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First Smoke Ever! 4 Racks of Spare Ribs


 
J

Joe Bernard

New member
Well I finally did my first smoke on July 2nd in my new WSM 18.5, but I didn't have internet until today so that's why the **** is late. First off, thanks for everyone who offered me advice, both in my questions thread and in my mid-cook crisis one. Anyway, on to the ribs.

I cooked for 14 people, but there were other things to eat too so the ribs were not the only thing. I rubbed them with a mix of coarse ground black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and salt. Not trying to target a specific temp, I aimed for 250 but didn't mind if it ran a little higher or lower. The WSM ran great! I didn't fiddle with it after the first half hour and temps ranged from 240-280, but I didn't mind because it was windy to start out and then died down. I used three chuncks of hickory and a full ring of new Kingsford briquettes. I cooked the ribs unfoiled and they took 5.5 hours, used the tear test and toothpick test to check for doneness. Although you can't really tell it from the pics, the smoke ring was solid and very pronounced. The ribs had a bit of pull to them, were very tender and juicy, and tasted great! I nailed exactly what I was going for and everyone loved them. My cousin said they were the best ribs she has ever had! We had some leftovers, but I polished them off the next day, hah.

I am very happy with how my first smoke turned out, and this is just the beginning of fueling the addiciton. I am so pumped to smoke again! Oh, and I just got a job at a BBQ restaurant near me, I start tomorrow. Life is good
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http://s856.photobucket.com/al...20of%20Spare%20Ribs/

Couple of questions:

1. The temp difference between the thermometer in the lid of the WSM and the thermometer I put on the grate was around 25 degrees. The lid showed a lower reading, however the thermometer at the grate was near the edge of the cooking grate, which I know runs hotter. Could it have been cooler in the middle? Which temp should I go by?

2. Concerning clean-up, should I wash out the charcoal ring and grate, as well as the bottomw part of the WSM, after I am done cooking? I did it this time because I had to travel 2 hours and didn't want ash to get all over the place, but I read about possible rust forming. Is that a problem?

3. I put three chuncks of hickory on top, should I bury some next time so the ribs take on more of a smokey flavor? The ribs had some smokey flavor, but I like BBQ with alot of smoke, so would that be a way to achieve it or how would I go about it?

Thanks again for all the help! Love the WSM!
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Very nice. Great that your results were what you were looking for.

1. It doesn't matter. While I recommend avoiding putting the probe near the grate edge what I strongly recommend (if you're going to temp) is picking one spot and going with that. It is not the actual temp that matters so much - it is your getting used to cooking at the temps at the place you choose to temp. I prefer to use lid temp. I dislike mounted therms so use a them I stick into a vent hole. Whatever. Pick a spot - grate or lid - and work off of that. It will, imo, decrease frustration.

2. I don't wash a thing. In my neck of the woods I can expect mold growth so I simply rinse before use, rather than after.

3. I'm not a fan of burying wood. You can though. Nor do I like large, fist-sized chunks. I chop fist-sized into smaller pieces (about 5 or 6) and use the smaller pieces exclusively. I get more smoke sooner and don't need to bury. Try a few approaches. You'll discover what you like best.
 
Joe Bernard great cook..

1# I stick a probe thru top vent and go for that temp.(couse im lazy and its an remote probe)

2# Dont wash,emty ashes and water if u use that(i take my garden hose and clean the waterpan on my lawn takes 1 min)I brush grates with a "grate-brusher" or whatever they are called,every time my wsm gets to temp before meat goes on.

3# I put 2 pieces fist zise in the coals.and 1 ontop of the coals when starting(depends on what im smoking ofc but for ribs 3 pieces apple wood)


Thats how i do it but i have only had this wsm for 45 days.

Bless//Me
 
Looking good brother. mmm tasty.

Depending on if you use water, or clay saucer or just empty foiled pan will affect your lid temp vs rack temp on top and bottom. I recommend you remove your lid thermometer and calibrate it in boiling water just to know.

My top and middle racks run about 15 degrees under the lid. But bottom line is to track the lid temps of your cooks and go with what works. Search on here for cook log and track time, vent settings, temp and most importantly your results for taste and texture. This has helped me tremendously as a newbie.

Cleanup--I don't like to leave any meat drippings and gunk in the water pan so I double foil it. I close all the vents and let the coals die. I pickup the ring and the rack and shake the ash off into the bottom. Then I dump the ash into a metal trash can I keep near my smoker. I leave the coals on the rack for my next smoke. I don't clean anything. If the grates look bad I torch them in my gas grill for 25 min with the lid closed and all burners on high.

I think if you do minion method with a can and hot coals in the center you can place some wood on the center and some further out to be consumed later. I use the minion where I dump the lit on top of the unlit so I just add more chunks later in the cook through the door. Don't use too much smoke or you'll get a bitter taste. Try hickory or oak to get stronger flavor.

