- Sep 14, 2008
- 554
- 15
I have 3 racks of babybacks and 2 full racks of spareribs on the CGSP right now. They've been on since 8:15am. Lookin' great, will post Q-view later.
Here in NY it's been raining for most of the past week, and today is very damp & foggy. Normally I start warming up the cooker using briquettes, and switch to lump when the meat goes on. But this time the Kingsford briquettes never really lit! They just kinda smoldered. Apparently they have picked up so much moisture from the air that they cannot fully catch. So I dumped 'em, and re-started the whole process using lump.
That's working VERY well. So far I've used one basket of lump, which still has plenty of life in it. I interspersed plenty of soaked mesquite chips; I soaked them for 6 hours last night and then let them dry a bit so they ain't drenched. I kept temps at @ 175 for the first 90 minutes. The thin blue smoke has been consistent :) I brought temps up to 225, and added a split stick of maple a few minutes ago. I'ill add a split of cherry in a half hour or so.
On this 60-degree still day, that will be enough to accomplish the whole job! I'll pull the babybacks off at 11am and wrap 'em, and the spareribs at noon. One rack of spareribs will come out to a family gathering with me this afternoon, where I'll finish them on the gas grill. The remainder will be frozen, for finishing another day.
It's interesting that the briquettes, with all their clay and binders and whatnot, won't start when the lump has no problem whatsoever. Will keep that in mind for future events.
Here in NY it's been raining for most of the past week, and today is very damp & foggy. Normally I start warming up the cooker using briquettes, and switch to lump when the meat goes on. But this time the Kingsford briquettes never really lit! They just kinda smoldered. Apparently they have picked up so much moisture from the air that they cannot fully catch. So I dumped 'em, and re-started the whole process using lump.
That's working VERY well. So far I've used one basket of lump, which still has plenty of life in it. I interspersed plenty of soaked mesquite chips; I soaked them for 6 hours last night and then let them dry a bit so they ain't drenched. I kept temps at @ 175 for the first 90 minutes. The thin blue smoke has been consistent :) I brought temps up to 225, and added a split stick of maple a few minutes ago. I'ill add a split of cherry in a half hour or so.
On this 60-degree still day, that will be enough to accomplish the whole job! I'll pull the babybacks off at 11am and wrap 'em, and the spareribs at noon. One rack of spareribs will come out to a family gathering with me this afternoon, where I'll finish them on the gas grill. The remainder will be frozen, for finishing another day.
It's interesting that the briquettes, with all their clay and binders and whatnot, won't start when the lump has no problem whatsoever. Will keep that in mind for future events.