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First time smoking St. Louis style Ribs
Posted on 6/26/15 at 7:27 am
Posted on 6/26/15 at 7:27 am
I bought the Smokenator add-on for the Weber 22.5" kettle and did a test run on Monday this week to understand how the temperature would react by toying with air valves and did well maintaining 250 kettle temp. Yesterday I decided to do some St. Louis style spare ribs using Alton Brown's dry rub, using no sauce, and using pecan wood.
I had some trouble stabilizing the 225 temperature at first but all in all they turned out pretty good. Some lessons learned - get a real meat thermometer, and rotate the meat if something is closer to the heat. One rack sat closer to the heat source the whole time and I didn't rotate it, it wasn't over done but wasn't nearly as moist as the further rack. As for the thermometer, i threw the ribs in the oven wrapped in foil at the end and now i believe that was unneccessary, a good thermometer would have taken out the guess work.
My review on the rub was that is was good, i probably would have added a little more cayenne. The pecan wood was perfect for a first time smoking, very light smoky taste and not at all over taking the pork flavor.
Can anyone share any tips or recipes on smoking ribs?
I had some trouble stabilizing the 225 temperature at first but all in all they turned out pretty good. Some lessons learned - get a real meat thermometer, and rotate the meat if something is closer to the heat. One rack sat closer to the heat source the whole time and I didn't rotate it, it wasn't over done but wasn't nearly as moist as the further rack. As for the thermometer, i threw the ribs in the oven wrapped in foil at the end and now i believe that was unneccessary, a good thermometer would have taken out the guess work.
My review on the rub was that is was good, i probably would have added a little more cayenne. The pecan wood was perfect for a first time smoking, very light smoky taste and not at all over taking the pork flavor.
Can anyone share any tips or recipes on smoking ribs?
This post was edited on 6/26/15 at 7:52 am
6
Posted on 6/26/15 at 7:31 am to Larry Gooseman
We can't see pics from your gmail
ETA: Those look pretty good. Nicely done. As the guy below said, not much use in using a thermometer on the ribs.
ETA: Those look pretty good. Nicely done. As the guy below said, not much use in using a thermometer on the ribs.
This post was edited on 6/26/15 at 7:55 am
Posted on 6/26/15 at 7:51 am to Larry Gooseman
I wouldn't worry about using a meat thermometer with ribs. The bones are going to mess with it and throw it off. Use the bend test from now on. I would recommend getting a maverick and use it to keep track of what the temp is in the kettle.
As for the smokenator, I've had one for a few months now and used it about 5 or 6 times. It takes a little while to get going and at a sweet spot but once you get it there you are good to go for a good while. I normally try to stay around 225 (give or take 10 or 15 degrees). It takes about 30 mins to get there after I put the meat in, then after a few hours it normally starts spiking (gets close to 280 if I'm not paying attention) and I have to close the vents off some.
It takes some getting used to, but is very consistent once you know how it acts.
When I do spare ribs I normally do 3-1-1, where I crutch (foil) for just an hour and then do another hour without foil to get back some of the bark.
As for the smokenator, I've had one for a few months now and used it about 5 or 6 times. It takes a little while to get going and at a sweet spot but once you get it there you are good to go for a good while. I normally try to stay around 225 (give or take 10 or 15 degrees). It takes about 30 mins to get there after I put the meat in, then after a few hours it normally starts spiking (gets close to 280 if I'm not paying attention) and I have to close the vents off some.
It takes some getting used to, but is very consistent once you know how it acts.
When I do spare ribs I normally do 3-1-1, where I crutch (foil) for just an hour and then do another hour without foil to get back some of the bark.
