I am planning smoking some ribs tomorrow butI am not sure of a few things. One major thing is the water pan...should I use it or not? Next question is it ok to use chips rather than chunks? I don't think I can find any chunks around me. Right now all that I am finding in local stores is chips. Any help woudl be great.
First time smoke and I have no clue what I am doing
- Thread starter JohnO
- Start date
Vinny G
TVWBB Fan
Glenn right on. Pan with foil and no water. Chips will work but you might want to grap a hand full and put it in water and then foil and put little holes to let smoke come out. Make about 3 like that. and put on just before or when you put food on. With ribs you can use a good amount. Try to get some wood chunks and use about 3 fist size and put on just before meat goes on.
Russ Sylvester
TVWBB Pro
If this is your first smoke on the WSM, go to Chris's BRITU ribs section and follow it to the letter. Use your own rub if you want but follow his method. Absolutely can't go wrong with it. Get fancy later on.
BTW, chips will work. Try to get chunks and DON'T use Mesquite. Less is more.
Russ
BTW, chips will work. Try to get chunks and DON'T use Mesquite. Less is more.
Russ
Jamie Mantini
TVWBB Member
Russ's advice is good, just relax and enjoy. Remember the meat is done when its done, not by a cooking chart.
Jamie
Jamie
For my first two times @ ribs I followed this Basic Baby Back Ribs. I used my own rub and sauce but followed this guideline for the most part. They came out great. Once I pulled them a little later (fall off the bone) the next time I pulled them with a little "pull" to the meat. My company liked them different ways. I guess you could say one was backyard, the other were comp (if that makes any sense).
I also used chips (prefer chunks, but didn't have any at the time). You can mix some chips throughout the coals (like dump some coals in the ring, spread the chips, dump more coal, spread chips, etc, or even do the soak then wrap in tinfoil thing. Either works fine. I tend to think of wood as a spice. Too much of any spice and it's not good and not enough is useless. You will find what works for you (that's half the fun).
After a few smokes (by no means expert yet) I find that the WSM is VERY forgiving, easy to maintain temps and with the help of this site a lot of fun!
Post back up and let us know how it turns out.
I also used chips (prefer chunks, but didn't have any at the time). You can mix some chips throughout the coals (like dump some coals in the ring, spread the chips, dump more coal, spread chips, etc, or even do the soak then wrap in tinfoil thing. Either works fine. I tend to think of wood as a spice. Too much of any spice and it's not good and not enough is useless. You will find what works for you (that's half the fun).
After a few smokes (by no means expert yet) I find that the WSM is VERY forgiving, easy to maintain temps and with the help of this site a lot of fun!
Post back up and let us know how it turns out.