Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Best way to cook a LARGE number of ribs

I came up with the idea of having a rib sale for a Boy Scout fundraiser last year. It worked really well and we sold about 220 racks. We (both the boys and the adults) cooked and packaged all one day and we got it done. We learned a few things and got some ideas to make it more efficient, but honestly it worked really well how I had it lined out.

Now my main issue is what I can get my hands on to use as a smoker this year. We’re expecting closer to 600 racks of ribs this year. I borrowed a rotisserie smoker we used for competitions, but my friend has since sold it. Does anyone know of something I could look for that would handle that volume of food in a day? I’m not against buying something and donating it back to the scouts to use, but I need a line on something that would work. Anyone have any ideas?


A little background on our program:
We have a decent sized group of boys that do really well, but don’t come from much money. They’re fine with working to earn their keep and they’re used to it. The costs for each boy are over $1000 per year and this is the best way to make that money. Each boy sells their own ribs and they get a large portion of the total in their personal scout account. This pays for each one individually and shows them how to budget throughout the year.

tough one to do reasonably

Sous vide...

Takes more time, but needs very little attention for most of it.

I usually sous vide, smoke, then grill or broil...

For bulk I’d consider par boiling…

It would take some fabrication skills, but using a big retired LP gas tank, like 500 gallon size or larger with a rotisserie rack built inside and a fire box on one end would be fairly simple to make and maintain. PM me for some sketches of how I'd build one if you like.

600 racks sous vide then grilled? how much would that cost just for the sous vide devices? Mine was around $150

Truck load a cinder blocks, some sheet metal and stainless steel wire storage racks.

I’d call some big catering companies and see if they would donate the smoker for a day or get the boys to trade some labor to rent their smoker?

Pressure cook and freeze in batches.

Grill/ Sear / Smoke right before the sale.

Holy fugk

Go dig about 25 mattresses out of the landfill

Burn off alla the foam and poly and dust mites.

Bulldoze a shallow pit

This is what I was thinking to.

I'd hook up with the local Elks lodge. All the lodges I've been to have industrial kitchens, barbecues and pits.

Just itching to help the local yutes.

Big bbq pit with mesquite

I don’t know about Oklahoma

but *almost* all of the negro churches here have covered bbq pits. And about 1/2 of the rural white folk churches. Sometimes 16-24 ft ones.

Could just be a southern thing. Maybe they would willing to let you all use their’s. If they have that there.
If your church ain’t got cook shed or a bbq pit, it has a yankee pastor or a false prophet leading the flock there.

I have an xl Pressure cooker. Maybe take. 8 to 10 racks of ribs, 90 min heat cook cool down x 60 full pots equals how many hours? looking at 7 days just to cook unless you don't want to sleep. Plus fuel costs


then add the grill time

I can’t envision the surface area required for 600 racks or the slab fire required to bring hot coals and serve it.

Have to be a sawmill close by.

For all of them to get done about the same time? Or staggered ?

Just my 8 footer, I don’t what I could put on here and keep up with by myself.

I’d have to have some help

I don’t think I’d want to tend more than 40-50 on here. Call me a slacker. I’d might have to suck eggs and use some “kingsford”

best yet

Bed sprangs ah hell naw.

Great idea. Or maybe a comp BBQ team with a big setup.