Welcome to the addiction.
 
Thanks for the advice guys!

K Kruger: will do, agree with you on the frustration part.

Wolgast: if you don't cook until next weekend, wouldn't all of the gunk on the grates build up and have nasty stuff form?

Chris E: I'll try adding a chunck or two later on in the cooking.
 
Nice job sir!

1: 225-275 is a ok!

2: Had my WSM for 6 months and if I catch anybody cleaning the inside...........
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I do keep my grates and exterior clean though.

3: Smoke flavor is to each ones own taste, I start with 3-4 next to the lit and put 3-4 deep in the unlit (depends on the size of the chuncks). Poultry: 2-3 next to the lit only.
 
Nice job, congrats!

1 - As Kevin said "doesn't matter, pick a spot".

2 - I rinse out just once a year at the start of Spring. Otherwise, I just dump the ash, remove the foil, and brush the grates after each cook.

3 - Add more wood at the start and put the meat on earlier.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by K Kruger:
1. It doesn't matter. It will, imo, decrease frustration.
2. I don't wash a thing.
3. I'm not a fan of burying wood. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Re #1. and stabilize blood pressure as well.
Re #2. I wash the cooking grate at some point between uses and store in a plastic bag. No need to wash charcoal bowl, etc, etc, etc
Re #3 on top of lit works for me.
Enjoy your WSM Joe. It's great.
 
Ok so no more cleaning of the bottom part of the WSM, that saves a bunch of time.

Dave: I kept the grates out of the smoker for two days and then put them back in it. Is that fine or should I keep them out until I smoke again? Or is just keeping them in a plastic bag personal preference?
 
CONGRATS on a great first cook ! Personaly I only clean the grills and the water pan ! I use the lid temp most a the time unless iam real picky then I stick in my Maverick 73 and watchem both I know were they normaly run and can tell when somthings wrong . and of course keep the outside wiped off and nice but that about it like any other cooker .

I normaly take a torch or a weed burner to my grills the day after a cook ! It turns the gunk to a white powder and it wipes right off all gone
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little bit a Dawn and water and the garden hose in the water pan wash wipe dry and done all takes me like 10 minutes and thats taking my time . IF you decide to use a weed burner or torch and have never used one be careful were you do it ! You can burn the neighborhood down without trying very hard
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I lay mine on a metal plate away from everything or a dirt area ! Don't lay it on concrete I have exploded a couple patio blocks . I saw a post on here were some guy blew a hunk out of his driveway to
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Joe Bernard:
Ok so no more cleaning of the bottom part of the WSM, that saves a bunch of time.

Dave: I kept the grates out of the smoker for two days and then put them back in it. Is that fine or should I keep them out until I smoke again? Or is just keeping them in a plastic bag personal preference? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I keep the cleaned cooking grates in a bag. Just my preference, but I rinse them anyway before use. When I dump ash, I brush the bowl, the ring and the charcoal grate briefly. I leave the ring and the charcoal grate in the smoker. When I know the fire is out, next day, I usually open all vents to get air flowing and I cover with a garbage bag to keep dry. Once in a while, I'll brush down the middle section to get off the flaking stuff. No real work involved. I also think it is a good idea to wipe the lid rim and the ledge on the middle section on which the lid sits to try to avoid sticking. Still, I get some sticking, but a tap or two or three with the side of my fist loosens the lid.
 
Use a steel brush for the grates and knock the junk off right after a cook if you have the time. I usually open the vents up and take the door off so the grates get really hot and stuff gets burnt and easy to knock off with the brush. I find enough grease will be left on the grates after this to prevent rusting.

Later after the coals have died, dump the ash and use the steel brush to knock anything off the charcoal grate. However, use a BRASS brush for the lower porcelain enameled surfaces of the cooker: the pan, charcoal ring and chamber. Also, use the brass brush for the inside of the lid every so often.

Congrats on your rib cook!
Dave
 
That was your first rib cook!? Nice looking ribs.

I won't even talk to you about my first rib cook and I certainly didn't take any pictures of it.
 
for the cleaning part, i rarely mess with my WSM after a smoke until my next smoke. i don't use water i just use a foiled pan. i just cover it with a weber premium kettle cover and let it sit.i have had my WSM sit for a month or more with butt grease in the pan and chunks of butt fat/meat on the grate. when it's time to smoke again i put the grate on my gasser full blast then i empty the foil and gunk from the water pan, hose it out and refoil. then i dump the ash and refuel. by then the grate or grates are ready to be hit with my billy bar. the billy bar is great for getting all the burnt gunk off of each and every bar on the grate.i might hose out the middle section and lid with plain water once a year, but that's it. i have yet to have mold or make anyone sick so it's all good.
 
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