The Right Way To Prepare BBQ Meats In Advance For A Party

Keep barbecued meat warm or reheat it

Depending on the type of slow cooker you have, such as the 8-quart programmable model from Crock-Pot, it likely features a built-in setting that can replicate the grilling technique Bob Bennett recommends for reheating barbecued meat. For instance, this particular Crock-Pot model includes a "warm" button, which is intended solely for already cooked meat; the manufacturer advises against using this setting for more than four hours. Leaving food on this setting for too long can lead to unsafe temperatures where bacteria can thrive. Additionally, certain side dishes that do not contain meat can be kept warm in a double boiler on low heat. It’s also a good idea to check if your oven has a "warm" setting, as some do, which can be quite handy in these situations.

What if you can’t barbecue the meat two to three hours ahead of time? In that case, Bennett recommends preparing the meat in advance when possible and then reheating it in the oven just before the event: "I believe the best method is to use an oven at a low temperature, around 275 to 300 degrees. This approach closely resembles the original cooking temperature and process." Alternatively, while reheating meat in the microwave is the quickest option, it often results in dry food and may not heat everything evenly, so proceed with caution.