Rib Smoke with using lump for the first time......HELP! - UPDATED WITH PICS!


 
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David Verba

TVWBB Fan
Hey guys, I've fallen hard for the taste that lump charcoal offers over Regular K. The advantages are just to numerous to list - which doesn't help me with the 60+ bags of Regular K I have in the garage.

I want to do a 3-4 hour smoke in temps around 300-350 with RO lump on three racks of spares (trying the slap yo' daddy recipe) What is the best way to start lump for smoking? Minion? How does one "pack" the charcoal ring with lump? Do you guys recommend running such high temps with the spares?

I normally would just through caution to the wind, but this is a big deal (gf's parent's and grandparents coming over - gotta impress)

Thanks guys.
 
I normally do 22#-27# of spares w/ almost a full ring (Not packed, just full). I start that w/ 3/4 of Chimney of lit Lump coals. I let everything catch (my smoke wood is in the ring) for a good 5-10 minutes and set up the WSM. I keep my temps between 225-250 and typically takes 6-7 hrs. I have never done spares in less time.
 
For rib cook I normally just fill the ring and give it a little shake and then minion the start. Sometimes i'll use K to minion the start 15-20 biq or so, if I use lump I usually just fill 1/4-1/2 chim.
If you are gonna do a long cook then you really need to pack the ring good. When I do that i usually pull up a seat and pour shake place the pieces in layers so that I can get as solid a mass as possible. I can tell How good I did by the length of time till I add more fuel. I've gone as high as 15 hrs with wicked good lump(with a little leftover), but normally I can get at least 12 hrs with wicked good or royal oak. The nice part is when the cook is ove and you go to clean out the next day there is hardly any ash waiting.
 
Dve, Even though I do it like some of the other guys(around 250-270). I suppose it can be done hotter. You'll just have to monitor the doneness a lot closer especially when you or if you foil. Ribs have a real small window from getting done to overdone.
 
Dave: Have done spares w/ that temp range on my 2009 WSM lid thermometer.
Sept Spares
Nov 09 Spares

Both cooks were lump charcoal (mesquite, what's cheapest/available to me), MM starts, waterless, just double foiled water pan, a few chunks of apple wood, and lid tilted a bit to get to the higher temps. Didn't do anything special, but fill the ring with the lump and maybe shake a little. They cooked in 4.5-6 hrs if memory serves. There was lump leftover for my smaller SJG cooks. I was blown away by how good they were.

If your 4hr window is hard, consider doing BB instead, which cook faster.

Also, I did some STL cut spares more recently with lid temps around 230-250F (on purpose). Was sooo disappointed at the results that didn't share them here. The fat didn't render completely for me, didn't get the full caramelized exterior, tasted slightly hammy and had a tougher bite. Definitely back to to above 275F (probably closer to 300F) lid temp for me.

HTH and Good luck
 
I do spares and backs at 325-350 as a matter or course. I foil sometimes, sometimes not.

Usually I Minion with ~25 lit (comp K) over lump or comp K - or I just light the equivalent of smaller lump pieces. Cooks take less than 4 hours, much less for backs, of course.
 
Alright, so the general consensus is that temps between 275°-300° is where I want to be.

This lump thing is a little more difficult when your used to Regular K - but the oh so sweet smell and taste is sure to be worth it.

I put the spares on at a little past 12pm EST - at around 240° - came back here - read a little - opened up all my bottom vents to around 25% - should get it up to that 275°ish mark. I was going to foil after 2 hours, then foil with some liquid margarine & honey for about an hour. Then cooler them for a few hours (because I was looking for a dinner time around) then stick them back on the smoker for another hour unfoiled.

What do you guys think?


Cold, **** near snowy here in NE Ohio - while some have said your crazy to BBQ on this day, I say Nie! Today and everyday is a perfect day to BBQ....
 
Me, even the thought of margarine makes me retch - but that sort of thing is a personal preference. You will need to remove the ribs after their time in the foil and the mix either when they become tender, returning them to the cooker to firm, or prior to tender, returning them to the cooker to reach tender and firm.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by David Verba:
Alright, so the general consensus is that temps between 275°-300° is where I want to be.

This lump thing is a little more difficult when your used to Regular K - but the oh so sweet smell and taste is sure to be worth it.

I put the spares on at a little past 12pm EST - at around 240° - came back here - read a little - opened up all my bottom vents to around 25% - should get it up to that 275°ish mark. I was going to foil after 2 hours, then foil with some liquid margarine & honey for about an hour. Then cooler them for a few hours (because I was looking for a dinner time around) then stick them back on the smoker for another hour unfoiled.

What do you guys think?


Cold, **** near snowy here in NE Ohio - while some have said your crazy to BBQ on this day, I say Nie! Today and everyday is a perfect day to BBQ.... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

275-300 at the lid seems pretty high to me. I usually target about 240-250 lid tops. I smoke for about 2.5 hours, remove, foil for about 75 min then finish off for about 45 minutes uncovered. I tend to get pretty small spares and baby backs so I rarely need more than 4.5 hours to finish. I've always had good results.

Using lump vs K for a short cook should be a very similar experience. Full ring, Minion the start then just adjust vents to maintain the desired temp.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Me, even the thought of margarine makes me retch </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
But, how do you really feel about it Kevin?
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I would think that generally speaking, I wouldn't want to put anything in my cooking that I wouldn't ordinarily want to eat anyway...
 
