Loin Back Ribs for my 2nd smoke in the Brinky Charcoal Gourmet: qview

6 hours in, and time to throw some corn into the Vault:

http://s829.photobucket.com/albums/...10 LBRs/?action=view&current=7CorninVault.jpg

LBR's @ 6 hrs...did a top/bottom rack rotation @ 3.5 hours to even out cooking:

http://s829.photobucket.com/albums/...5-30-10 LBRs/?action=view&current=86hrsin.jpg

More to follow as dinner develops...

Eric

This was definitely worth fire tending and the long wait!

7.75 hours...just out:

http://s829.photobucket.com/albums/...5-30-10 LBRs/?action=view&current=9775hrs.jpg

Slicing like a bone-in loin...well, almost...and a nice smoke ring to boot:

http://s829.photobucket.com/albums/...5-30-10 LBRs/?action=view&current=10slice.jpg

http://s829.photobucket.com/albums/...-30-10 LBRs/?action=view&current=11sliced.jpg

http://s829.photobucket.com/albums/...5-30-10 LBRs/?action=view&current=12slice.jpg

1.75 hours in the Vault @ ~260-275* with Mesquite:

http://s829.photobucket.com/albums/zz217/forluvofsmoke/05-30-10 LBRs/?action=view&current=13corn.jpg

With the flash:

http://s829.photobucket.com/albums/...5-30-10 LBRs/?action=view&current=14plate.jpg

Natural lighting:

http://s829.photobucket.com/albums/...5-30-10 LBRs/?action=view&current=15plate.jpg

Man, I haven't done straight smoked ribs for...uh...well...a very, very long time...probably 18 months, anyway, and that would have been untrimmed spares, I think. These were easy...just took along time, which I expected, due to using the rib racks, having a heavier cross-section than BB's or St Louis Spares, and having temp issues early in the smoke. But, they still had good moisture, a nice bite and chew, and the meat would pull off the bone if you wanted to go that far with it. I couldn't have done it any better if I tried...well, OK, I did lift the lid just enough for a peek a couple times, just for pull-back, so I was watching it about every 3/4 hour for the last couple of hours.

You may or may not believe this, but I used charcoal fire only, without smoke wood. The smoke ring is strictly from the charcoal fire, so don't let anyone tell you that you can't get a smoke ring without smoke. My wife's having gut troubles again, and smoked meat is bothering her. So, I decided to do an experiment with a no smoke rib-burn. I will say I do miss the smoke...A LOT!!! They're still edible, and not bad at all...just no smoke flavor or aroma. I won't do this very often, I PROMISE!!!!!!!!     LOLOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The corn still had a slight crispness to the kernals, so I guess you could say they were aldente...very faint smoke flavor, but really good. I ate mine straight off the cob without salt, pepper or butter...it must have been pretty good. Gotta do corn more often, that much I know for sure.

Thanks for peekin' at my second burn in the lil' brinky...it was another fun day in the thin blue, as always!

Happy smokin' to all!

And, have a safe and happy Memorial Day weekend!

Eric

HookUp said:

Ribs look awesome.

Corn, well, butter and salt are still a staple.

Thanx for sharing.

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HA-HA-HA!!! Butter & salt...yea, I know what you mean...tonight was kinda weird...I took the first bite of corn, tasting for the natural flavors and smoke...I liked it as is, so just kept on munching away. I almost never eat corn without at least a shake or 2 of salt, and sometimes butter, but not always. I'm not a real finicky eater when it comes to outdoor cooked foods. That makes all the difference for me. All natural is the way to go for this old farm raised kid...simpler is better, IMO.

 

Tom37 said:

The ring look great, well heck it all looks great. That is the way I like my ribs but there's a fine line right before they taste burnt. It looks like you hit it spot on.

Thanks for taking the time for the pics and details.

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Thanks, I did have to pick my brains a few times to try to remember how I used to do ribs way back when...when enough is enough, like you said...I surprised myself when I found that I still got it in me! LOL!!!

 

mballi3011 said:

Now everything came out looking really good there and with no smoke man thats a heck of a smoke ring. Now for your corn did you do anything to it ??? I have tried it a time or two and I didn't like it it got dried out but I might have had it on too long. But your dinner looks grewta and you are getting the new smoker down pretty quickly too.

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Thanks, Mark! The corn was submerged and soaked in a weak salt water brine for an hour, with the husks intact. Nothing else was done to them prior to or after the smoke, until plating...just a quick husk/de-silk and snap off the stalk. I ran a wet smoke, which probably helps for moisture, acting like you would be steaming them. I figured these were about done when I did a quick bare-handed squeeze of a couple of them and I could feel the husk collapsing into the corn kernels. I couldn't feel if the kernels were getting soft, but took a chance and pulled 'em...they could have used about 45 minutes longer to be a perfectly finished whole ear of corn, but I could live with what we had...haven't smoked 'em much myself yet, but I'm trying it every time I think about it and have some corn on hand.

I have done 'em on gas and charcoal grills before, and that's a bit tougher to get a good product...pretty touchy, with a lot of water misting every 15-20 minutes, even with a water bath before cooking.

Thanks guys!

Eric