ribs and brisket, which shelf should I put each on ?
- Thread starter Tim
- Start date
LarryR
TVWBB Diamond Member
Tim, I'm doing the same smoke this weekend and was told I should put the brisket on the bottom and not to worry about drippings from the ribs. Here's a link to my post - http://tvwbb.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/1780069052/m/1080000805
What wood are you using? I'm using Red Oak and Cherry.
What wood are you using? I'm using Red Oak and Cherry.
IMO, it depends when you're putting on the ribs. If you're smoking the brisket first, I would put it on the top and then move to the bottom when you decide to put the ribs on, therefore not having to bother with the top rack when you decide to flip, baste and/or foil the ribs.
Larry, from my experience, you can only penetrate meat with smoke the first couple hours of cooking. Therefore, for example, if you decide to use 7 chunks of wood for the brisket and 5 chunks of wood for the ribs, you would use 7 chunks when you put on the brisket and 5 chunks when you put on the ribs (without effecting the brisket). Does that make sense?
Erik
Larry, from my experience, you can only penetrate meat with smoke the first couple hours of cooking. Therefore, for example, if you decide to use 7 chunks of wood for the brisket and 5 chunks of wood for the ribs, you would use 7 chunks when you put on the brisket and 5 chunks when you put on the ribs (without effecting the brisket). Does that make sense?
Erik
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Erik G:
IMO, it depends when you're putting on the ribs. If you're smoking the brisket first, I would put it on the top and then move to the bottom when you decide to put the ribs on, therefore not having to bother with the top rack when you decide to flip, baste and/or foil the ribs.
Larry, from my experience, you can only penetrate meat with smoke the first couple hours of cooking. Therefore, for example, if you decide to use 7 chunks of wood for the brisket and 5 chunks of wood for the ribs, you would use 7 chunks when you put on the brisket and 5 chunks when you put on the ribs (without effecting the brisket). Does that make sense?
Erik </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
If you put the brisket on the bottom first then you don't have to move it when you put the ribs on. Remember you'll have to lift off the top rack with the ribs on it when the brisket gets done. No reason to start on the top, move to the bottom, then have to take it off (one extra move). Now if your going to cook the brisket till done and then put the ribs on then cook the brisket on the top for the whole cook.
Smoke penetration i.e. the smoke ring happens till the meat reaches 140 degrees then the formation of the smoke ring stops. But I can tell you that the meat Continues to take on smoke flavor as long as the smoke wood is in there burning/being applied.
DO NOT confuse the smoke ring with smoke flavor.
IMO, it depends when you're putting on the ribs. If you're smoking the brisket first, I would put it on the top and then move to the bottom when you decide to put the ribs on, therefore not having to bother with the top rack when you decide to flip, baste and/or foil the ribs.
Larry, from my experience, you can only penetrate meat with smoke the first couple hours of cooking. Therefore, for example, if you decide to use 7 chunks of wood for the brisket and 5 chunks of wood for the ribs, you would use 7 chunks when you put on the brisket and 5 chunks when you put on the ribs (without effecting the brisket). Does that make sense?
Erik </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
If you put the brisket on the bottom first then you don't have to move it when you put the ribs on. Remember you'll have to lift off the top rack with the ribs on it when the brisket gets done. No reason to start on the top, move to the bottom, then have to take it off (one extra move). Now if your going to cook the brisket till done and then put the ribs on then cook the brisket on the top for the whole cook.
Smoke penetration i.e. the smoke ring happens till the meat reaches 140 degrees then the formation of the smoke ring stops. But I can tell you that the meat Continues to take on smoke flavor as long as the smoke wood is in there burning/being applied.
DO NOT confuse the smoke ring with smoke flavor.
LarryR
TVWBB Diamond Member
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Larry, from my experience, you can only penetrate meat with smoke the first couple hours of cooking. Therefore, for example, if you decide to use 7 chunks of wood for the brisket and 5 chunks of wood for the ribs, you would use 7 chunks when you put on the brisket and 5 chunks when you put on the ribs (without effecting the brisket). Does that make sense? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Hi Erik, yes that makes perfect sense. What I decided to do is put the brisket and the ribs on at the same time. Brisket will be on bottom rack. Ribs will be done prior to the brisket but that's OK as we'll have a nice late night snack a few hours after dinner. We'll all be swimming and drinking (probably a bad combo) and will have worked up and appetite by then?
BTW Erik, you staying cool up there? It's 107 here right now and will be 105 tomorrow, perfect weather for a BBQ huh?
Hi Erik, yes that makes perfect sense. What I decided to do is put the brisket and the ribs on at the same time. Brisket will be on bottom rack. Ribs will be done prior to the brisket but that's OK as we'll have a nice late night snack a few hours after dinner. We'll all be swimming and drinking (probably a bad combo) and will have worked up and appetite by then?
BTW Erik, you staying cool up there? It's 107 here right now and will be 105 tomorrow, perfect weather for a BBQ huh?
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by LarryR:
Hi Erik, yes that makes perfect sense. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
LarryR, Read my above post.
