Party cooking question.

[Shuley]

So my good friend is planning on throwing her husband a birthday party in September so we have lots of time to plan. She is one who raves about my cooking and she asked if I would help make tri tip and pork ribs for his birthday.  Of course I said yes.  However she is planning on having at least 50 people.  I said I didn't think I could fit enough ribs and tri tip for 50 people on my 23.  She said maybe only enough ribs for 25.....i was wondering if any of you guys thought I could possibly fit this much food in my KK.... I could also use my Akorn for a few tri tips but know those ones wouldn't be as good. Any ideas? 

[Pequod]

I've had similar issues with large family events. If there are two meats, then I'd plan on around 3 servings per pound of meat and 3 bones of ribs per person. So...maybe 7 people per tri-tip -- 7 tri-tips, and 4 people per rack of ribs -- so 4-5 racks.

I know you don't like sous-vide, but this is where it could be your friend. Sous-vide ALL of the tri-tips, then sear them at the end once the ribs come off.

[tony b]

31 minutes ago, Pequod said:

I know you don't like sous-vide, but this is where it could be your friend. Sous-vide ALL of the tri-tips, then sear them at the end once the ribs come off.

[tekobo]

@Shuley I think it depends on if you are set on tri-tips and ribs.  It also depends on if everyone is going to arrive and be there at the same time, all waiting for food out of your magic KK.  

To reduce pressure on you and waiting time for them, I would have some food that you can cook in advance and hold e.g. brisket or pulled pork or something else that you think they will like.  You can then have fun with other stuff that cooks quicker and can be little hot treats that they can add to their plates.  Here I might do chicken pieces on skewers or home made sausages - both are always a hit and can be cooked up quickly as more people arrive.  So they get the excitement of a BBQ without the anxiety of waiting too long or thinking they are going to miss out on the good stuff.  

[Shuley]

Thanks for all the responses.  My sous vide machine could only hold one tri tip at a time.... Maybe two.  And unfourtunately I did not get to make the menu.  I recommended brisket-for the very reason thst it holds well and I know they love it.  Also the event will not be at my house so that sort of eliminates being able to cook things as they are needed.....  My friends are from Santa Maria so tri tip is a very regional thing there and their very favorite.  

Pequod-do you think I could fit 7 tri tip and 4-5 racks of ribs on a 23?  I have a rib rack, which I have never used so I'm pretty sure I'd be good on the ribs. That plus 7 tri tips seems a bit iffy.  I could put the heat deflector on the handles of the charcoal basket and use the lower grate and probably fit 3 or 4 down there.... Maybe? I know I could fit two racks of ribs flat.  Would using the rib rack on the main grate give me enough room for the remaining tri tip? And when  using a rib rack I am assuming I'd rotate the ribs? I'm not really sure about how to use it. 

Thank you again for your help. 

[Pequod]

Using the rib rack, I think you’d be good for all of the ribs on the main grate and then use the upper grate for ~4 of the tri tips laying flat. Since you’d be doing the ribs for 4-5 hours and putting the tri tips on only in the last hour, you’d be hard pressed to put any tri tips on the grate below the ribs. I wonder if there’s a way to position the tri tips vertically like the ribs on the main grate. I bet you could fit 7 vertical tri tips on the upper rack. 

[tony b]

You could always use a long skewer through the tri-tips to position them vertically on the upper grate. Would also make them easy to flip over mid-way through the cook, too.

[Pequod]

4 minutes ago, tony b said:

You could always use a long skewer through the tri-tips to position them vertically on the upper grate. Would also make them easy to flip over mid-way through the cook, too.

Yup, there it is. Skewers. Good idea. 

[tony b]

To quote Yogi Bear - "Smarter than the average bear, eh Boo-boo?" 

[Shuley]

Hmm intriguing idea!  I was wondering if the upper rack would fit with the rib rack and vertical ribs in the main rack.... That's why I was assuming I'd have to use the lower rack. 