This post was edited on 6/26/15 at 7:57 am
Posted on 6/26/15 at 8:10 am to AA7
Try to keep your ribs moist with a little spritz or baste. They look a little dry on the outside. Otherwise, 
and IWEI.
and IWEI.Posted on 6/26/15 at 8:46 am to Larry Gooseman
Looks great to me! IWEI
Posted on 6/26/15 at 8:59 am to Larry Gooseman
They look good. Considering that was your first time, you did great. Did you wrap them, or just pour the smoke to them the whole time? I Usually like to see the bone protruding a little more. Were they tough? I use a dry rub, pour the smoke to them for a few hours and then wrap them in foil with a little apple juice and steam bake them until until desired tenderness. Some people don't like to wrap but I find that my ribs are less dry this way, so I continue to do it. It also helps to prevent bitterness from over smoking. I use a mixture of mesquite and hickory though because I like my smoke taste to be a little bolder. I have a larger smoker, so I'll put a brisket on at 4am and cook for 13 hours - that's dinner. In the interim I put ribs and chicken wings on different racks - that's lunch. Anyway, looks great and I have this same grill so I may have to try this smokenator you speak of for the times I'm just smoking a couple racks of ribs.
Posted on 6/26/15 at 9:22 am to Larry Gooseman
Look up the 3-2-1 method. No need for a thermometer.
3 Hours smoking with rub
2 Hours wrapped in foil in smoker with a little liquid added
1 Hour unwrapped in smoker, with sauce if you want it
3 Hours smoking with rub
2 Hours wrapped in foil in smoker with a little liquid added
1 Hour unwrapped in smoker, with sauce if you want it
Posted on 6/26/15 at 9:23 am to DaTroof
quote:
Usually like to see the bone protruding a little more
This is why I was afraid they weren't done and put them in the oven for a little bit. They were not tough, they got smoked for 5.5 hours uncovered, i checked them at 4 hours, then transferred to oven at that time for about 10 minutes at 375 wrapped in foil.
I like a little more smoke flavor than what they had, would like to try mequite/hickory but figure i should start with milder wood until i get the hang of all the other variables.
Posted on 6/26/15 at 9:49 am to DaTroof
I wouldn't worry too much about the 225 thing. I do ribs all the time on my Weber and i routinely get it to 300 with no problems at all. The bend test is when they are done. Take a pair of tongs and grab them half way down the rack and pick them up. When they bend almost in half without breaking they are done. If they break, they are over done and if they don't bend enough they aren't done yet.
Posted on 6/26/15 at 9:52 am to Larry Gooseman
I would be careful smoking ribs for nearly 6 hours using mesquite
Posted on 6/26/15 at 9:53 am to Larry Gooseman
Look fine!
Posted on 6/26/15 at 10:44 am to Larry Gooseman
Man I do mine on a weber and or BGEgg , I like to to those type of ribs at 350 to 360. In direct with a water pan underneath. Melt the fat through them and no foil ever. I don't ever foil ribs and I've been doing them for awhile.
On a weber in direct heat with water pan under, but like 280-325 again melt the fat through them. They will be very Juicy and just enough smoke. I also spritz mine with Apple juice and beer in the weber every once in awhile. Key for me is higher temp. Just MHO.
On a weber in direct heat with water pan under, but like 280-325 again melt the fat through them. They will be very Juicy and just enough smoke. I also spritz mine with Apple juice and beer in the weber every once in awhile. Key for me is higher temp. Just MHO.
Posted on 6/26/15 at 1:29 pm to WaltTeevens
quote:
I would be careful smoking ribs for nearly 6 hours using mesquite
Agreed. I wouldn't pour the smoke to any meat for more than 4-5 hours. I have 2 stages - 1st stage is where I pour the smoke to the meat, which creates the smoke ring. Once I'm done with the "smoke" stage I wrap in foil or cover the pan in foil to make sure I don't over smoke the meat, which can cause a bitter taste and also to let the meat steam inside the foil which breaks down the proteins and makes the meat more tender. I usually leave it on the smoker, but after the 4-5 hour "smoke" stage, you could just throw it in the oven really. It's all about temperature and timing at that point.
This post was edited on 6/26/15 at 1:30 pm
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