Wood to Meat Ratio

Totally new to smoking things that had parents.

Tried it once last summer...it went horribly wrong. I plan on giving it another try tomorrow, but I am concerned about how much wood to use.

I am cooking two racks of ribs, dry rubbed.

I am using a electric Brinkmann (the red drum).

I was planning to use between 4-10 oz of mesquite, and doing the 3-2-1 method.

I have also read the 3 hours is the target time for smoke exposure, is that correct?

thanks
laskey

I followed the 3-2-1 method my first time with ribs, and I should have pulled them after the 3-2. They dried out pretty bad. Good luck and just go low and slow

MyNameIsPaul said:

I followed the 3-2-1 method my first time with ribs, and I should have pulled them after the 3-2. They dried out pretty bad. Good luck and just go low and slow

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And to quote myself, my bad... Just put as much wood as you want. Smoke that sh*t like crazy and drive your neighbors mad.

I really don't recommend using mesquite on pork of any kind.

Also, if you're new to smoking, I think doing a butt/shoulder for pulled pork is a lot more forgiving (though it takes quite a while).

Also also, the amount of wood you use has nothing to do with how much meat you have.

The ribs are rubbed and in the fridge, so no turning back on that aspect. What kind of wood is proper for pork?

Oak. As long as its seasoned.

emjay said:

I really don't recommend using mesquite on pork of any kind.

Also, if you're new to smoking, I think doing a butt/shoulder for pulled pork is a lot more forgiving (though it takes quite a while).

Also also, the amount of wood you use has nothing to do with how much meat you have.

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+1 to that. Mesquite is pretty assertive in taste and can easily overwhelm the taste of the pork. I generally reserve mesquite for beef, and then only as part of the wood used.

For pork ribs I suggest a blend of walnut and cherry.

Or if your in the south, go oak. Oak for everything!! Only cause its plentiful and oh so good.

I used mesquite my first time...the ribs were almost inedible. I thought it was the amount of wood I used. I will shop around in the am for wood.

Is soaking overnight needed? I don't know how much H2O dried wood actually absorbs, I cant imagine much.

Throw in some onions on the fire. Helps to tenderize.

I like a mix of apple and hickory for pork. Doesn't take much hickory but apple is milder so you can use a majority of that with a little hickory mixed in. As everyone says, low and slow. I try to to smoke ribs under 250, shooting for 225. I end up doing a 2-2-1 usually on baby backs and a 3-2-1 on spare ribs.

johnnyc said:

I like a mix of apple and hickory for pork. Doesn't take much hickory but apple is milder so you can use a majority of that with a little hickory mixed in. As everyone says, low and slow. I try to to smoke ribs under 250, shooting for 225. I end up doing a 2-2-1 usually on baby backs and a 3-2-1 on spare ribs.

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Me too... apple and hickory is a great blend.

emjay said:

I really don't recommend using mesquite on pork of any kind.

Also, if you're new to smoking, I think doing a butt/shoulder for pulled pork is a lot more forgiving (though it takes quite a while).

Also also, the amount of wood you use has nothing to do with how much meat you have.

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+1 on all accounts.

j1laskey said:

The ribs are rubbed and in the fridge, so no turning back on that aspect. What kind of wood is proper for pork?

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Any hardwood other than mesquite. I like cherry.

I went with apple chunks