Eatin' crow out of my (still) hot clay pot base

[Dave Russell]

No, I'll pass... too full on ribs 'n chikn'!

Well, as you may well know, I'm typically a low-n-slow, water in the pan, and no foil wrappin', kind of backyard "cook". Well, this afternoon's challenge called for another approach.

I was to cook three meaty (about 3 lbs ea) loinbacks, and two dozen drumsticks. The weather was really windy, and the clock was tickin'....so I decided to try another approach, rather than fire up a kettle as well as my wsm. I'll try to keep it short, and just list some stuff that was either learned or seemed to be reinforced this afternoon:

1. The easiest rib/chicken cook is to smoke the thighs/drumsticks on the cooker AFTER smoking the ribs, WHILE the ribs tenderize in the oven.

2. For the above to work, skip the water.* (For one thing, the bark needs to mature much faster for wrapping. Secondly, I needed a little higher heat to get the yardbird pieces done in a reasonable amount of time, and not be too far behind the ribs in getting done.

3. I continue to be convinced that slabs of ribs are best halved and spared the higher temp of the outer grate on the 18.5" wsm. For this cook, I have 1.5 slab per grate, and was able to keep the bottom three halves over the pan. They were as evenly cooked as any I've ever done...on all other cookers... kettles, UDS, offset.

4. Painting a bbq sauce on when wrapping in foil is a EASY way to start getting more flavor to the ribs. The flavor is there, and there's no need to glaze once tender if you don't want to bother with it. I used a three-way combo of Blues Hog, BH TN Red, and also some Head Country Hot...thinned w/ a tad of AJ. Everyone loved 'em!

* Now about that 12" clay pot base in my ECB charcoal (now wsm water) pan.

...I was really surprised at how well temps held in such windy conditions, and especially how such little mass could seem to help hold the temp down...not as well as water in the pan, but certainly better than an empty foiled pan!

While I might still use water in the pan for certain situations, like low-n-slow leg quarters or spares (sans foil), the clay pot base is a pretty substantial heat sink, moreso than I thought it would be, that's for sure. Also, since I had my bottom grate slab halves over the pan, they didn't need to be foiled any sooner than the top rack halves. The bark matured much faster than with my usual humid cooking environment

, and this was a GOOD thing since I wanted to finish in the oven foiled. The loinbacks were some of the best ones I've ever done.

 

[Lew]

Of all the options, the 14" clay pot base gives me the least temperature difference between the lower cooking grate, the top cooking grate, and the lid. Unless I'm going over 300 degrees, it's all I use. Over 300, I use an empty foiled water pan.

 

[JSMcdowell]

I was extremely suprised by the easy temp control as well. I can see the advantages of water on a low & slow overnighter, but I will stick to my clay bases

 

[Dave Russell]

Originally posted by Lew:
Of all the options, the 14" clay pot base gives me the least temperature difference between the lower cooking grate, the top cooking grate, and the lid. Unless I'm going over 300 degrees, it's all I use. Over 300, I use an empty foiled water pan.

Lew, I don't have an old OE wsm pan, so I use the Brinkman pan for better charcoal access/capacity. With that pan, I can tell that for butt/brisket cooks I might be better off with the larger grease capacity using the 12" base, but I might try the 14" base for other meats.

I got the clay pot base at HD, and the clerk was nice enough to mark it down to about $5 since it had some "bird drippings" already in it.

 

[Dave Russell]

Originally posted by JSMcdowell:
I was extremely suprised by the easy temp control as well. I can see the advantages of water on a low & slow overnighter, but I will stick to my clay bases

Josh, let me ask you something. Did you notice an better smoke flavor when you quit using water?

The reason I ask is two-fold. After smoking these ribs for only 2.5 hr with pretty dry (drier than I would've liked, honestly) apple and cherry, and using RO lump...they had as good a smoke flavor as I've gotten off the wsm yet.

Usually I use K for short cooks, lately water in all cooks, and was wondering if the lump made some difference, but I was also reminded of Ray Lampe's (aka Dr. BBQ) preference for dry environments and what he's called "washing the smoke" with a water pan.

Now if I can get a deeper smoke flavor on my pork butts without water in the pan, I'll never use another drop....but I won't have an excuse to get a Lang reverse-flow, either!

