First Smoke Today ... BB Ribs


 
D

Dennis T.

TVWBB Super Fan
I'm nervous, but today's the day for my first smoke.

I assembled the WSM earlier this morning. Simple.

Two racks (2.5 lbs/each) are lightly rubbed and resting in the refridgerator.

Around 12:30 (in one hour), I planning on filling the charcoal ring half way with unlit Kingsford, then adding 20 lit coals, and 2-3 fist size pieces of hickory wood.

It's a nice winter day ... sunny, no wind, mid-30's. I'll fill the water pan with warm water.

I checked my Nu-Temp probe in boiling water ... registered 211.
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I'll be following the recipe I found in these forums from Kevin Taylor ... 225 degress throughout, 3 hours unfoiled, 2.5 hours foiled, 30 minutes finish.

Like I said, I'm nervous ... afraid I've forgotten something ... but ready to go.

I do have a question about how much mop to use when enclosing in foil. Some recipes seem like they call for a "spritz" of mop others call for as much as 1/4 cup for half a rack. Any advice? Is this very critical? Kevin calls for 2.5 hours in the foil and I'm afraid I'd turn them to mush if I used to much mop.

Thanks.
 
Good luck, Dude!
I only used enough apple juice to make the brown sugar melt when I cooked ribs last. I don't think the amount is critical, there may even be enough moisture in the ribs themselves to promote some steam, which is what the foil is all about.

You followed my first try at ribs actively, so I predict this cook will come out perfect!

Let us know!
 
Dennis,
Relax and enjoy the experience. I shoot mine with a spray bottle. 3-4 squirts per side sitting on the foil and wrap em. Plenty of moisture.
Good Luck
 
Dennis--

Good luck on your cook.
I cook ribbs at a higher temp--240-250. I find at lower temps I run the risk of them drying a bit, especially if the ribs I'm cooking are leaner than I'd normally buy. If I'm using foil, I use about 1/4-1/2 cup/slab depending on their size. I do not go that long in foil--maybe 45 min to an hour. I foil after about 3 1/2 or 4 hours--after the ribs have taken on a nice color. Once out of the foil and back on the grill, I cook till done.

Nice winter day here too. Partly cloudy. 78 degrees. (Sorry.)

Don't be nervous. Have fun.
 
Dennis, I've done some BB (small back ribs) back ribs and just last week two spare cooks. I agree with Kevin's advice.

The spares I did were on the verge of falling apart after 1 hour in foil with juice. When I do BBs I will only foil them for 45 minutes with juice.

If you foil with juice I suggest you open one after 45 minutes to check them or max 1 hour in foil.
 
Hi everyone and thanks for the input ... I would have checked in earlier, but things haven't been going well.
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When the temp hit 200, I closed the bottom vents to 25% open. 45 minutes into the cook, I was a little over target temp (238). Then, suddenly, the temp climbed quickly, to over 300 in the span of 15-20 minutes. I closed the bottom vents 100%, but nothing doing. I took the top off, hoping that the cold ambient air would lower the temp, it did the opposite. Eventually, I closed even the top vent 100% (cracked a little for a probe).

Right now, I'm almost 2 hrs into the cook ... all vents are closed ... and the WSM temp has fallen slowly to 264.

I'm not sure what to do now ... certainly I can't plan on going for the full 6 hrs.

Does this thing have an off button?
 
Dennis,

I have a ton of respect for Kevin (Stogie) but IMHO I think 2.5 hours in foil is way too long. 1 hour max is all I foil ribs for now. If you go 2-2.5 they will be mush.

As far as mop, I usually spritz them really good with whatever i'm spritzing with then dust them real lightly with rub.

Good Luck!!
 
