now on, maybe I'll smoke 4 or 5 extra racks. Refrigerate them, then work on a reheating technique. That would mean eating ribs two or three days in a row I guess. Not that I would want to of course... it's all in the name of research.


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## chisoxjim (Oct 22, 2009)

There are some legit BBQ places in Chicago(Smoque, Honey 1 to name 2),that cook low and slow with wood, or lump. 

But most are meat jello purveyors doing boil-b-q, or bake-b-q. 

Nowdays I prefer my own ribs to the couple of places that do it the right way anyway, and wont go near the bake-b-q, or boil-b-q meat jello places..


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## chefrob (Oct 22, 2009)

this is how most of the industry does it.........


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## ozark rt (Oct 22, 2009)

Tell ya what Smoke Chef, if you live at the same Marble Falls I'm thinking of, I'm only just over an hour away & I'll be more than happy to help with your "research".


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## mballi3011 (Oct 22, 2009)

I'm with Racey here in Jacksonville, FL there are alot of bbq joints but only one I eat in. Thats called The Rib Shack and that is only because I know the owners and they are good people. But they do per cook their ribs and then re-heat on the grill/smoker but they are alittle dry. For me it's really hard to go to a reasturant and eat when I can cook better then they do. Thats happens alot to, the wife just looks at me and shakes her head.


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## lcruzen (Oct 22, 2009)

It's very difficult if not impossible to hold hot food for very long and not have the quality suffer and BBQ is not a style of cooking that lends itself to "cooking to order". That is the main challenge to serving good Q in a resturaunt. For ribs in particular if your not moving enough to be able to "hold" them for a short time before serving then you have no choice but to pre-cook and reheat to order. The trick will be to find the right time and temp to precook to and how are you going to re-heat. In and oven, under a broiler or on a char-broiler?


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## got14u (Oct 23, 2009)

I think the best way to do ribs or a "bbq" joint would be to do what some of the older places do and that is to make a certain amount and after that close. of course this would take some time to build up on clientele and you can always add more product if you were running out to fast. I plan on doing some form of this some day..lol


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## oldschoolbbq (Oct 23, 2009)

I love my ribs; and that's a fact!!!!!
Now as a Backyardigan, I go to Sam's(or good purveyer)and get 2to 3 packs of Spares(three to a pack) and do them all at one time. Saves me time, I've got a larger smoker and they hold great in the Freezer or the Reffer.Get them out, put on a heated Smoker/Grill,sauce or dust when hot to glaze and Batta Bing...
Did this in Temple with Mekeskas BBQ on 57th ST. and up here in Ohio at Ray&Jets in Genoa. Worked fine. In a business, you'll soon learn your quantities and times for cooking.Being you can do Ribs in 6hrs.,one could reasonably get two batches a day or stagger the load...
I have also eaten Ribs(and Q in general)that has been boiled or baked with and w/o smoke liquid, you can't do it.....got to be the real deal and it isn't that difficult to pull-off. I mean there are places with a barrel in the back doing it...
I'll continue my backyard campaigne and hope you get the...
SMOKE HAPPY   
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	




Stan      aka      old school


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## smoke_chef (Oct 23, 2009)

All good points... this is an awesome site! 

Got14U... that's a great concept. I'll have to put some thought into that. 

It seems the fridge method is the most common business way to do it? I guess that makes sense. I suppose it could be a combination of both.. Fresh with good judgment in traffic then if you are a little long... you re-heat if you are good enough at it... I just don't know. The good thing is... is this dream of mine is years away. But, I figure it's never to soon to start learning and planning. I'm even thinking of taking a part time job at one of the chains to "learn" from them. Probably Famous Dave's? My wife thinks that's a bit extreme though? 

Thanks all! You guys and gals are awesome!!


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## teeroy (Oct 23, 2009)

At the BBQ joint I go to, Lucille's, they seem to stagger them. They have their big smoker out in the seating area where you can see it from the tables that are in that section (vents to the outside). I've seen them wheel out their cart and unload ribs, chicken, tri tip, etc while you're sitting there eating. So that makes me think that they stagger them. 