Tell ya what, man. I've had some good ribs before, and these were about as good as any BB's yet. The bark was SUPERB, and the smoke flavor was just right....nothing distracting from just "cleanining some bones".

 

[JSMcdowell]

Dave,

I had never turned out great ribs until I got away from water, but I also was cooking them at a much lower temp with water. So I can't really compare the happiness I was with the difference in smoke between water and clay. Now I run my ribs 280-300. I believe no water & higher temp turns out a much better bark, for me, and of course the higher temps shorten the cook. I was craving some nice crusty bark ribs this past weekend, so I ran them at 325. I slightly over cooked them because of that, but the bark was exactly what I was looking for. But I will go back to the 280-300 as I was happy with that.

As for butts, I do not believe that I got a deeper smoke flavor once leaving water. I put my butts on cold, as they smoker is built, so I still get a nice smoke ring.

I think I am putting out better quality food due to the better control I have over the WSM without water.

I have seen 3 great benefits to leaving water. 1st, temp control. Much easier to make adjustments. 2nd, higher temps when I want them. and 3rd, no water/grease to mess to dump somewhere.

Well, let's make that 4. Water runs out eventually

And I would still want a Lang, even though I love my webers. Mainly for the large capacity, even though I can fit 120# of butts on my 22.

 

[Dave Russell]

Josh, thanks so much for the input. Being a Texan, I figure you're up on what good smoke flavor it. Last time I was in San Antone', my cousin was talking about getting another smoker for their new house, but he just ignored me when I suggested considering a big WSM over a stickburner.

Regarding my own perspective on it, I've been really happy with the smoke flavor for short cooks. Maybe I just haven't been using enough or moist enough wood on my long cooks.

One other reason to run the pan dry, though. Last year once, I forgot to clean my lid for a couple of cooks. Well, the morning after my next overnighter, I had black flecks on top of my pork butts.

I won't miss having to worry about that, that's for sure.

 

[JSMcdowell]

Dave, I don't miss the flakes a bit!

And I'm not a Texan

. Not to offend any Texans out there, but I am definetly not one of them!

 

[Dave Russell]

Sorry...don't know where I got that, unless it's the lack of sleep from my wife's bro and his family invading for the week.

Speaking of that, on this cook yesterday, I didn't do anything special with the drumsticks, just sprayed with Canola and sprinkled under and all over with Plowboy's Yardbird. While they were ok, not near as good as what I've been doing low-n-slow with leg quarters and whole birds starting with a dry brine...the same technique that I gave my brother-in-law.

Anyway, as HIS boy, by nephew, bless his heart, is cleaning rib bones like he hasn't ate in a week....he says,"but I think Dad's chicken has you beat!"

 

[M. Rollins]

Dave, this is why I really enjoy your posts...practical, hands-on, down-and-dirty. This is all great info. The one thing that really stood out for me in your OP was your point about halving rib slabs on the 18.5 WSM. I've been unhappy with my last few rib cooks, mainly due to the ends being severely over-cooked while the middle was fine. I know a lot of people don't have a problem with this, but it seems to be a hang-up for me. I had already thought about halving on my next rib cook; now I am definitely going to try it.

And Josh makes a great point when he talks about temp control being one of the benefits of not using water. Since I've stopped using water, I have noticed that when I do make a vent adjustment, I see the results much faster. And I have not had any issues with temp spikes.

Anyway, congrats on the rib success. Keep up the good work!

Mike

 

[Dave Russell]

Mike, I appreciate the kind words.

For more capacity with the half slabs, if you don't want to use rib racks, try a third grate.

Mine sits on three carriage bolts which are bolted onto the bottom rack. To get five slabs on three grates, put the six largest halves on the bottom two grates, and then the two smallest slabs on the top grate.

When I put three halves to a grate, I try to leave a good size space right in the middle of the grate to help even out the temp in the cooker. This seems to work pretty good, and I'm not rotating or turning anything in the cook...just bone down the whole time with thicker sides toward the outside of the grate.

To be honest though, I haven't used rib racks since I started cutting the slabs in half, so that might be just as good or better...especially in tough smoking weather, since ribs on end seem to improve draft in the cooker. I've got a couple of six-slot racks, so I could do six slabs of St. Louis spares like that...probably spaced too tight for meaty BB's, but maybe not.

Have a great weekend!