Yeah, the margarine, I dunno - I just saw them doing it constantly at the competitions - honestly have no idea what it adds - Perhaps I'll leave it out. You guys recommend anything else in the foil besides left over rub/honey?

Also, I'm taking temps at the grate, is there much difference from the lid?
 
Gary- Yeah, if I foil I use reduced juices for the flavor addition.

Though I love butter I would not use it in the foil. I do use it in most Q sauces I make but would not like the ribs to swim in it in the foil. But, then again, I never sauce ribs at all while they cook (I do sometimes paint on the thinnest veneer of a transparent glaze); I do not like cooked-on sauce (and all the resulting sticky, meat-candy thing). I'd never make it as a comp judge! I wouldn't want to taste the ribs!
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Everyone has their own preferences though.
 
David- Do the marg thin if you wish. Me, I wouldn't do honey either but here's a suggestion for you. For each rack you're cooking: bring 1/4 cup low-salt chicken stock or apple juice, or a blend of the two, to a simmer in a small pot. Add a little rub. Off heat, swirl in a tablespoon or two of unsalted butter (or margarine) and a couple of honey. When you foil, place meat side down, then drizzle each with the mix.

Just a thought.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by K Kruger:
David- Do the marg thin if you wish. Me, I wouldn't do honey either but here's a suggestion for you. For each rack you're cooking: bring 1/4 cup low-salt chicken stock or apple juice, or a blend of the two, to a simmer in a small pot. Add a little rub. Off heat, swirl in a tablespoon or two of unsalted butter (or margarine) and a couple of honey. When you foil, place meat side down, then drizzle each with the mix.

Just a thought. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Alright my friend, I made it up and just foiled with your mix, tastes AWESOME....

THANKS!!!
 
BBQ Day +1....

Everyone had a great time despite the terrible weather. Margarita's were shaking, wine was pouring and the beer was flowing.....

The Steaks & Chicken turned out fantastic.

Picture is before I crisped the skin over direct coals.
grill.jpg


RIBS - another story....I cannot seem to get my ribs to stop looking like this, no matter what I do. This cook, I did three hours unfoiled, 2 hours in foil falling off the bone at this point and pretty charred like the picture, thought putting back on grill for at least would help firm them up, it did not. Pretty dry as well....

I cooked in temps of 275-300 the entire time.
ribs.jpg


While everyone loved them, and said they wouldn't have changed a thing, I was not happy. I just don't know what I'm doing wrong....
 
Much too long in the foil. Either try 45-55 min in the foil before returning to finish or try the following (which is what I do, if foiling):

Smoke the ribs at the outset till they are nicely, richly colored. Forget the time thing, go by appearance. At that point foil, meat side down, each rack drizzled with your concoction of choice, each on its own piece of foil. Crimp tightly taking care not to break the foil.

Now, cook till the ribs are tender while still in the foil. In the beginning this will take some timing practice. (Consequently, when you crimp the foil crimp in such a way that you can uncrimp easily.) For starters, try 45-55 min, remove a foil pack, uncrimp, then insert a probe between the bones. If it goes in effortlessly the ribs are tender and done. If not, re-crimp and return for 10 min or so (less if the probe met a little resistance, more if not.) Check again: when tender remove from the cooker, remove from the foil, then return to the cooker for several minutes to firm. (I go about 5-7 min on the return; my temps are > 350 at that point. Ymmv if temps are lower. If you want a glaze veneer, apply a few minutes after returning the ribs and once again just before removal.)

After cooking this way once or twice you'll get to know how long the ribs are likely to take in the foil to hit tender, given the cooktemps you choose. Very easy, never overcooked and never dry.
 
Kevin,

Thanks for mentoring me on this.

What temps do you think I should run in the get go? Same as at what I have been? 275-300?

I originally had 3 racks, but two folks couldn't come so I still have 1 rack available to cook. Going to give it another go this week. Will surely post pics/ask for more advice in the days to come!

We should start a Little/Big mentoring program on TVWB - Masters as yourself assigned to a green horn like myself. Then have a competition and see which newbie has the best BBQ (appearance only of course - which probably isn't the best way to judge BBQ)

Thanks again!
 
I think you should run at whatever temps you've been running - since those you know how to hit without thinking about it too much. Ribs can cook at a wide range of temps. At higher temps (as noted upthread, I cook at 325-350 - but I used to cook them at ~275) the 'done window' is a bit narrower, thus the beauty, imo, of cooking till nicely colored then cooking till tender while in the foil. At lower temps the ribs will take longer to color deeply - and that's just fine. At lower temps the ribs will take a little longer to hit tender - but that's just fine too since you check them. If you cook by sight, smell and feel rather than by time or internal temp you can Q virtually anything at whatever temps and, as long as you follow your nose, your eyes and your sense of touch, you'll turn it great stuff every time. No kidding.

There are places I cook around the country (high elevations, cooler ambient temps, and so forth) that make it harder to achieve 325-350 without having to deal with things (not something I do; I much prefer to get things going then go do something else, checking only when I feel it's time). But I cook the same way. It just takes a bit longer but it doesn't matter.
 
I know I could never compete with Kevin's rib knowledge.

What I would add however is that your very dark colouring really looks like the sugars burning. I know this was discussed in other threads, but something came to mind while reading this post.

It really looks like it's just the bottom side of the ribs which looks more like there was intense heat from the bottom... especially at the edges. I might suggest using some foil on the edges where you are getting the most char. Also if you are using water and cooking at 300+, then the fire would be considerably hotter the 300 leaving some very hot edges in the range that could burn sugars.
 
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