[Aussie Ora]

No worries lol .instead of using the rib rack I don't know how many it holds you could roll your ribs up and use sewers to hold them in place .I recon you could get at least 9 on the main grate .going by tony's suggestion on using sewers for the trip tip .I would just get hold of some metal sewers and tac weld them to a metal plate.if you don't have a welder any pre fab shop would do it for bugger all that way .they will stand easy and you have another gadget to use say for corn or what ever .disclaimer if you start production of this design and make heaps I want one lol.

[Pequod]

7 hours ago, Shuley said:

Hmm intriguing idea!  I was wondering if the upper rack would fit with the rib rack and vertical ribs in the main rack.... That's why I was assuming I'd have to use the lower rack. 

If it’s Dennis’ rib rack, I’m pretty sure it’s designed so the upper fits over it. You might need to trim down some of the ribs to fit in the front and rear of the 23, but should be fine. 

You MUST take a picture of this thing when fully loaded!

[tony b]

13 hours ago, Aussie Ora said:

.going by tony's suggestion on using sewers for the trip tip .I would just get hold of some metal sewers and tac weld them to a metal plate.if you don't have a welder any pre fab shop would do it for bugger all that way .they will stand easy and you have another gadget to use say for corn or what ever .

You went in another direction from my intention - literally! Your device would have the plate sit flat on the grate and individually impale a tri-tip on it's own skewer in an upright configuration, if I understand you post correctly. I intended the tri-tips to be set on their edge and skewered perpendicularly, so the tri-tips were parallel to each other, like a kabob. Just make sure that you leave about an 1 1/2" between each roast to allow for airflow in between. No welding shop required!

[Shuley]

One thing is for sure.... I will be doing some experimenting.  Additionally, I want to convince her to do brisket.  I think it would kill me to cook tri tip to well done (loads of people we work with want their beef well done... Which whatever floats their boat, but I'd feel like then all this effort was a waste of time.)

[tony b]

1 hour ago, Shuley said:

One thing is for sure.... I will be doing some experimenting.  Additionally, I want to convince her to do brisket.  I think it would kill me to cook tri tip to well done (loads of people we work with want their beef well done... Which whatever floats their boat, but I'd feel like then all this effort was a waste of time.)

Yes, give them brisket. Don't waste a tasty med-rare tri-tip on these heathens!

[Pequod]

Well done tri tip...just trying to wrap my head around that...

[cschaaf]

On the sous vide front, you could SV 2 at a time, then follow with an ice bath plunge. You can hold them for up to a week in the fridge. Pull them out day of, hit with some additional rub, and smoke 'em.

I've done 6 pork butts at a time this way.

[Pequod]

Would Pepper Stout Beef be a possibility? Easy to do ahead then serve from a crockpot. It is both well done and delicious. 

[tekobo]

10 hours ago, Shuley said:

One thing is for sure.... I will be doing some experimenting.  Additionally, I want to convince her to do brisket.  I think it would kill me to cook tri tip to well done (loads of people we work with want their beef well done... Which whatever floats their boat, but I'd feel like then all this effort was a waste of time.)

I love the way this is working: someone tells everyone what a good cook you are, then they choose what you cook and how you cook it, you cook it but are disappointed by the results and they just get the crap they have always eaten and wonder why anyone thought you were any good at cooking. 

Noooo.  You know what is good on your KK, what you are good at and what people usually like.  Challenge their tastes, mix it up and do what you think is right or don't do it at all.  There is nothing worse than feeling crap after a cook when you were hoping to make people happy but it doesn't work out as planned.

Of course you are also free to ignore bossy old me!

[Aussie Ora]

15 hours ago, tony b said:

You went in another direction from my intention - literally! Your device would have the plate sit flat on the grate and individually impale a tri-tip on it's own skewer in an upright configuration, if I understand you post correctly. I intended the tri-tips to be set on their edge and skewered perpendicularly, so the tri-tips were parallel to each other, like a kabob. Just make sure that you leave about an 1 1/2" between each roast to allow for airflow in between. No welding shop required!

What's your definition of verically .https://www.khanacademy.org/math/basic-geo/basic-geo-angle/vert-comp-supp-angles/v/angles-at-the-intersection-of-two-lines.I took it as up and down .I recon my scewer thingy magiggy .would be awesome  lol Denis should put them into production