Who's smoking meat this weekend?

[Horseflesh]

Hickory sounds good for ribs. I usually use apple for pork, but man, it's all good. You'll just have to try all the wood you have and see what you like best.

It's true that it can be hard to get a thermometer to read right on ribs because they are full of bones. Between the bend test and looking to see how the meat has contracted you will get the feel for it.

Lately I have started taking the ribs off the BGE after a few hours in the smoke, then cutting them up and finishing them in the crock pot. You do miss the "1" in the 3-2-1 method that way but they are good 'n' easy.

 

[oylerck]

Gonna smoke my first ribs this weekend. Got 2 giant racks from costco (depending on how they fit I may have to cut them down). Was planning on doing a 3-2-1 cook on them. I may do more 3-1.5-1.5 to try and get more bark on them. Probably gonna put some HB hefe in the foil with them along with a touch of honey. Was thinking of doing 90% hickory with a pinch of mesquite unless anyone has better options? Currently I have apple, cherry, hickory and mesquite, but I can always run and grab different wood. Ive read that its hard to get thermo readings on ribs so I was probably just gonna go sans-thermo and go by the bend test. Since Im a newb and these are my first ribs, does this plan sound good? Im open to any and all suggestions

You can also test with a toothpick. Should slide right through next to the bone. Are they babies or spares?

 

[kev211]

You can also test with a toothpick. Should slide right through next to the bone. Are they babies or spares?

Babies

 

[oylerck]

Babies

3-2-1 is more for spare ribs, but you can do 2-2-1. It's been a while since I've used this method but it does work, the last hour helps firm the meat back up. I have had the bones fall out before so be careful.

 

[jammin]

Babies

The bend test is legit - it will work great for you. Just be careful not to foil your ribs too long and turn them to mush. I quit using foil alltogether and I find the ribs to be much better

 

[kev211]

The bend test is legit - it will work great for you. Just be careful not to foil your ribs too long and turn them to mush. I quit using foil alltogether and I find the ribs to be much better

So do you just put them in for 5 hours or so (baby backs) smoke for a few hours and start painting them with an hour or so left?

 

[jammin]

So do you just put them in for 5 hours or so (baby backs) smoke for a few hours and start painting them with an hour or so left?

I don't do baby backs very often anymore as they just aren't as juicy as spares.

I've found that you have to run your smoker hotter if you're not using foil. As where i used to cook them are 220-225, I run my pit up to about 270-275 for nearly the same time. I spritz with cider vinegar every 30 minutes to keep them moist and mop them with sauce with about 30-40 minutes left on the cook; all you want to do is thicken and caramelize the sauce. Any longer than that and it will probably burn since most sauce has a lot of sugar.

Let us know how they turn out - ribs are always fun

 

[kev211]

Great! Thanks for the suggestions guys!

 

[HoppyDaze]

Just say no to foil

 

[trav77]

Just say no to foil

Yeah I quit using it as well. It definitely tenderizes them faster but at the expense of texture/bark. I just go au natural now.

 

[oylerck]

Yeah I quit using it as well. It definitely tenderizes them faster but at the expense of texture/bark. I just go au natural now.

I haven't done it for a long time either. I still aim for 225-250 and cook until done.

 

[schematix]

Yeah I quit using it as well. It definitely tenderizes them faster but at the expense of texture/bark. I just go au natural now.

Same here... i guess it just depends what you are after.

If you like tender-fall-off-the-bone ribs covered in lots of sauce, foiling is probably what you want.

But if you want the ribs to have a little bite to them (comes off clean but you have to pull with your teeth), and a great barky crust, then foil is going to work against you.

I do 5-6 hours at 225F. I usually keep the smoke going for the first 4 hours, then after that it's just whatever's left. I sauce my wife's ribs for the last hour because she likes it baked on. I leave mine to be dipped or sauced right before it goes in my mouth. So far my favorite wood blend is 45/45/10 apple/cherry/hickory.

 

[oylerck]

Same here... i guess it just depends what you are after.



If you like tender-fall-off-the-bone ribs covered in lots of sauce, foiling is probably what you want.



But if you want the ribs to have a little bite to them (comes off clean but you have to pull with your teeth), and a great barky crust, then foil is going to work against you.



I do 5-6 hours at 225F. I usually keep the smoke going for the first 4 hours, then after that it's just whatever's left. I sauce my wife's ribs for the last hour because she likes it baked on. I leave mine to be dipped or sauced right before it goes in my mouth. So far my favorite wood blend is 45/45/10 apple/cherry/hickory.

Competition style is bark, clean pull with teeth. Old lady style is fall of the bone so you don't have to chew as much. Your choice, personally I don't like the mush.

You could always toss on the grill for a little just to crisp it up too. Even better way to add sauce if you don't burn it.

