Smoking Ribs
- Thread starter danculwell
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had to try for the memorable quotes thread on that one. just couln't resist.
SpanishCastleAle
Well-Known Member
You know how some people, when talking about brewing techniques, will say something like; "I do X and never had a problem"? Yet you know damn well it's a 'bad' technique. Same goes for other things as well. Hell, people in Memphis and Kansas City both claim to be BBQ-masters but one is dry and one is slathered in sauce (usually).
You could give some folks a mushy rib that won't even hold onto the bone at all and they'll tell you it's the best 'fall-off-the-bone' rib they ever had. Not the way I like 'em but if that's the way they like them then fine. Some folks might get a rib/whatever with great bark and think the bark is ruining the whole rib, they expect no bark and mushy meat.
There are prob a LOT of myths in BBQing just as in brewing. 'Fat side up' is one that I heard had been 'debunked, for example. But if someone has been making their ribs fat-side-up for 20 years and telling everyone else that's the best/only way to do it, you can imagine they won't be easily swayed.
I obv took option 3 in the poll. But this is not to say I'm not snobby about certain foods (see buffalo wing thread). Make and eat 'em how YOU like 'em.
You could give some folks a mushy rib that won't even hold onto the bone at all and they'll tell you it's the best 'fall-off-the-bone' rib they ever had. Not the way I like 'em but if that's the way they like them then fine. Some folks might get a rib/whatever with great bark and think the bark is ruining the whole rib, they expect no bark and mushy meat.
There are prob a LOT of myths in BBQing just as in brewing. 'Fat side up' is one that I heard had been 'debunked, for example. But if someone has been making their ribs fat-side-up for 20 years and telling everyone else that's the best/only way to do it, you can imagine they won't be easily swayed.
I obv took option 3 in the poll. But this is not to say I'm not snobby about certain foods (see buffalo wing thread). Make and eat 'em how YOU like 'em.
danculwell
Well-Known Member
Well I ended up making 2 racks, I foiled one and didn't foil the other.
I didn't marinade but I made a goopy rub with brown sugar, mustard, apfelwein, and various spices.
The foiled one came out much better tasting, moist, and tender. The unfoiled one was delicious as well but the foiled one was better. Neither one fell off the bone or was mushy. They were both tender and took a little chewing. I'll probably keep foiling.
Oh and here is some bbq porn
Foiled on right, unfoiled on left. And my wife made 2 apple pies. She makes the best pie.
A little of each on the plate
I didn't marinade but I made a goopy rub with brown sugar, mustard, apfelwein, and various spices.
The foiled one came out much better tasting, moist, and tender. The unfoiled one was delicious as well but the foiled one was better. Neither one fell off the bone or was mushy. They were both tender and took a little chewing. I'll probably keep foiling.
Oh and here is some bbq porn
Foiled on right, unfoiled on left. And my wife made 2 apple pies. She makes the best pie.
A little of each on the plate
SOB
Well-Known Member
Oh man...both look delicious! Can we get some specs? Temps...time in and out of foil? Etc...
Anything you learned and\or want to change for the next time?
Good Work!
Anything you learned and\or want to change for the next time?
Good Work!
danculwell
Well-Known Member
Now I remember. The last two pics are of the same plate of ribs with some of each kind.
I tried to keep the temp at 225-250 but I didn't really know what I was doing. It spent a long time between 100-150 (apaerently more fire == more heat
). Then after that it fluctuated anywhere from 200-300. I got it down pretty good by the end though. Next time I shouldn't have any problems keeping it in a pretty tight range.
The one I foiled I used the 3-2-1 method. Three hours without foil. Then 2 hours with foil; then 1 hour without. It worked pretty good. Apparently if you do babybacks you should adjust it to 2-2-1.
I learned quite a bit about how to adjust the heat with that particular smoker. I also learned that you should really only smoke one rack on a surface that size. The ends got a little burnt and I couldn't do anything about it because the whole cooking surface was covered with meat.
Other than that I learned to wear shoes. If a small coal falls out and you step on it, it hurts.
Thanks for the complements. I'm pretty proud of my first smoking attempt. Now I just need to find another excuse to head out to my parents house.
I tried to keep the temp at 225-250 but I didn't really know what I was doing. It spent a long time between 100-150 (apaerently more fire == more heat
). Then after that it fluctuated anywhere from 200-300. I got it down pretty good by the end though. Next time I shouldn't have any problems keeping it in a pretty tight range.The one I foiled I used the 3-2-1 method. Three hours without foil. Then 2 hours with foil; then 1 hour without. It worked pretty good. Apparently if you do babybacks you should adjust it to 2-2-1.
I learned quite a bit about how to adjust the heat with that particular smoker. I also learned that you should really only smoke one rack on a surface that size. The ends got a little burnt and I couldn't do anything about it because the whole cooking surface was covered with meat.
Other than that I learned to wear shoes. If a small coal falls out and you step on it, it hurts.
Thanks for the complements. I'm pretty proud of my first smoking attempt. Now I just need to find another excuse to head out to my parents house.
![Craft A Brew - Safale S-04 Dry Yeast - Fermentis - English Ale Dry Yeast - For English and American Ales and Hard Apple Ciders - Ingredients for Home Brewing - Beer Making Supplies - [1 Pack]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41fVGNh6JfL._SL500_.jpg)
FromZwolle
I don't want to be cremated, I want to be malted.
the little burnt ends are my favorite parts.
it always takes a few tries to really dial in any particular smoker, but even the mistakes are tasty
looks like a great meal. good job.
it always takes a few tries to really dial in any particular smoker, but even the mistakes are tasty
looks like a great meal. good job.
Brewing Clamper
Well-Known Member
Nice! Dude, those look awesome!
I don't usually marinade or brine ribs either, but the last time I smoked them (2 weeks ago) I put a sugarless rub on them then let them sit in Oatmeal Stout overnight. I was surprised at the amount of sweetness the stout lend to the meat. They smoked for about 5-6 hrs and they were crazy tender and hella yums! I'm totally doing that every time from now on!
I don't usually marinade or brine ribs either, but the last time I smoked them (2 weeks ago) I put a sugarless rub on them then let them sit in Oatmeal Stout overnight. I was surprised at the amount of sweetness the stout lend to the meat. They smoked for about 5-6 hrs and they were crazy tender and hella yums! I'm totally doing that every time from now on!
I'd foil, but I don't mind my ribs being mushy. I also don't care much for bacon cracklings or whatever you call them. Anyway, I'd used foil a few times now and so far have not gotten what I would call mushy at all. In fact, so far they have been a bit chewy yet. I've tried to leave them on long enough for the meat to start pulling off the bone a bit, but not fall off completely. They've been pretty good, other than I'm still working on what kind of sauce and rub I like best.
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