Raised my smoking experience another level yesterday...

[Chad_M]

I did baby back ribs a couple weeks ago, and was not completely happy - too meaty, too much seasoning, still edible for sure but not perfect.

Yesterday I bought 4 racks of spares from a small farm (http://www.foresthillfarmiowa.com) that sells at our farmers market. They were smaller in size, and were cut in half for ease of packaging, but that didn't seem to matter in the end

They were not butchered exactly like I was expecting, so I will have to talk to them why that is, but I finished them into St Louis style, pulled the membrane, and then did a light rub and smoked for 4.5 hours.

They turned out fantastic - everyone loved them - my 2 and 4 year old ate as many as I did I think. We also did the Barbie's backed beans - they were good but would have benefited from more time. We did 2 dozen ABT's and non-meat ABT's and corn on the cob on the gas grill - they were good also, and no problems grilling the ABT's w/o bacon.

Chad

 

[Dave Russell]

Chad, half slabs actually cook more evenly on the 18.5" wsm, but just how did you "raise your smoking experience another level"? Also, what what your cook times? Any issues or queastions about the cook?

 

[Chad_M]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Dave Russell:
Chad, half slabs actually cook more evenly on the 18.5" wsm, but just how did you "raise your smoking experience another level"? Also, what what your cook times? Any issues or queastions about the cook? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>


Dave-


By raised I mean my enjoyment factor was raised with the finished product - probably more to do with the meat selection and rub recipe/ application than any other technique.

I kept track of cook times - 5 hours at around 225F according to the wsm thermometer. I flipped the ribs 180 left to right and upside down after 2 hours.

The smaller thicker cuts I wrapped in foil for the last hour to accelerate cooking.

I applied a light brush of famous daves bbq sauce in the last 10 minutes.

I used blue kingsford and 5 small apple chunks spread over time since I wanted the beans to see smoke after stirring every hour.

The half slabs did seem to be easy to handle and I will buy again.

The one question I had was on the original butchering of the ribs - the farm said they were St Louis style, but when I got them home and opened them, they still had a lot of meat and cartilage at the ends. They did however have cuts that went through it down to where the rib end started - I am not sure if that was a guide for me to use? I cut off the end meat and cartilage and smoked it separately for "samplers". They also had a flap of meat on them, which I tried to save and smoke too.

chad

 

[Dave Russell]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Chad_M:
I used blue kingsford and 5 small apple chunks spread over time since I wanted the beans to see smoke after stirring every hour.

The one question I had was on the original butchering of the ribs - the farm said they were St Louis style, but when I got them home and opened them, they still had a lot of meat and cartilage at the ends. They did however have cuts that went through it down to where the rib end started - I am not sure if that was a guide for me to use? I cut off the end meat and cartilage and smoked it separately for "samplers". They also had a flap of meat on them, which I tried to save and smoke too.

chad </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Sounds good to me.

It would be a good idea to check that Weber gauge for accuracy every other cook or so, and if you decide to go to another therm and hang in the dome vent, realize that you've actually been smoking hotter than the Weber gauge would suggest. It's the opposite with a therm hung in the vent. The meat is cooking at a little LOWER temp for the better part of the cook. As to the actual difference between the two, it depends on the amount and temp of the meat, but I'd say that 30* is a pretty good average when you're getting the cooker up to temp first part of the cook.

As to how to smoke beans without oversmoking your ribs, lots of folks, myself included, notice the smoke flavor can be a bit much when you keep adding wood during the cook, particularly with chicken or ribs. I do like a long light smoke though, and I've learned a couple of things that seem to help. First of all, I'll use wood that's not too old and dry. Three months cut here in the south is considered seasoned, and fruitwood is fine to use sooner than that. Secondly, if the smoke peters out, I'll reach in with tongs and turn a wood chunk.

I tried one more thing the other day on a chicken cook, though. Instead of putting my wood on the coals, I layed it OUTSIDE of the ring, opposite side of the dome vent. This seemed to prolong the smoke and it wasn't heavy at first like when directly on the coals.

As to the "St. Louis ribs", you're right; that they weren't. They didn't do you much of a favor so I'd just ask for whole spares next time if cheaper.