 

[applescrap]

Gonna smoke my first ribs this weekend. Got 2 giant racks from costco (depending on how they fit I may have to cut them down). Was planning on doing a 3-2-1 cook on them. I may do more 3-1.5-1.5 to try and get more bark on them. Probably gonna put some HB hefe in the foil with them along with a touch of honey. Was thinking of doing 90% hickory with a pinch of mesquite unless anyone has better options? Currently I have apple, cherry, hickory and mesquite, but I can always run and grab different wood. Ive read that its hard to get thermo readings on ribs so I was probably just gonna go sans-thermo and go by the bend test. Since Im a newb and these are my first ribs, does this plan sound good? Im open to any and all suggestions

I personally never boil anything, steve raichlen says it well, the 3 2 1 method is safe, and produces good ribs but there are better if you seek it. A while back i posted a 3-2-1 recipe from a Competition winner that is a recipe to make competition style amazing ribs. My cousin turned me onto it and it is a really awesome recipe. I think the recipe calls for rubbing the ribs and then wrapping them in foil with hot pepper jelly, bacon fat, honey and I think something spicy. And then they get unwrapped and rubbed again. The reason is in a competition the judge is only going to taste a little so they pack as much flavor in as they can. They sound pretty good to me.

 

[applescrap]

Here is the article........it is a really good rib primer

https://majorleaguegrilling.com/2012/01/09/competition-ribs-3-2-1-method/amp/

 

[kev211]

So... They turned out great. Smoked for 3ish hours and then just heat and basting for 3 more. Made my own BBQ sauce. So stoked on the finished product

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[gotbeer74]

Doing a pork butt and turkey breast tomorrow. Split the turkey breast and brining.

 

[bigplunkett]

Pork loin tomarrow not ideal but its what my grandma wanted to have for dinner.

 

[RRL]

sunday was nice enough finally get some smoke rolling... stuffed loin with feta, spinach and diced bacon and bacon wrapped.

Was a really lean piece of loin it cooked WAY faster then I had intended, took 2.5 hours at 225 it hit a IT of 149. I almost thought maybe my Temp sensor was gone to **** so i double checked both meat temp and smoker temp and it all checked out.

 

[HoppyDaze]

Nice. What did you stuff with?

 

[RRL]

Sprinkled some pepper salt garlic on the inside then stuffed with spinach, feta, onion and some sliced bacon.

Then added some rub to the inside of the bacon. was good!

 

[jammin]

ribs from yesterday -

and pork butt from last night/today - it was nearly falling apart when taking it off of the smoker

 

[kev211]

ribs from yesterday -

and pork butt from last night/today - it was nearly falling apart when taking it off of the smoker

Ha! I love your golden in the background. He has this look like... Id be ok if you dropped some.

Also, thanks for the pointer on not using foil. I went straight no foil on my ribs this weekend and they turned out awesome. Did about 3 hours with hickory and mesquite smoke and then about 3 hours with just heat and I sprayed them down with a mixture of honey and HB hefeweizen which made for a terrific bark. So thanks again!

 

[jammin]

Ha! I love your golden in the background. He has this look like... Id be ok if you dropped some.

Also, thanks for the pointer on not using foil. I went straight no foil on my ribs this weekend and they turned out awesome. Did about 3 hours with hickory and mesquite smoke and then about 3 hours with just heat and I sprayed them down with a mixture of honey and HB hefeweizen which made for a terrific bark. So thanks again!

Great to hear man - way ahead of me when I started! And yeah, he's my best buddy; not much we don't do together

 

[applescrap]

@jammin that looks nice.

 

[RRL]

Man I need me a green egg.... one day!

 

[GrogNerd]

Sad to say BubbaQ's reign of terror may be coming to an end as it claims its 21st and perhaps final victim, an innocent rack of spareribs

The smokebox is barely still attached, and even then it is only rust holding it together

it is with deep regret I must announce the news of BubbaQ's passing

1 hour into a 6lb butt, the smokebox disintegrated into a pile of rust, ash and still-smoldering briquettes

must finish off the butt in the oven & dispose of the smoker's remains

RIP, BubbaQ, you will be missed

 

[applescrap]

Goodbye bubbaq, oh how we will miss your smokey demeanor and hot spirit. Just a little rub on our butts and you were always there to make our meat hot and juicy. Why, why.....

 

[Inkleg]

@GrogNerd , sorry to hear about your smoker. Glad your butts ok..

 

[kev211]

Sorry to hear about your loss GrogNerd. Thats a bummer. Looks like he had a good smoke filled life though.


Anyone have any tips on smoking brisket? Specifically... I have an MES so the inside isnt big enough to fit a whole packer brisket (I dont think). Should I use the flat then? The point? Forget about it and do a butt? Also, what type of wood is best for brisket. Ive read a number of things online, so figured Id get your opinion. Thanks!