EPIC FAIL!!!
I MUST fess up! Maybe I can save someone else from an error in judgement.
The weather was magnificent for February. 65 degrees and a bit of wind. I put one chimney full of Kingsford Original unlit in the smoker (18.5" WSM). I dumped a full lit chimney spread carefully over the top. The temperature without the water pan climbed almost instantly. I had my Maverick 732 smoker probe hanging from the top lip of the barrel. After I closed the smoker up the Weber therm and the Maverick agreed for the rest of the cook within 4 degrees!
I put a medium coat of Harry Soo's basic rub (home mixed) on both sides of the ribs several hours before smoking (in the refrigerator). I hung the ribs from the second bone of the thickest end of the rib rack. I closed up the smoker and set the vents (about 1/4 open on the bottom and full open on the top). The smoker settled between my target temp of 275 to 300 degrees without effort. I used no wood, just the grease dropping on the fire. There was PLENTY of smoke (great smell, by the way).
I checked each hour on the hour. At the three hour mark, I pulled a rack and it was "just about" ready. They looked gorgeous. This is where I made a BAD decision. I decided to let them go another thirty minutes. When I opened the smoker, two racks were down on the fire burning like the best of kindling
. I should have pulled them at three hours. Just flat stupid, no excuse whatsoever. I did not plan on wrapping, I wanted them just as they finished.
We managed to save one rack of ribs. The bark was magnificent, the ribs were moist, and the flavor was outstanding as was the "chew". Tender, but not mushy. Shudda, wudda, cudda!!!
One rack had the hook pull through the meat to drop to the fire below. The other rack just flat fell apart into the fire.
For those that have an 18.5 WSM, there is enough room for St. Louis full racks with the Weber expandable rack and PBC hooks. However, the next time, I will be cutting the racks in half. I have the room with the 18.5" and I certainly have the hooks (you have to buy a full package of 8 from PBC). This will reduce the weight on the hooks by 50% and if you let the ribs cook a bit too long they won't fall into the fire. Further, the ribs will be cooked evenly. The one rack left hanging had it's toes a bit singed
.
Well, I was sad, but I am trying to be philosophical about the mishap. I will consider this just a learning experience. The ribs salvaged were outstanding, to me. I love good bark and these had it in spades. The ribs were juicy and the tenderness was perfectly OK (think competition ribs or maybe a bit more tender). The flavor was outstanding. I will not be wrapping the next ribs, either, but if you prefer fall off the bone, the half racks will be easy to wrap, pull the hanging rack, drop in the top grate and stack the wrapped ribs on the grate.
If I had it to do over again, I definitely would buy the hooks from PBC. I would make my own hook remover by just using a piece of dowel or a piece of broomstick and run a hook eye in the end.
One thing I learned, for sure, that hanging ribs is a GOOD way to cook (if you don't over cook and drop them into the fire
).
I am NOT going to share any photos of my cook. I want to forget THAT part as soon as possible (actually not forget, just FIX and move on
).
Now, I hope Weber is going to ship more hanging racks as it is a GOOD accessory and I, in spite of my problems, will be using mine a LOT in the future.
Keep on smokin',
Dale53
