How can I cook ribs for eating the following day?


 
B

Brian Ferdman

Banned
My 92 year old Grandmother has requested that I make ribs for my brother's 4th of July cookout. I'm having a cookout at my place on the 3rd, so my plan is to cook the ribs on the 3rd on my WSM and bring them down to my brother's place on the 4th.

What's the best way to go about this? Should I cook them completely and refridgerate? Parcook and finish in an oven? Cook completely and cut them up before refridgerating? When is the best time to apply the sauce/glaze?

Note that my brother has a terrible gas grill that has burners to close to the grate and causes a lot of flareups.

Also, would I be better off doing this with spares as opposed to babybacks?

I appreciate any advice you guys can provide. Thanks!
 
For whatever reason, I enjoy my ribs better the 2nd day. Probably because I usually do ribs for a crowd, and by the time everyone is served and eating, i'm tired of looking at the ribs. I cook mine just like I would if I were going to eat them right there, just no glaze. Foil them up, throw them in the fridge, then I re-heat in the oven in the foil, unwrap and glaze until I like the finish on the glaze. Super easy, and they come out real nice. Since they are already done, just have to oven them long enough to get them hot.
 
I personally prefer St. Louis style ribs over spares or baby backs--more meat and less fat. In your situation, I would cook the ribs (after cutting them into half racks) on my 18.5" WSM. However you cook them, after they cool, use a Foodsaver to vacuum pack them two half racks per bag and heat them up in hot water on the 4th. Good luck!
 
Spares or BB's would simply be a family choice. Personally, I prefer spares.

Either way, completely cook, glaze, refrigerate, and reheat.

If we're talking about serveral racks, I'd reheat in an alum pan in a low oven.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Mike R.:
For whatever reason, I enjoy my ribs better the 2nd day. Probably because I usually do ribs for a crowd, and by the time everyone is served and eating, i'm tired of looking at the ribs. I cook mine just like I would if I were going to eat them right there, just no glaze. Foil them up, throw them in the fridge, then I re-heat in the oven in the foil, unwrap and glaze until I like the finish on the glaze. Super easy, and they come out real nice. Since they are already done, just have to oven them long enough to get them hot. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

+ 1 except I baste them with the sauce then foil them put in fridge then just reheat a low heat oven unfolied and baste again simple and IMHO they even taste better the next day .ENJOY
 
On another site I frequent a guy makes a bunch of ribs and cooks them until they are almost done then freezes them and reheats them on the grill when he ready to eat them. In your case you wouldn't be freezing them and I have never tried it but to me that sounds like the best way to reheat/cook ribs for a later date.
 
I would cook until done, put in the fridge, and reheat on a grill the next day applying whatever sauce/glaze at that time. When heated through and sauce/glaze has caramelized cut into sections. If using a gas grill just don't turn the heat all the way up.
 
Thanks for these suggestions, guys!

Now I'm being told that my Grandmother doesn't like smoke on her ribs. I think this is ludicrous because I've been with her to barbecue restaurants where the ribs were certainly smoked, and she enjoyed them. However, I know she's recently had mesquite ribs and didn't enjoy them.

If I want to use a milder wood, what should I choose? I was thinking of going with maple.
 
Well, her reaction to mesquite doesn't surprise me. It's the heaviest smoke of all and I don't care for it on anything other than beef.

Maple or pecan should be fine.

Or you could just use briqs or lump.
 
take them to tender, lay them flat in a single layer in a bag or aluminum pan and ice them down before packing in the fridge. You never want to pack a lot of warm meat together in the fridge, it'll take to long to get cold.

I reheat in an oven and sauce them then.
 
My mom started acting funny about smoke. I had to change some wording around to make her happy. Instead of smoking a bunch of ribs.... I now "barbecue" them in my "slow cooker". Don't mention the smoke to Grandma. Talk about tender, juicy, slow cooked ribs. That sounds like an awesome weekend! Have fun. I'm sure everyone will love your food.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top