Originally posted by Dennis T.:
Hi everyone and thanks for the input ... I would have checked in earlier, but things haven't been going well.
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When the temp hit 200, I closed the bottom vents to 25% open. 45 minutes into the cook, I was a little over target temp (238). Then, suddenly, the temp climbed quickly, to over 300 in the span of 15-20 minutes. I closed the bottom vents 100%, but nothing doing. I took the top off, hoping that the cold ambient air would lower the temp, it did the opposite. Eventually, I closed even the top vent 100% (cracked a little for a probe).

Right now, I'm almost 2 hrs into the cook ... all vents are closed ... and the WSM temp has fallen slowly to 264.

I'm not sure what to do now ... certainly I can't plan on going for the full 6 hrs.

Does this thing have an off button?
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Sorry to hear you have been having problems and I can certainly relate to being stressed out about it. Try not to worry, it will probably all turn out ok.

Perhaps your WSM is leaky, see the reference topics here at TVWBB for testing and corrective measures. Perhaps a bit of a breeze came up and was blowing directly in one of your lower vents and getting your coals going. If that's the case try closing the bottom vent that is directly in the wind but leaving the other two more open. Should really try to leave the top vent open if you can. It can take some time to bring the temp down if your coals have fired up.

I'll suggest that 6 hours is probably too much even for spares to start with (especially if you are foiling with juice). With the temp going up like it did you might remove your ribs now or at least check them, then start your foil session.

If you are still struggling temp wise with your WSM, you could do the foil session in the oven. Put the foiled ribs on an old cookie sheet or in a large casserole (single layer if possible) then finish them on your grill if you have one.
 
I checked my log and I spent a good hour running above 250 ... some time even over 300. Needless to say, the recipe is out the window and I'm winging it.

The way I see it, this cook could end in a couple of ways ... with (a) decent first try ribs, (b) awful first try ribs, (c) baby back jerky, or (d) pieces of leatherette for making a pair of baby back rib shoes.
 
Thanks Shawn.

I have opened the top/lid vent ... and closed two of the three bottom vents ... have the third open about 15%.

Mushy is sounding good right now ... would four hours in foil be too long?
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..Mushy is sounding good right now ... would four hours in foil be too long?..
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Wow, four hours in foil might make the bones soft enough for baby mush. I would go like 45 minutes max in foil for back ribs Dennis.
 
I was joshin' ... thought foil might be my secret weapon ... you could take a pair of boots, wrap them in foil, cook for 24 hours, and you might have something edible.

One half rack is looking kinda dry, but liberal spritzn' seems to be helping. The others don't look to bad. I'll foil soon ... probably for an hour. Then finish with sauce.

This cook will put me one step closer to when I'll know what I'm doing.
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Since I'm running ahead of schedule ... does one keep "ribs in waiting" like meats such as brisket and butt. Should I wrap the ribs in foil, add towels and store in a cooler?
 
Dennis,
It is not uncommon for the WSM to run a little hot the first cook (or two). Some theorize it may have something to do with the super clean finish on a new WSM acting like a heat reflector. Regardless, I'm sure those ribs will be yummie just the same. I've found no two cooks are the same.

Also, try to resist taking a peak and lifting the lid so often (remember, a watched pot never boils). lifting the lid will definitely raise temps. Finally, it's strongly suggested you never close the top vent to control temps. Trapping that bad smoke yields bad results.

It's your first time, so, good luck and enjoy!
 
Dennis -- Probably the worst that you will do is a tasty, edible learning experience. My first smoke strongly resembles yours and it was OK. (I spent the next several months with butts, turkeys, briskets, etc. but I have revisited BB and the results are wonderful.)

Keep after it, you will do OK.
 
Vernon,

Is learning how to control the temp the biggest thing to learn when starting out? (Duh).

Foiled for one hour ... have them out of the foil firming up. Took a "cook's sample" of a small rib that looked particularly well done and it tasted okay ... but a little "hammy".

Will sauce shortly.
 
My first cook ribs were real hammy, but, you know what? We still ate them. Not so inedible that we gave them to the dogs.
 
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