Now if you are putting the brisket and ribs on together be carefull on how much wood you add because it's very easy to oversmoke ribs because they are a thin cut of meat. While brisket can take more smoke, and a butt even more, with a huge chuck roll being able to take the most due to it's mass.
Hi Erik, yes that makes perfect sense. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
LarryR, Read my above post.
Now if you are putting the brisket and ribs on together be carefull on how much wood you add because it's very easy to oversmoke ribs because they are a thin cut of meat. While brisket can take more smoke, and a butt even more, with a huge chuck roll being able to take the most due to it's mass.
LarryR
TVWBB Diamond Member
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">it's very easy to oversmoke ribs </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I'll be using four chunks of red oak and two chunks of cherry . . . I think if anything I run the risk of under-smoking the brisket, right? This is my first attempt at a brisket and I'm really doing it just because I was firing up the WSM for the ribs anyway and happened to have a brisket in the freezer that I've been meaning to do; so, I'm really not all that concerned about the brisket . . . I guess I'm somewhat concerned but by the time it's done (much later than th rest of the meal everyone will have eaten ribs, salmon, tri-tip, halibut, king crab and oysters, with tons of appetizers and salads etc. and chances are everyone will be drunk by that time so it really won't matter if it's a little under-smoked I suppose.
I'll be using four chunks of red oak and two chunks of cherry . . . I think if anything I run the risk of under-smoking the brisket, right? This is my first attempt at a brisket and I'm really doing it just because I was firing up the WSM for the ribs anyway and happened to have a brisket in the freezer that I've been meaning to do; so, I'm really not all that concerned about the brisket . . . I guess I'm somewhat concerned but by the time it's done (much later than th rest of the meal everyone will have eaten ribs, salmon, tri-tip, halibut, king crab and oysters, with tons of appetizers and salads etc. and chances are everyone will be drunk by that time so it really won't matter if it's a little under-smoked I suppose.
Bryan, thanks for the advice with the smoke ring, I never knew that. I have cooked brisket by itself, and brisket and ribs together and have never had the problem with over smoking the brisket. I like to use roughly 5-6 chunks of wood for both spareribs and brisket and therefore have thrown in a total of 10-12 chunks of wood throughout the entire cook and the meat always comes out fine.
Larry, the weather over here sucks. I am in the middle of installing sprinklers in our backyard (there's a thin layer of concrete on top of very hard dirt, damn home builders) and can not seem to stop sweating. Enough of this working talk, so what time should I head up there for this fabulous bbq?
7 chunks of wood would be fine for me (depending on the type of wood), but if you have never smoked ribs before, you better go on the lighter side.
Erik
Larry, the weather over here sucks. I am in the middle of installing sprinklers in our backyard (there's a thin layer of concrete on top of very hard dirt, damn home builders) and can not seem to stop sweating. Enough of this working talk, so what time should I head up there for this fabulous bbq?
7 chunks of wood would be fine for me (depending on the type of wood), but if you have never smoked ribs before, you better go on the lighter side.
Erik
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Erik G:
I have cooked brisket by itself, and brisket and ribs together and have never had the problem with over smoking the brisket.
Erik </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Erik, The brisket can take a fair amount of smoke, it's the thin ribs, minimal meat on them that you need to be carefull of oversmoking, also poultry falls into the very easy to over smoke catagory because of the open fibers of the meat. The larger the cut, thicker, more mass, the more smoke it can take on. Trust me, you do not want to pick up a rib or a chicken leg and eat a campfire pit.
I have cooked brisket by itself, and brisket and ribs together and have never had the problem with over smoking the brisket.
Erik </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Erik, The brisket can take a fair amount of smoke, it's the thin ribs, minimal meat on them that you need to be carefull of oversmoking, also poultry falls into the very easy to over smoke catagory because of the open fibers of the meat. The larger the cut, thicker, more mass, the more smoke it can take on. Trust me, you do not want to pick up a rib or a chicken leg and eat a campfire pit.
LarryR
TVWBB Diamond Member
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Larry, the weather over here sucks. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
It's the same down here; watched the weather last night and with the heat index it will feel like 110 for our bbq today. We'll just have to keep the cold beer flowing and jump in the pool once an hour to stay cool.
I'm starting my ribs and brisket at about 11:00 a.m. for a 6:00 dinner. As mentioned, I'm just going to let the brisket keep on smoking after I pull my ribs. One of my neighbor's is pretty excited about the brisket, I've never had one and I'm looking forward to seeing what all the fuss is about.
It's the same down here; watched the weather last night and with the heat index it will feel like 110 for our bbq today. We'll just have to keep the cold beer flowing and jump in the pool once an hour to stay cool.
I'm starting my ribs and brisket at about 11:00 a.m. for a 6:00 dinner. As mentioned, I'm just going to let the brisket keep on smoking after I pull my ribs. One of my neighbor's is pretty excited about the brisket, I've never had one and I'm looking forward to seeing what all the fuss is about.