First Time Cook

[Gary Sabino]

I just got my WSM this week (this board helped me decide) and I have a question. I will be cooking for 6 people on Saturday and want to use the WSM. I was thinking of doing chicken, because it seems to be the easiest and my wife said "What, no ribs?!" I see that one can do two butterflied chickens and some rolled slabs of ribs at one time. Should I try that on my first flight? If yes, how should I set up the smoker? I wanted to try competiton ribs.
Thanks!

 

[John L]

When I smoke, I usually like to cook things of like timing...such as multiple pork shoulders with maybe a brisket thrown in, they all take about 2 hours/pound with little messing with the meat. If I do ribs, I usually just do ribs because of all of the special steps involved that would slow the cook on other things I might have in the WSM (see the 3-2-1 method for ribs). If I did chicken, I'd probably just do all chickens.

IMO, the easiest thing you can do is a pork butt, your first one will probably turn out as good as your 10th, unlike something tricky like brisket or ribs. Pork takes awhile to smoke, but that doesn't mean it's hard. One 6 lb pork shoulder will feed about 10 people.

But that's just me.

P.S. Another rule of thumb I use for feeding guests, I NEVER try something on them that I haven't done a test run for just me and the wife first. First impressions are very important.

 

[Doug D]

It's certainly possible to do both. Although many-- myself included-- like to do poultry at a higher temperature, very good results can be had doing it at the same temp as other BBQ meats. The chicken should take about four hours, and the competition rib recipe calls for five hours, so you'll need to remove and hold the chicken first, or start it after the ribs. I would go for the former, as you won't be putting a hit of cold meat into your cooker just when you've gotten it stabilized with the ribs. And, if you like BBQ sauce on your chicken, you can finish it similarly to the ribs with a short, final sauce-carmelizing grill. Be sure, in any case, to monitor the chicken meat temp carefullly so as not to overcook it, and cook it on the bottom rack, both so you can more easily deal with the requirements of the rib recipe, and so poultry juices don't drip on the other meat.

In any case, since it's for guests, give yourself added time to get started cooking, and to be finished before your desired serving time.

 

[Paul G.]

gsabino

If you want to do the chicken and ribs, here's my suggestion. Do butterflied chicken halves and put them on the bottom rack. Do your ribs on the top. To have them finish around the same time you'll probably need to do BB or loin back ribs. Spares will take longer unless you want to foil them for an hour, i.e. 3 without, 1 with and finish the last hour without foil. Either that way or with BB and you'll finish around 4 1/2 to 5 hrs which is also about the time for the chicken if you're cooking at a lid temp of 250 and using water or sand in your pan. I suggest you do your first cook with water. BTW your chicken will not have crisp skin but it should be moist and juicy.

Review the fire-up section from the mainpage. I probably would use MM but you could do standard if you choose.

Hope you have a good cook and an enjoyable get together.

Paul

 

[Gary Sabino]

Thanks for the thoughtful responses. I have a feeling that the right move is to go easy on myself the first time through and stay with poultry. I can do ribs on the kettle, which people seem to enjoy. I was going to follow the directions on the recipe section in this website.