Jim Henderson
New member
Hello Gang, I'm a new poster in SO Cal with a long 1st post. Wife bought me an 18" Smokey Mountain for Christmas from Amazon. Did not expect to receive it yet, but got here Fri 12-19. Had to do some ribs to break it in.
2 slabs spares 10.5# total. Removed membrane, rubbed with mustard and faked a rub with 1cup taco seasoning and 1/4 cup brown sugar. Rubbed and sat while cooker was warming. Setup minion using Kingsford with 1 chimney full in a donut around the hot chimney, 1/2 full, to start it off. When the starter 1/2 was grey and hot, dumped into the donut and threw on about 1/2 chimney of mesquite lump, mostly fines. Pan 2/3 full of water, warmed smoker about an hour to 225F and put in the ribs 1 top 1 bottom. Loaded bones down, 2 vents 1/2 open, no touch 3 1/2 hours. Temp slowly rose to 250+. At 3 1/2 hr, added 4c hot water, switched slabs top and bottom, mopped with fruit juice and a little vinegar. Temp still running hot, after 1 more hour cut back to 1 vent 1/2 open. At 5 hour mark small bones pass twist test but meat still tough. Insert meat therm set for 200. Mop every 1/2 hour. At 6 1/2 hours hit both with dry rub again, open 2 vents full to finish. Cook temp just under 250F. Ribs removed at 630PM (7hrs) and 188F int temp. Ribs very tasty and internal meat very tender, however, way too crusty and too many burnt ends. Did a little post mortem research here on the board and discovered spareribs need 3bare/2foil/1bare hours. But, I think more time would be necessary to tenderize. Maybe more time in foil? Not at all a bad start. Dinner guest still ate them all.
2 slabs spares 10.5# total. Removed membrane, rubbed with mustard and faked a rub with 1cup taco seasoning and 1/4 cup brown sugar. Rubbed and sat while cooker was warming. Setup minion using Kingsford with 1 chimney full in a donut around the hot chimney, 1/2 full, to start it off. When the starter 1/2 was grey and hot, dumped into the donut and threw on about 1/2 chimney of mesquite lump, mostly fines. Pan 2/3 full of water, warmed smoker about an hour to 225F and put in the ribs 1 top 1 bottom. Loaded bones down, 2 vents 1/2 open, no touch 3 1/2 hours. Temp slowly rose to 250+. At 3 1/2 hr, added 4c hot water, switched slabs top and bottom, mopped with fruit juice and a little vinegar. Temp still running hot, after 1 more hour cut back to 1 vent 1/2 open. At 5 hour mark small bones pass twist test but meat still tough. Insert meat therm set for 200. Mop every 1/2 hour. At 6 1/2 hours hit both with dry rub again, open 2 vents full to finish. Cook temp just under 250F. Ribs removed at 630PM (7hrs) and 188F int temp. Ribs very tasty and internal meat very tender, however, way too crusty and too many burnt ends. Did a little post mortem research here on the board and discovered spareribs need 3bare/2foil/1bare hours. But, I think more time would be necessary to tenderize. Maybe more time in foil? Not at all a bad start. Dinner guest still ate them all.
