Smoking 6 racks of ribs for GFs family, any tips or suggestions?

twobeanbbq

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Original poster

Jul 14, 2013

64

10

New Orleans, La.

• Jul 8, 2014

• #1

I have a WSM 22.5" and a rib rack for the inside. Just wondering what type of wood should I use, what method of smoking, foil it or let it run low unfoiled with mops every 30, etc. My girlfriend's family is full of foodies so I really need to impress here. My gf brags about my bbq to them all the time, so this is a big test. I figured make a sweet, and slightly spicy rub and then foil with brown sugar, honey and butter. or make a kansas city style bbq sauce since that's america's favorite. Like I said, any suggestions or tips would be much appreciated!

 

dirtsailor2003

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Oct 4, 2012

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Bend Oregon

• Jul 8, 2014

• #2

I really like a cherry pecan mix or peach or apple for pork ribs. If this is your first go look at the 2-2-1 method for baby backs and the 3-2-1 for spares and beef ribs. I personally like to cook mine straight through with no foiling steps, no mopping no spritzing. Using a simple rub and no sauce. I do the 2-2-1 and 3-2-1 for my guests that think all BBQ requires goopy sauce!

 

JckDanls 07

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Sep 10, 2011

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Tampa area, Florida.

• Jul 8, 2014

• #3

only thing I would suggest is to NOT do them all the same... give them a choice... do half with the foil method but leave dry after taking out of foil... and then the other half nekkid (no foil) and start saucing (a couple of 3 times)starting about half way done... as for flavors... use your favorite rub and sauce.. no sense in trying to change that now ...

 

forddood

Newbie

Apr 26, 2014

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Georgia

• Jul 8, 2014

• #4

Apple is my go to wood for pork.

I'm a fan of a spicy, savory dry rub on ribs personally.

 

foamheart

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Apr 4, 2013

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South Louisiana, on the Mississippi River

• Jul 8, 2014

• #5

dirtsailor2003 said:

I really like a cherry pecan mix or peach or apple for pork ribs. If this is your first go look at the 2-2-1 method for baby backs and the 3-2-1 for spares and beef ribs. I personally like to cook mine straight through with no foiling steps, no mopping no spritzing. Using a simple rub and no sauce. I do the 2-2-1 and 3-2-1 for my guests that think all BBQ requires goopy sauce!

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The KISS method is always a preferred method. When you can bring simple to greatest, consistently, then you move on to the special flavor modifiers.

Cherry/pecan or Pecan/pecan always a local favorite.

 

twobeanbbq

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Jul 14, 2013

64

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New Orleans, La.

• Jul 8, 2014

• #6

i've smoked ribs a few times and I've loved the results, but it's been quite a while and now i have to do 6 racks to impress. I'm certainly going to do a half and half because I like variety. Great suggestion, I only have large splits of pecan wood and chunks of cherry. Can I use one large chunk of pecan in the WSM with a few chunks of cherry, or is that too much smoke? I certainly don't want to over smoke.

 

twobeanbbq

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Jul 14, 2013

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New Orleans, La.

• Jul 9, 2014

• #7

what kind of spicy rub do you like on your ribs forddood? I plan to do half one way and half another. I'm doing a sweeter recipe with help from foamheart. He gave me a great combo of flavors to try and will definitely do. I'm thinking pecan and cherry or pecan and peach or just peach. My gf said her mom and sister doesn't like a strong smoke flavor. Should i just do peach wood and hold off on the pecan?

 

dandl93

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Mar 5, 2014

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Pacho Colombia

• Jul 9, 2014

• #8

TwoBeanBBQ said:

 
what kind of spicy rub do you like on your ribs forddood? I plan to do half one way and half another. I'm doing a sweeter recipe with help from foamheart. He gave me a great combo of flavors to try and will definitely do. I'm thinking pecan and cherry or pecan and peach or just peach. My gf said her mom and sister doesn't like a strong smoke flavor. Should i just do peach wood and hold off on the pecan?

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If you did ribs before and they was good?Do what you know if you start to try and impress 6 different people and their likes.No one will be happy.Good Luck making a GFs mother or sisters happy all the time.

Dan 

 

thomas phillips

Meat Mopper

Aug 3, 2012

174

15

Valmeyer Illinois

• Jul 9, 2014

• #9

dandl93 said:

 
Good Luck making a GFs mother or sisters happy all the time.

Dan 

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Aint that the truth!!!

 

mdboatbum

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Apr 22, 2011

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Washington, DC

• Jul 9, 2014

• #10

Danger Will Robinson!! (if you don't get that reference, then listen up. If you do get it, you're too damned old to be worrying about impressing people anyway

)

Impress them with the way you treat their daughter/sister, and let the food speak for itself. If they're "foodies", they're likely not easily impressed anyway, as they'll have it in their heads that they can do better. Try to get them involved in the meal somehow, maybe making sides or something. Let them try to impress YOU. Listen and ask questions while they're cooking. People like to pass on their vast (or in my case half vast) knowledge to others, so by asking, listening and learning, you'll be making them a lot happier. And in the process, you might pick up some good ideas along the way.

As for the ribs, like has already been said, do what you know and keep it simple. As they say on the BBQ shows, never try out a new recipe in a competition.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out!

 

dandl93

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Mar 5, 2014

434

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Pacho Colombia

• Jul 9, 2014

• #11

I made my Mother n Law happy once so she moved in with us 12 years ago and is still here.Best to keep them halfway happy so they just visit once in awhile.

Dan 

 

twobeanbbq

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Jul 14, 2013

64

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New Orleans, La.

• Jul 10, 2014

• #12

Yea I don't want to get to crazy, I should probably stick with my guns. I will do a half and half, one way more sweet than the other. Keeping it halfway there like dandl93 would say haha. I'm having her mother do a potato salad, and my gf is going to do something. Thankfully I get to smoke the ribs at my house and bring them hot and ready to their house. I figure foil them up and a cooler full of towels, right? should probably do a loose foil so they don't steam too much.