Questions before first ribs on WSM


 
G

Grant Narita

TVWBB Fan
Hello everyone,

So tonite I will finally take my first WSM out of the box for my first time using a smoker. I have a few basic questions before I prepare my baby back ribs:

1. Should I put the rub on the ribs the nite before, or is it better to put it on right before I put it in the smoker?

2. I never worked with two grills before. If I only need to use one, do I use the top grill or bottom grill. If using the top grill, does everyone take out the middle grill?

3. I may try to also find beef ribs tonite. If I cook both pork and beef ribs, is it okay to have the ones on the top rack dripping down on the ribs below? Actually this is also a question for anytime I will use both top and bottom grills at the same time.

Thanks for your help. I am sure I will have more questions later!
 
Hi Grant and welcome to the site. You are likely to get different answers to your question but here are mine:

1. I usually prep/trim my ribs the night before to save time but apply my rub while the smoker is coming up to temp. My feeling is that it doesn't pull too much moisture out that way but gives the ribs a chance to get that "wet" look and not leave patches of dry rub when they go on the smoker.

2. I use the top and take out the middle unless I use a pan to catch drippings. Using the top makes it easier to get at the meat and taking out the middle allows for easier cleanup.

3. I haven't done two different meats on the racks but from what I read the pork usually goes on top for the extra flavor the drippings offer for the bottom rack.

Todd
 
Okay, I just unpacked everything and I only have two of the grate supports. I suppose I am supposed to get four? I bought this straight from amazon... Anyone know If I call weber directly or amazon? Unfortunately this puts things on hold.

I am also not clear about putting the legs on... And now wondering if I am missing anything else. I have 6 silver washers and a bunch of smaller black ones. I figure one silver washer goes on each of the two parts of the legs, for six total for the three legs?
 
Todd NC said:
Hi Grant and welcome to the site. You are likely to get different answers to your question but here are mine:

1. I usually prep/trim my ribs the night before to save time but apply my rub while the smoker is coming up to temp. My feeling is that it doesn't pull too much moisture out that way but gives the ribs a chance to get that "wet" look and not leave patches of dry rub when they go on the smoker.

2. I use the top and take out the middle unless I use a pan to catch drippings. Using the top makes it easier to get at the meat and taking out the middle allows for easier cleanup.

3. I haven't done two different meats on the racks but from what I read the pork usually goes on top for the extra flavor the drippings offer for the bottom rack.

Todd
Click to expand...

Thanks Todd!
 
Grant Narita said:
Okay, I just unpacked everything and I only have two of the grate supports. I suppose I am supposed to get four? I bought this straight from amazon... Anyone know If I call weber directly or amazon? Unfortunately this puts things on hold.

I am also not clear about putting the legs on... And now wondering if I am missing anything else. I have 6 silver washers and a bunch of smaller black ones. I figure one silver washer goes on each of the two parts of the legs, for six total for the three legs?
Click to expand...

Call Weber. They have the best Customer Service in the business.

1. Here's how I do spare ribs. Baby backs take about 5 hours vs 6.

I trim the fat, remove the membrane, apply a light coat of spicy brown mustard, sprinkle with a light coat of rub (Jamie Purveyance's Championship Ribs Recipe is a good one), then i go light the chimney and let them sit while the fire is getting going.

I fill the ring with unlit and put about half a large chimney of lit on the unlit with vents wide open. I assemble the cooker and wait until there's no visible smoke from the fire before I add food and smoke wood.

I cook them for 6 hrs at 230-270*F (anywhere around 250*F is fine with me).

Lately, I've not been foiling until after the cook. I'll dress them with sauce or leave them dry then wrap while waiting for the sides to get ready (15-20 min?).

2. I leave the middle grate in.

3. I put pork on top. But not sure it matters. I usually use the top rack for both if there's room for convenience.
 
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Three racks--two skinnyish cooking racks and one heavy duty rack that holds the briquettes. The ~6" high ring sits on the heavy rack to contain the briqs.
 
I mostly cook spares but have ran baby backs a few times. Here is how i do spares. I would probably just take about an hour overall cook time off for baby backs
1. Start with removing the membrain then trim any excessive fat
2. Mustard then whatever rub you are using then i let it sit for a couple hours
3. Fire up the smoker and shoot for 275
4. ribs on for around 3 hours or untill you get the bark and color you want (spritz with apple juice or something if you want)
5. take off and wrap with goodies (liquid butter, apple juice, bbq sauce, hot sauce, more rub) and back on for about an hour.
6. unwrap, sauce if you want and back on to firm up and set whatever sauce.

Cant wait to hear how yours turn out and the method you use!
 
1) I soak my Baby Back and or St. Louis ribs over night in Apple Juice, Brown Sugar & Worcestershire sauce and put the rub on a couple hours before going on the grill

2) Being lazy, I cook off the top rack and continuing my lazyness, I don't bother taking out the bottom rack

3) Hard to say
 
Okay, thanks everyone. I will try putting the mustard on before the rub, and do this shortly before putting them on instead of the night before. I am thinking around 2 hours, then maybe 2 hours in foil, then maybe one hour after that. I am planning to just wrap the water pan with foil and try without water. A lot of it is guesswork for me and reading what people do...everyone has slightly different methods.. I will start with all vents open... Minion method... I heard when it gets within 50 degrees of the temp you want then you start closing a couple of the bottom vents, so I will try that.

