My WSM has turned out some great tasting ribs, but they always seem to finish with a burnt like appearance. Usually this appearance comes around my 1st turning/basting time (3hrs or so). I'm curious to techniques people use to produce great tasting and great looking ribs- no sugar? small amounts of wood?
Secrets to Great LOOKING Ribs?
- Thread starter K Lynch
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Jim Minion
TVWBB Emerald Member
You did not say what your were cooking spares or BB, either way hold off glazing until the last 15 to 30 mins. This way the sugar, if any in the glaze will not have the chance to turn as dark.
Basting if you want can be done throughout the cook but know if there is sugar in the baste then it will turn dark as the cook goes on.
Jim
Basting if you want can be done throughout the cook but know if there is sugar in the baste then it will turn dark as the cook goes on.
Jim
Dale Nichols
TVWBB Super Fan
You know I had the same question about some briskets I saw the other day.I bought my SMC from barbeques galore and when I was there, out in front of the store they had a New Branfels "Longhorn" going with three briskets inside. He said they would be ready in three more hours.Total time was about 15 hours to finish them. They were bronze/golden orange looking. He said he was cooking with 1/2 hickory and 1/2 oak,the rub was John Henrys. But I don't remember which one. Anyway why weren't they black? Was it the rub?
Jim Minion
TVWBB Emerald Member
To keep sugar (that would include tomato based sauce) from turn black, is about keeping the pit temps from going over 275? for any extend time.
Using Turbinado sugar in place of white or brown sugar will also help. I will say that a brisket that doesn't look like a meteorite just does not seem right.
Jim
Using Turbinado sugar in place of white or brown sugar will also help. I will say that a brisket that doesn't look like a meteorite just does not seem right.
Jim
G
Guest
Guest
If your ribs are burnt at the 3 hour point, then you have the temp too high, or you are using something way too high in sugar content.
I'm no expert, but have read many posts on this forum and the BBQ forum over at www.barbecueforum.com What are you basting with ? .... I would like to know just so I know to stay away from that
Also many people don't baste once during a rib smoke session, so maybe try an experiment on your next smoke session.
Get your batch of ribs ready, but leave one rib aside, apply your rub to it as usual, BUT DO NOT baste it at all, .... now you'll be able to see if basting the ribs is the problem, you'll know right away, I guess you have to do a little detective work .
Mark
I'm no expert, but have read many posts on this forum and the BBQ forum over at www.barbecueforum.com What are you basting with ? .... I would like to know just so I know to stay away from that
Also many people don't baste once during a rib smoke session, so maybe try an experiment on your next smoke session.
Get your batch of ribs ready, but leave one rib aside, apply your rub to it as usual, BUT DO NOT baste it at all, .... now you'll be able to see if basting the ribs is the problem, you'll know right away, I guess you have to do a little detective work .
Mark
G
Guest
Guest
You could be getting too much smoke resulting in a very dark product. I get a beautiful mahogny color by letting my wood chunks burn down approximately 80% before applying the meat.
G
Guest
Guest
Approximately 15-20 minutes over a hot bed of coals. Note that in the BRITU receipe that it calls for the wood to be burnt down - in addition look at the photos of the finished product - a deep beautiful mahogny color. I just did 5 slabs of baby backs yesterday - they were just gorgeous using this tecnique and also had a very good smoke flavor!
G
Guest
Guest
I was browsing Britu because Ill be trying it Monday and want to be aware of any scenarios. You mention letting the wood burn down 80%. I am wondering why, if you're letting it burn down you don't just use smaller pieces and save wood and time? Am very interested to know.
Brian-
From my experience, letting the wood burn down a bit gives you a milder tone to the smoke flavor of the food. That doesn't mean it is less flavor, just milder. When wood goes into full burn in the beginning, the smoke is much stronger, and exposure to too much of it could make the meat taste a little bitter.
Using less wood probably wouldn't help, because it would just expose the food to that same strong initial smoke, but less of the milder after. Soaked wood would probably be better, since the wood would burn slower initially.
Doesn't hurt to try BRITU in a couple of ways - first, as written to see how close you come to advertised, then with some changes of your own to see how they deviate.
From my experience, letting the wood burn down a bit gives you a milder tone to the smoke flavor of the food. That doesn't mean it is less flavor, just milder. When wood goes into full burn in the beginning, the smoke is much stronger, and exposure to too much of it could make the meat taste a little bitter.
Using less wood probably wouldn't help, because it would just expose the food to that same strong initial smoke, but less of the milder after. Soaked wood would probably be better, since the wood would burn slower initially.
Doesn't hurt to try BRITU in a couple of ways - first, as written to see how close you come to advertised, then with some changes of your own to see how they deviate.
Jim Minion
TVWBB Emerald Member
Soaking wood will cause the wood to smolder for a short time before it burns, If you have enought wood smoldering it will have leave a bitter taste behind. Soaking wood is not a technique that is of very much help while cooking on a WSM.
The burning of wood before adding to a fire is a practice used in much of the southeast, it is used in pit BBQ where you cook direct. Using this technique requires a lot of wood and most will not find it advantage while cooking on a WSM. If your main fuel source was wood then this practice would be of help but the fact we are using either something like Kingsford or lump charcoal, the burn down has already taken place. Use just enough wood flavor your cook, not much is needed.
Jim
The burning of wood before adding to a fire is a practice used in much of the southeast, it is used in pit BBQ where you cook direct. Using this technique requires a lot of wood and most will not find it advantage while cooking on a WSM. If your main fuel source was wood then this practice would be of help but the fact we are using either something like Kingsford or lump charcoal, the burn down has already taken place. Use just enough wood flavor your cook, not much is needed.
Jim
G
Guest
Guest
so Jim are you saying then that in the Britu recipe it would be just as good to use less wood and put the meat on sooner to get the same amount of smoke?
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