G
Guest
Guest
With some apprehension, I used my WSM for the first time yesterday. Cooked 5 small racks of baby backs marinated for 4 hrs in Bengali Indian Style "Bombay Mango" marinade.
Fired up the smoker using the Minion method and within 40-45 minutes put the ribs on the top rack and threw some hickory chips (not chunks) on the coals. After almost an hour the temp was only up to 175 and I was getting nervous. Tried opening the vents more... not much happened... tried closing them up (someone had mentioned too much draft carrying heat away?). I finally resorted to firing up another bunch of charcoal in the chimney and threw them on. Temps finally came up to proper range. After 2-3 minor vent adjustments temps remained steady between 230 & 250.
After a full 6 hrs of smoking I took the ribs off. Poked a fork between the bones and it was clear the meat would pull away from the bones easily. Ends of the bones were exposed by about 1/2".
Taste test.... AWESOME!! We were somewhat surprised, however, that the meat tasted almost exactly like a smoked shoulder rather than the BBQ ribs we grill over direct heat. Curious, is this more a function of the hickory chips? What flavors do woods like oak or maple impart? Is mesquite a good wood for ribs. Sorry... sooo many questions but I'm a "newbie."
Great info from this group and looking forward to a lot more "smokin"!! (Damn... there goes the diet!)
Thanks,
Joe T
Pembroke, NH
Fired up the smoker using the Minion method and within 40-45 minutes put the ribs on the top rack and threw some hickory chips (not chunks) on the coals. After almost an hour the temp was only up to 175 and I was getting nervous. Tried opening the vents more... not much happened... tried closing them up (someone had mentioned too much draft carrying heat away?). I finally resorted to firing up another bunch of charcoal in the chimney and threw them on. Temps finally came up to proper range. After 2-3 minor vent adjustments temps remained steady between 230 & 250.
After a full 6 hrs of smoking I took the ribs off. Poked a fork between the bones and it was clear the meat would pull away from the bones easily. Ends of the bones were exposed by about 1/2".
Taste test.... AWESOME!! We were somewhat surprised, however, that the meat tasted almost exactly like a smoked shoulder rather than the BBQ ribs we grill over direct heat. Curious, is this more a function of the hickory chips? What flavors do woods like oak or maple impart? Is mesquite a good wood for ribs. Sorry... sooo many questions but I'm a "newbie."
Great info from this group and looking forward to a lot more "smokin"!! (Damn... there goes the diet!)
Thanks,
Joe T
Pembroke, NH