I ended up calling Amazon about the missing brackets, plus could not screw the top part of the handle into the bottom half so it stayed. Instead of just sending those parts, they are sending me a new one and sending Ups to pick up the old one. They said I would get it tomorrow, but who knows. Thanks for the help!
 
ChuckO said:
1) I soak my Baby Back and or St. Louis ribs over night in Apple Juice, Brown Sugar & Worcestershire sauce and put the rub on a couple hours before going on the grill

2) Being lazy, I cook off the top rack and continuing my lazyness, I don't bother taking out the bottom rack

3) Hard to say
Click to expand...

I never thought about trying worcestireshire sauce before, or putting them in apple juice the night before...but that seems like it would help to not dry them out. When I didn't have a smoker I always just put rub on the night before, but no liquid.
 
Grant Narita said:
I am also not clear about putting the legs on... And now wondering if I am missing anything else. I have 6 silver washers and a bunch of smaller black ones. I figure one silver washer goes on each of the two parts of the legs, for six total for the three legs?
Click to expand...
The "silver" washers are called "flat" washers or sometimes "cut" washers.
They would go inside the bowl at each of the 6 leg bolt locations.

The "black" washers are fiber washers and they go at each of the 8 locations on the outside of the barrel section and under the grate support bolt heads.
These create a seal to keep condensation from leaking down the outside of the smoker and also protect the porcelain from chipping.

Good luck with your first cook, looks like you received some sound advice !
 
I cook my St. Louis style ribs around 275*. They take under 4 hours. The first couple hours nekkid, foiled for 30 - 45 mins, and then nekkid again until they do the bend test.

BB's might take a little longer since they are thicker. Not sure, haven't cooked them.
 
Looks like the Amazon customer care is as good as Webers in your case.
Enjoy the new WSM.
 
Joe F said:
The "silver" washers are called "flat" washers or sometimes "cut" washers.
They would go inside the bowl at each of the 6 leg bolt locations.

The "black" washers are fiber washers and they go at each of the 8 locations on the outside of the barrel section and under the grate support bolt heads.
These create a seal to keep condensation from leaking down the outside of the smoker and also protect the porcelain from chipping.

Good luck with your first cook, looks like you received some sound advice !
Click to expand...

thanks! This helps a lot so I know which ones go where!
 
Bob H. said:
Looks like the Amazon customer care is as good as Webers in your case.
Enjoy the new WSM.
Click to expand...

Yeah, they just picked up my WSM with the missing parts and the new one is already scheduled to arrive tomorrow. While waiting, I also bought me some beef ribs as well today... But probably will try the baby backs and beef ribs separately since I think the beef ribs should go low and slow...
 
Hey Grant, welcome to WeberWorld. Experience will be the best teacher with the WSM. Your biggest frustration (at first) will be chasing the temperature. It'll take 15 minutes or so for the temp to settle each time you change a vent setting. You will get a knack for how much to move the vent after a few cooks ( maybe 50 or so:)).

Cooking baby backs is pretty simple -- you could probably just take them out of the cryovac and throw them on and they'd be pretty good in 4 hours. All the rubs and ointments, and potions will change about 10% of the taste. Cooking them until they're done -- and no longer -- is the key to a good rack. I think you're smart in dividing your 4 racks into 2 separate cooks. The small weight difference won't matter, but you'll learn a lot on your first cook.

You're obviously heading towards BBQ nerd-dom like the rest of us, so keep a note book on each cook, noting the meat, weights, trimming, smoke wood, ambient weather details (wind, rain, temp, sun, blah, blah). As you gain experience, the notes will help you anticipate your cook. Have fun and lots of cold beer.

Jeff
 
J Hasselberger said:
Hey Grant, welcome to WeberWorld. Experience will be the best teacher with the WSM. Your biggest frustration (at first) will be chasing the temperature. It'll take 15 minutes or so for the temp to settle each time you change a vent setting. You will get a knack for how much to move the vent after a few cooks ( maybe 50 or so:)).

Cooking baby backs is pretty simple -- you could probably just take them out of the cryovac and throw them on and they'd be pretty good in 4 hours. All the rubs and ointments, and potions will change about 10% of the taste. Cooking them until they're done -- and no longer -- is the key to a good rack. I think you're smart in dividing your 4 racks into 2 separate cooks. The small weight difference won't matter, but you'll learn a lot on your first cook.

You're obviously heading towards BBQ nerd-dom like the rest of us, so keep a note book on each cook, noting the meat, weights, trimming, smoke wood, ambient weather details (wind, rain, temp, sun, blah, blah). As you gain experience, the notes will help you anticipate your cook. Have fun and lots of cold beer.

Jeff
Click to expand...

Thanks Jeff,

My first try ended up with overlooked ribs though they still tasted great. I cooked them for 4hrs. 15 min.. A couple guys said I had it in the foil too long....at 1 hr and 15 min.. I did notice that it takes some time after a vent change before the change in temp starts happening. Thanks for letting me know about the small difference in weight not mattering. I wrote down about 100 temperature readings...when I made a vent change, how much, what was the weather temp, etc.. Probably too obsessed about trying to keep the temp down!
 
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