Electric Smoker vs Weber 22.5 kettle


 
S

Steven Simpkins

TVWBB Member
I can slow cook pork spare ribs on my Brinkman electric smoker and have great results but every time I try the same thing on my weber kettle using fire bricks and the minion method for the smoke taste the results are not the same. I do not know if it is temperature control or what the problem is. I cook at 225 to 250 at the lid. Would buying a Weber Smokey Mountain Smoker help or should I be able to smoke the ribs just as well on the kettle using the above method.

Bones
 
What's the difference in results you are getting? The WSM will make for simple work, but I use the kettle when Q'n only one or two racks. For both I shoot for a 250 grate temp. I can not say there is a huge difference in the end product, but during the cook a little more care is needed with the kettle.

As for electrics...... I have never tried one. I like to play with fire.

Gary
 
Can you be a little more specific about what you don't like from your kettle cooking results?

Funny taste? Too dry? Tough?
 
I cooked the ribs about the same amount of time as on the electric grill and was wondering if maybe the grate temperature was alot higher then the lid temperature thus not needing to cook as long. I have a remote thermometer. could I stick it in a potatoe and sit it on the grate to get the temperature at the grate. Could the temperature vary on the grate?

Bones
 
You could definately use a potatoe and the remote therm to measure grate temp and it will be a little different than lid temp (not enough to really matter in my opinion but it will be different).

To me it sounds like the ribs aren't done. To ensure moistness you could foil as well....Although I'm guessing your looking for similar methods to what your doing on your electric and not the extra hassle.

How are you measuring the them on the electric?

Clark
 
The temperature at the grate on the electric smoker is a constant 225 degrees. I checked it by sitting a thermometer on one of the grates. It seems that at 225 degrees the ribs are done in about 5 hours. I tried longer but the ribs dried out and were tough. If I get the temperature to about 225 dgrees on the kettle it should take approximately 5 hours to cook the ribs correct. I think I need to check the temperature at the grate and at the lid to see the difference and adjust accordingly.

Bones
 
You've probably got the right idea. I would probably check the ribs more often as well. Just until the times are nailed down a little better. Really there's no reason they shouldn't come out very well in the kettle and 5 hours sounds fine. How big of racks are we talking? Backs or spares?
 
My first real attempts at smoking were done on my Performer, which has a built in lid therm right under the handle. I was so happy to be able to load it with charcoal in the charcoal baskets, start a small fire (I stumbled into the Minion Method years before I knew it already had a name), and adjust vents for hours to maintain 225. I was really proud of my firetending and steady temps. I was smoking!

However, like you, my ribs were done (ie: fully cooked pork), but were not BBQ done to where they would tenderize the meat and render some of the fat out.

Then I began to realize that the lid temp could be 20-40 degrees different from the grate temp. So, to overcome this, I began to aim for 275 lid temp. This adjustment made a big difference.

Now my bbq comes out tender.

Oh, and the WSM makes the process even easier.

Try smoking using a higher temp on the grill. Good luck.
 
Doug on my One touch Kettle what temperature should I shoot for at the grate and can I measure the temperature at the grate with a remote thermometer stuck in a potatoe on the grate.

Steve
 
Well, to this day, since that's where my smoking techniques (cook time v. temp) were developed, I still aim for 275, whether using the Performer, Ranch, or WSM.

So, try it again using the probe in a potato at grate level, and shoot for 250. If they come out like you want them, then you're good. If not, on the next cook, try 260, or 270, until you get them where you want them. You can get them tender just from smoking without overcooking
 
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