? but still dam tasty!


 
Eric A

Eric A

TVWBB Super Fan
i am proud to say , trimmed my ribs myself, used a great tasting rub and set up the OTS 18.5, whoops rib rack doesn't fit ok on the grate they go, one layer of unlit charcoal pour one layer of lit coals , drop on two pieces of dry oak wood, checked after 1 hr, looking good checked after two, wow, those are dark, third hour, they look done??? I keep reading how ribs take 4-5 hours ??? am I wrong? Wife not happy ribs are done at 2pm; well the meat was tender but they were way over smoked and over cooked. but still had a great dinner, ok. next week, less wood...........
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It looks and sounds like you ended up with a very high heat cook! What were your smoker temps? What did you have the vents set at? Ideally you want to be smoking ribs anywhere from 225 to 275 (I like 225). Did you use water in the pan? Nextime fill the ring with the charcoal, bury a couple of pieces of wood in the pile and add only about 10 - 15 lit coals (known as the Minion Method). close the bottom vents to about 25% each and keep the top vent wide open. If you don't have one, get a probe thermometer to accurately guage your smoker temp.
 
You didn't use too much wood. But you didn't mention temps at all. Two chunks should not create over smoking, so the suspicion is that the temp got too high. Mostly, using the minion method, you put some lit on top of unlit.
 
Thanks Bill, I was using a 18.5 Weber Kettel, my temps were according to my oven thermometer about 275 +/- was as high as 300, but some adjustments to vent brought it down to the 275 level. I did a modified minion, no water, I was thinking that its proximity to the heat source cooked the ribs quicker then usual. Thanks for the advice, hope you had a great 4th
 
Hi Mike. thanks for feedback, temps as I was telling Bill; were 225 when I first set ribs on, then when I checked again at about 40 min mark it was at 300, then some adjustments to vents got it to 275 where it held for the rest of the cook. Im thinking using that using the 18.5 kettle to try and smoke ribs its just to close to the heat source. but I may be wrong. should I stabilize my temp before the meat goes on? would a water pan above the coals help? I saw that in another post; none the less they were still tasty! thanks for the help Mike
 
well that explains it! You're just going to have to tell the wife you need a WSM, preferably a 22.5! lol!! On the kettle, I would still use the minion method. You didn't say if you put coals on both sides of the kettle with the ribs in the middle, but I would pile a small amount of coals (half a chimney full) on one side only and put a foil pan filled with water next to them and the ribs as far over on the opposite side as possible. Just add like 8 lit coals to the pile. And you still want to keep it lower than 275. With the kettle, you're going to have to feed a handful of coals every hour and a half or so if your temps start falling. I'd keep the top vent open and fiddle with the bottom vent - 25 - 50% to keep the temp low.
I had a great fourth, thank you! Hopoe you did too! Keep on smokin!
 
Your right Bill, I'm just going over to her and saying, listen woman! I'm going to the store and buying me a new Weber Smoker! I'll let you know what happens....lol thanks for the advice I will take to heart and see how they turn out this weekend! gonna do baby backs!
 
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