PeterD
TVWBB Super Fan
After weeks in the teens and 20s here in NJ I decided to take advantage of the first day of 2013 when the mercury topped 50 degrees and ring in the Q year with some baby backs. I'd wanted to do a brisket but I don't like HH versions, so it had to be a short cook. It was sunny, calm and 53 degrees when I hit the supermarket for two racks then I got the fire going with a simple minion start plus 7 chunks (4 apple, 2 cherry). Ribs went on at precisely 2:00pm.
Of course, an hour into the smoke the sun went away, clouds thickened and the wind started howling out of the northwest. Fire and temp control were problematic all afternoon and it just didn't want to get much above 240 until I propped open the lid slightly for 10 minutes and let it hit 260. I left all the vents open but re-seated the lid and it dropped back to 240 but held steady there for a couple more hours. I foiled with apple juice but my plan to lay down a coating of honey and brown sugar went awry when I realied the honey was thoroughly crystalized. I just sprinkled on the sugar and wrapped for 40 minutes. Back out of the foil, sauced and then an attempt at high heat, but that proved problematic as the wind was really blowing now. Best I could get was 275 and even after an hour they weren't done. Oh but wait. 10 minutes after saucing and attempting to crank the temps, the heavens opened up. By now it was 44 degrees, windy wet and generally raw as heck. I pulled the first rack off at 7:15, dressed it with sauce and.....
One of the single best racks I've ever created. Nicely herby, a tiny bite at the finish and a hint of sweetness. They really could have used the honey but I'll know for next time. I'd added a bit of extra white sugar, black pepper a dash of cayenne and a half tsp of NM chile powder to the remnants of last season's Chris Lilly Butt Rub and I was generally satisfied but I really need to come up with a more complex and layered rib rib (we're both sick of BRITU by now); Something that will really pop with noticeable but not overpowering heat, about 3 minutes after you finish the first rib. I've never learned the secret to doing that but ribs like that always blow my mind. Sweet, pork-y and then BAM.
We finished dinner and pulled off the second (larger) slab but it was a little overdone, unfortunately. Meat pulled off the bone in clumps (no chew marks, at least on the end rib I tried) and was dry. No worries, though; it'll make nice leftovers this week with a bit of Outlaw sauce and steam re-animation. Back to the deep freeze by the weekend and no real break in the ultra-long-term forecasts 'til March. How I envy all y'all in TX!
Of course, an hour into the smoke the sun went away, clouds thickened and the wind started howling out of the northwest. Fire and temp control were problematic all afternoon and it just didn't want to get much above 240 until I propped open the lid slightly for 10 minutes and let it hit 260. I left all the vents open but re-seated the lid and it dropped back to 240 but held steady there for a couple more hours. I foiled with apple juice but my plan to lay down a coating of honey and brown sugar went awry when I realied the honey was thoroughly crystalized. I just sprinkled on the sugar and wrapped for 40 minutes. Back out of the foil, sauced and then an attempt at high heat, but that proved problematic as the wind was really blowing now. Best I could get was 275 and even after an hour they weren't done. Oh but wait. 10 minutes after saucing and attempting to crank the temps, the heavens opened up. By now it was 44 degrees, windy wet and generally raw as heck. I pulled the first rack off at 7:15, dressed it with sauce and.....
One of the single best racks I've ever created. Nicely herby, a tiny bite at the finish and a hint of sweetness. They really could have used the honey but I'll know for next time. I'd added a bit of extra white sugar, black pepper a dash of cayenne and a half tsp of NM chile powder to the remnants of last season's Chris Lilly Butt Rub and I was generally satisfied but I really need to come up with a more complex and layered rib rib (we're both sick of BRITU by now); Something that will really pop with noticeable but not overpowering heat, about 3 minutes after you finish the first rib. I've never learned the secret to doing that but ribs like that always blow my mind. Sweet, pork-y and then BAM.
We finished dinner and pulled off the second (larger) slab but it was a little overdone, unfortunately. Meat pulled off the bone in clumps (no chew marks, at least on the end rib I tried) and was dry. No worries, though; it'll make nice leftovers this week with a bit of Outlaw sauce and steam re-animation. Back to the deep freeze by the weekend and no real break in the ultra-long-term forecasts 'til March. How I envy all y'all in TX!
