First ribs in WSM


 
A

Aaron-UK

New member
Cooked my first set of loin ribs on the WSM. Have previously cooked the same cut on the kettle and frustratingly they came out better from the kettle. Don’t get me wrong they tasted good but just weren’t as tender as I’d liked.

so the ribs came well trimmed already so I just took the film off and used some butt rub on them to season.

I fired on the WSM with 3 hickory wood chunks using the minion method. Basically once I threw the lit coals on I assumed it, filled the water tray with cold water and put the ribs on.

got the temperature to between 225-235f and was pretty consistent throughout.

I left them all for 2hrs and then gave them a little apple spritz. 2.5hrs I wrapped 2 (just to see which I prefer) and continued the cook. Have a top up spritz at 3hrs and at 4hrs was expecting they’d be approaching done.

ended up leaving them on for 5.5hrs and didn’t really get the pull back or the tenderness i would have hoped for from either. They tasted good but a little tough and certifiably didn’t need the tear test.

i has a probe in from 4hrs and the internal temp rose to around 185f but seemed to really stall from 4.5hrs and couldn’t get it to go up anymore then a few degrees. Pulled them at around 185 after 5.5hrs.

Did I bottle it and pull them too early? Perhaps I should have thrown the heat up at the end to help finish them?

Any advice hugely appreciated


the grill temp was taken using an igrill probe on the grill which I monitored on my phone so pretty happy that the temp remained stable at the temps states.

At the 4hr mark I checked the ribs every 15 mins or so as suggested in the guide for the tear test. Never really passed it but can’t help but think the opening the lid every 15 minutes felt a bit counter productive loosing the heat, perhaps that’s what stalled the internal temp rising?

annoyingly forgot to snap ribs when they were done bettors serving, have an image from just after served though.

203398B5-3329-40D0-95BE-DEAD661C889F.jpeg
 
Last edited:
When I first did Baby backs or loin backs I went the 225 route. I soon found out I get better results going 250 -275 and those take 4 hrs usually.
You can go higher like 325-350 and those take 60-90 mins.
 
I think many have found the 275 neighborhood is best. I do not use water pan at all. Usually no problem holding steady 260-280 although sometimes it creeps near 300 for a bit but I don't worry if it does. I do ribs often, usually 3 chucks wood with Kingsford original, minion. I check at the 2 1/2 hr mark and sometimes elect to let them got 3 hrs. Wrap in foil for only 1 hour and them finish them off on the top rack, brushing with some sauce, 20 minutes or so, They are done when you see them sweat. So it ends up 4 1/2 hours and they are always excellent, sometimes perfect--just short of "fall off the bone" -- with each bite meat should come off the bone cleanly. I have never ever had a problem this way with over 25 years with WSM 18. and now WSM 14. I used a rib rack until the last year when I started hanging them. I have wrapped them in the past after 2 1/2-3 hrs, but next cook I'm going to let them cook the whole way hanging.
 
Dick Buchanan said:
I think many have found the 275 neighborhood is best. I do not use water pan at all. Usually no problem holding steady 260-280 although sometimes it creeps near 300 for a bit but I don't worry if it does. I do ribs often, usually 3 chucks wood with Kingsford original, minion. I check at the 2 1/2 hr mark and sometimes elect to let them got 3 hrs. Wrap in foil for only 1 hour and them finish them off on the top rack, brushing with some sauce, 20 minutes or so, They are done when you see them sweat. So it ends up 4 1/2 hours and they are always excellent, sometimes perfect--just short of "fall off the bone" -- with each bite meat should come off the bone cleanly. I have never ever had a problem this way with over 25 years with WSM 18. and now WSM 14. I used a rib rack until the last year when I started hanging them. I have wrapped them in the past after 2 1/2-3 hrs, but next cook I'm going to let them cook the whole way hanging.
Click to expand...
I've cooked ribs for years on other rigs, and just got a WSM 18, in large part to see how I like hanging them. Am holding off investing in too many mods without more experience on it, but very interested to learn what your setup is for hanging, and what your experience has been. Thanks!
 
My standard rib cook on the wsm 18 is St. Louis ribs, hung directly over the coals, no wrap, 275 or more.

Fast, easy, tasty and you can fit in a LOT of racks. I use the hunsaker rack fwiw.
 
Opening the lid every 15 minutes cost a lot of heat, yes. I’ve become an advocate of not opening the lid for as long as possible.
last brisket, touched off in the evening and I never looked until after noon the next day. Just don’t do it. Also, start with HOT water if you use a pan(I don’t, never have) it just takes a lot to get to 212. Lots of info here on that, I will not preach that sermon again. They look dandy! Maybe just more time, more smoke would make you happier.
Barbecue will only be done when it says it’s done, flexibility in serving time has become important in my guest list. Those who MUST have dinner at 17:30 are probably only going to get appetizers if I say 18:00 dinner, it could be 20:00 if the beverages are flowing as usual.
Next time will be better.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top