The ribs here are just fantastic as is the chicken. It is a chain so that makes it even more surprising that they are so good. In my area you used to not be able to go to any restaurant without at least a half hour wait. Now, in this economy, not only can you get right in at pretty much any restaurant there are always open tables. Even on a Friday and Saturday night. Except for this place. This place you still have that 1/2 hour wait and no open tables. That is probably how they can afford to stagger the food because they are so busy.


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## got14u (Oct 23, 2009)

One more thing to think about is restaurants get the GOOD cuts of meat. us shopping at sam's or walmart or where ever get the second rate stuff. just a thought.

I find it funny also that i am years away of getting a restaurant going and yet I have a menu and prices for today's market...lol...we shall see. I might even go back to my catering days for a couple years...you never know....lol


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## marcus wha gwan (Aug 16, 2012)

Check out this link: http://www.winstonind.com/products/subcategory/category/holding_cabinets

These are holding cabinets that have a heat and moisture settings. This allows you to hold your meat for a period of time. The best way is to learn your lunch/dinner rush to ensure you make the right amount of ribs for both rushes. It's all trial and error from the start, but once you learn your rush and their demands you will be fine. I highly reccomend that you invest in a warming cabinet and specifically the Winston brand as it's the best in the industry IMO of course.


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## jerseyhunter (Aug 16, 2012)

A  bar and grill I go to makes up their sauce , bakes the ribs in pans with some of the sauce  on a wed, refrigerates them and  throws on the grill and serves them on thurs  coating with the saved sauce. Went over so big they now have them Thurs and Fri. . There not smoked, but they are good. 2 things I've seen go in their sauce is a pitcher of beer and a glass of JD. They've always kept the rest a secret.


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## hooligan8403 (Aug 16, 2012)

The way Chili's does it is they run the ribs through an electric smoker with a light salt/pepper seasoning. they are allowed to cool a bit then plastic wrapped and refridgerated. Tossed on the grill and triple basted with sauce to order till the marrow on the bone bubbles or they look done. Not saying they are the best ribs in the world but its how we cooked them when I worked there.


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## mneeley490 (Aug 16, 2012)

I've always thought the best way to judge a bbq joint is to walk (or drive) by and see if you smell any smoke. There is a FD's near me that I have been by several times, and I never smell any smoke.


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## backyardsmokin (Aug 16, 2012)

I just came back from a business trip where I spent a week in Virginia and a week in Denver.  The side project given to me by my managers was to taste every BBQ joint I could find and/or stomach.

I tried 8 places in Virginia and 6 in Denver and one thing I found is that if the pitmaster has a passion for what they do then the ribs and all other meats taste excellent.

One place I tried that my coworkers sweared by I found to be dry and bland.  I talked to a local that was in there and they said that the pitmaster/owner does all the meat on the weekends and just has the employees re-heat it in a chaffing dish for the week.  The owner then runs the smokers without the meat just for the smell to get people to stop. 

On the flip side, I went to a tiny hole in the wall place that looked run down and about to close.  Inside the pitmaster/owner could not wait to discuss smoking with whoever came in and about how he learned to smoke down on the Louisana Bayou.  He taught me that for him he does everything at 225 and then puts everything in a "warming smoker" after it has hit the safe to eat temp.  This allows for him to be flexible and still put out the best que that he can.  I did take out and by the time I left this little run down place was packed.


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## jarjarchef (Aug 16, 2012)

That is a tricky challenge you present.

Pretty much most of the challenges have been mentioned: 
Timing? When the ribs are done and the guest will want them?
Holding? How long can you hold them and maintain your quality?
Reheating? Do you reheat and if so how? 

A lot of the answers will present themselves as you start your setup. Depending on your budget there are several styles of hot holding cabinets on the market. Try to find out when and where a Resturant show is, you will see all kinds of bright and shiny things at a good one. Check to see if they have a listing on your states Resturant association web site. It's a good field trip for you and the misses or the buddies. Usually a good mix of samples to taste and equipment to see.

Me personally I have been kicking around the idea of a BBQ place as well. I am leaning towards the method of cooking them to just before done on the smoker. Then wrapping and chilling and then reheating with a grill to set the sauce/glaze. This way they are done as needed. As you see your guest flow increase you can sandbag and cook ahead to help with service time. Or reheat to order, if you have a good quality product people will be willing to wait. A lot of that will be determind by your service style you choose.

Good luck and happy smoking!


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