I bought my 18" WSM about a month ago. I've owned various WEber products like Smokey Joe, large kettles and Genesis', but this is my first smoker. My first attempt at ribs did not go well due to a batch of old (damp) charcoal that would not stay lit. Using some new charcoal, I fired up the WSM for a second try this weekend.
Apology: I don't have a "Photobucket" or other on-line photo account, so I can’t post pictures. Hopefully next time!
Weather: 45 degrees, rainy, breezy (It's April in Seattle!!)
Charcoal: Kingsford Competition (Costco, $17 for 2-18 lb bags). Minion method. Filled ring about 1/2 full and topped it with 5 chunks of hickory. Added about 25 heated coals from the chimney.
Water: None. Used 12" foil-wrapped terra-cotta pot base.
Ribs: Bought Costco 5 pound 3-pack pack of pork back ribs. I vacuum-sealed two of the racks and froze for later . We're new empty-nesters and my wife is less of a carnivore than me, so one rack at a time will do. The remaining rack was rubbed with a mixture of brown sugar, kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin and paprika (with a pinch of habanero powder for just a little kick). I let the rubbed ribs sit for about 2 hours.
Side note about my wife: She was a strict vegetarian (bordering on Vegan) when I married her 24 years ago. Gradually over time, she has come to love my grilled burgers, steaks, chops and and other grilled delicacies, as well as the grilled veggie burgers, black-bean burgers and other veggies. It took almost a quarter century, but you could say my Smokey Joe, Genesis and (now) WSM caused a strict vegetarian to come over the "the dark side" of carnivorism.
Back to the smoke.......
Pork Belly: Bought a fresh 5 lb belly from a butcher at the Pike Place Market. I cut it in half and froze the unused portion. I cured the 2.5 lb belly for 6 days using a mixture of kosher salt, nitrite salt, pepper, garlic powder and dried dark brown sugar. I rinsed the cured belly for about 10 minutes in cold water.
Smoking: Fired up the WSM with all vents wide open. Temp (per lid thermometer) reached 225 in about 45 minutes. I then closed the bottom vents to about 20% and left the top vent wide open. I had no problems maintaining about 225 degrees +/- for the entire smoke and never had to add more fuel. Being a "newbie" I have not acquired all the "extras" like probes, wireless monitors, fans and other such things. My smoking is entirely manual (old school?).
I cut the rib rack in half and put the two sections and the belly (skin still on) on the top rack and walked away. I checked temp about every 20 minutes (I'm a newbie, remember?). At about 2.5 hours, I took out the belly, checked the internal temp (150 degrees), removed the skin, let it cool to room temp and put it in the freezer to harden up for slicing. At the same time the (now) bacon was removed, I added a couple more chunks of hickory to the smoker. An hour later I took out the ribs, foiled them with about 1/4 cup of apple juice and put back on the WSM for another 90 minutes. Finally, I opened the foil, brushed a layer of Sweet Baby Rays on top and smoked for the another hour. After a total of 6 hours on the smoker, the meat was pulling back from the bone and the sauce on top was just beginning to darken and caramelize. YUM!!!
Dinner on Saturday night was freshly smoked ribs, a side of BBQ sauce, blue cheese potato salad and some sliced Kara Kara oranges. Breakfast Sunday morning was eggs, sunny side up and 4 strips of the best bacon I have ever tasted (my wife agrees!).
Life is good. I promise to get an on-line photo storage account and post pics next time.
Apology: I don't have a "Photobucket" or other on-line photo account, so I can’t post pictures. Hopefully next time!
Weather: 45 degrees, rainy, breezy (It's April in Seattle!!)
Charcoal: Kingsford Competition (Costco, $17 for 2-18 lb bags). Minion method. Filled ring about 1/2 full and topped it with 5 chunks of hickory. Added about 25 heated coals from the chimney.
Water: None. Used 12" foil-wrapped terra-cotta pot base.
Ribs: Bought Costco 5 pound 3-pack pack of pork back ribs. I vacuum-sealed two of the racks and froze for later . We're new empty-nesters and my wife is less of a carnivore than me, so one rack at a time will do. The remaining rack was rubbed with a mixture of brown sugar, kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin and paprika (with a pinch of habanero powder for just a little kick). I let the rubbed ribs sit for about 2 hours.
Side note about my wife: She was a strict vegetarian (bordering on Vegan) when I married her 24 years ago. Gradually over time, she has come to love my grilled burgers, steaks, chops and and other grilled delicacies, as well as the grilled veggie burgers, black-bean burgers and other veggies. It took almost a quarter century, but you could say my Smokey Joe, Genesis and (now) WSM caused a strict vegetarian to come over the "the dark side" of carnivorism.
Back to the smoke.......
Pork Belly: Bought a fresh 5 lb belly from a butcher at the Pike Place Market. I cut it in half and froze the unused portion. I cured the 2.5 lb belly for 6 days using a mixture of kosher salt, nitrite salt, pepper, garlic powder and dried dark brown sugar. I rinsed the cured belly for about 10 minutes in cold water.
Smoking: Fired up the WSM with all vents wide open. Temp (per lid thermometer) reached 225 in about 45 minutes. I then closed the bottom vents to about 20% and left the top vent wide open. I had no problems maintaining about 225 degrees +/- for the entire smoke and never had to add more fuel. Being a "newbie" I have not acquired all the "extras" like probes, wireless monitors, fans and other such things. My smoking is entirely manual (old school?).
I cut the rib rack in half and put the two sections and the belly (skin still on) on the top rack and walked away. I checked temp about every 20 minutes (I'm a newbie, remember?). At about 2.5 hours, I took out the belly, checked the internal temp (150 degrees), removed the skin, let it cool to room temp and put it in the freezer to harden up for slicing. At the same time the (now) bacon was removed, I added a couple more chunks of hickory to the smoker. An hour later I took out the ribs, foiled them with about 1/4 cup of apple juice and put back on the WSM for another 90 minutes. Finally, I opened the foil, brushed a layer of Sweet Baby Rays on top and smoked for the another hour. After a total of 6 hours on the smoker, the meat was pulling back from the bone and the sauce on top was just beginning to darken and caramelize. YUM!!!
Dinner on Saturday night was freshly smoked ribs, a side of BBQ sauce, blue cheese potato salad and some sliced Kara Kara oranges. Breakfast Sunday morning was eggs, sunny side up and 4 strips of the best bacon I have ever tasted (my wife agrees!).
Life is good. I promise to get an on-line photo storage account and post pics next time.
