2nd Cook a lot better

My first cook couldn't get temp up in cold Denver weather. Checked lid thermometer in boiling water and it is ok at 203 degrees.

2nd cook did half rack beef ribs on bottom rack and 2 racks of pork back ribs (1.99/lb Safeway) on top.

Went this time with no water and foiled the pan. Minion regular method with 3/4 ring full regular K, lit 3/4 chimney of K and topped with a few small chunks of dry pecan wood. 38F outside at start but more like 45 and a little sun on the WSM by the end. Breeze came and went a couple times

Got cooker up to temp quickly but had a hard time dialing in the vents and chased temp a bit. But all in all a pretty good cook. Beef came out great with asian 5-spice treatment, pork a bit over done by KCBS standards with more of a standard BBQ rub, but none were dry.

Used low carb rubs--Xylitol sugar substitute. Let me know if you're interested in the ingredients. Didn't have time to make the low-carb sauce so I didn't finish the ribs with sauce. Served some Head Country sauce at the table.

Sides were Mac n Cheese with butternut squash and sugar-free pear/rasberry pie. Used Erithrytol sugar substitue with Pie (Z-Sweet Product) and it works much better than splenda.

I'm posting some links and a couple pics. Hope they work.

Pics:
Ribs with Rub

Charcoal Setup

Lit with smoke wood

Ribs on WSM - Beef underneath


Finished Pork Back Ribs

Sugar-free Pear Rasberry pie

Looks good to me!

Hey, another Denver Smoker! What part of town are you in?

Looks like a great job! You should have called me to be your judge!

Only thing I would say is that most people use the bottom vents to adjust heat. It looks like you adjusted the top first.

Then again if you like them it's all that matters. Just be aware that closing too much CAN (not will) cause smoldering and an "off" flavour.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by DJensen:
Hey, another Denver Smoker! What part of town are you in?

Looks like a great job! You should have called me to be your judge! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Thanks. I'm near Davidson's liquor on County Line and Holly. Love to pick your brain some day. I'm thinking stoker setup would be ideal for Colorado altitude and wildly varying wind and temp within a 6 hour window. I would guess the stoker could also crank the heat up to the 350 range easy for smoke roasting chicken.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Scooter B:
Only thing I would say is that most people use the bottom vents to adjust heat. It looks like you adjusted the top first.

Then again if you like them it's all that matters. Just be aware that closing too much CAN (not will) cause smoldering and an "off" flavour. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Do most people leave top vent open all the way? Is 25% too closed/cause smoldering? I see alot of other cook charts with guys hitting 300 or 350 with the vents at 50% or less. I was thinking I need 2 more vents to get the temp up. LOL

I haven't had a lot of cooks with the Stoker yet. I leave my top vent fully opened, but I see others that leave it at 50%... I'm going to have to play with that as the warmer weather comes around. I tend to shoot for the 250 mark... haven't tried the higher heat yet.
I'm near 470 & Bowles. Yes, we should meet up and compare notes.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Do most people leave top vent open all the way? </div></BLOCKQUOTE> Yes. There is scarcely ever a reason to close the upper vent even a little. At high elevations you need all the draft help you can get.

With a Stoker or Guru the draft is forced. Closing the upper vent somewhat is often required.

Good tips. Going out tonight to look for some cheap meat.

I'm thinking if I stick with the minion start and put the meat in right away with all vents open and dial back to 50% on the bottom vents as the temp gets up to 220 I should be good.

I see some pork butt with N Carolina bbq sauce in my near future.

Hey Chris, Cheap meat!! Isn't that an oxymoron Your plan sounds about right. I don't put my meat on once the lit is on the charcoal. I usually wait until the temp hits about 220-230 then put the meat on. All different ways of doing this.I never had good luck or patience to wait doing the Minion Method. It seemed to take forever to get up to temps, if it ever did. Then, I cut back the vents to 50% for starters

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by paul h:
Hey Chris, Cheap meat!! Isn't that an oxymoron Your plan sounds about right. I don't put my meat on once the lit is on the charcoal. I usually wait until the temp hits about 220-230 then put the meat on. All different ways of doing this.I never had good luck or patience to wait doing the Minion Method. It seemed to take forever to get up to temps, if it ever did. Then, I cut back the vents to 50% for starters </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
So do you pour in a couple chimneys of lit coal?