Ribs and Pork Butt Hold Time

[TBoneJack]

I've been asked to cook BBQ for a family reunion (about 30 people) in early October. My family seems to prefer ribs and pork butt.

After I've cooked the meat at my house, it will be a 3-hour drive to the reunion site. And I'm wondering if ribs and pork butt can stand that long of a hold time inside a cooler without becoming mushy.

And would spare ribs versus baby backs make any difference as far as a long hold time is concerned?

I may end up doing the cooking at the reunion site instead of at my house. Making a good impression on these people is important to me. They see my cook journals/blogs on the internet all the time, but they've never eaten my BBQ.

Thanks

[klflowers]

The pork butt can be held in a cambro - I have held it up to 4 hours foiled and wrapped in towels in a cooler. Never tried to hold ribs before though.

[LA Pork Butt]

You will be fine with the hold. I think I would put the ribs on the bottom of the ice chest and the butt on top. A 10# Butt and Ribs should be plenty for 30 people. Although the more choice the more food you need to cook, because you won’t know who will make which choice. For that reason I try to stick to one meat for large groups. I like the flavor of St. Louis Ribs over baby backs.

[mountainsmoker]

I would do just butts. Helped my dad do a couple for our 50 relatives at our reunion. Did two big 10 lb. ones. Then some chicken for those who don't like pork. Remember with all the other goodies no one is going to pig out on any one thing.

Good luck and have fun. I always enjoyed ours.

I forgot to talk about the holding the food. In a cooler wrap in foil(both the chicken and butts), then cover with towels and blankets. This will hold both for 3 hours at least. I have added hot water bottles with boiling water to hold longer.