So, I got the email that the deboned baby back rib sandwich recipe was coming on Thursday the 7th. I instantly knew it was going to be time to fire up the smoker. I've been too busy to do it for months then it got into a stretch of 95-105+ degree days and I'm just not going to try and run my WSM in that kind of heat. Today was supposed to cap out at low 90's and about 5mph winds so it was on. I picked up one rack of baby backs from the store just to test the recipe and also picked up one of my go to items, a 3lb tri-tip. I also had a pork tenderloin in the freezer from the two pack I opened earlier in the week so I pulled that to thaw last night.
This is my second smoke I think since I got my thermapen so I decided not to even bother with meat probes this time since the ribs were going to be 2-2-1, tri-tip usually runs about 1.5-2 hours to medium with me letting the smoker temp go 250-275 since tri-tip is flexible like that, and I thought I remembered the pork taking about 1.5 hours to 145-150 that I like it at. I just ran my air probe and it ran steady about 230ish for pretty much the whole smoke. I managed to also get my setup (lighting, coming to temp, etc.) down this time I think. I was always rushing before and bouncing temps up and down for a while. I let the WSM take what it needed which was about 45-60 minutes to get to temp and things went very smoothly this time from the start.
About 1.5 hours in I decided to check the temp on the loin. Oops, it was about 155+ in the middle. So I pulled it and then checked the tri-tip as well and again oops it was about 150 as well. So I pulled it too. Both were juicy and tender though. I have also learned that even though Jeff's tri-tip article recommends medium vs. medium rare I actually like it more done off the smoker because I'm usually making sandwiches with it and I've found it bites easier when it's more done (i.e. around med-well). If I was going to cut it into "steaks" to eat with a knife and fork I'd go about 135 max for sure.
So here's the pics.
Ribs and loin with Jeff's rub recipe. I use Alton Brown's chili powder recipe for the chili powder component in any rubs that call for it. I had to substitute the cascabel chili's in it for a California (anaheim) dried chili instead because I couldn't find cascabels, I think I like the substitution better though. The tri-tip has a custom rub I randomly came up with in the middle of the week when I tried searing and oven finishing the other loin my my cast iron skillet. It uses ground cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, ground pepper, crushed red pepper, dried rosemary, dried thyme. Applied after adding salt separately. Oh, I use olive oil to help the rubs stick, wife is allergic to mustard so I can't use it.
Totally forgot to take pics before cutting, This is half the tri-tip and loin after vac-sealing and freezing the rest for later
Ribs fresh off the smoker
de-boned
Server up on a ciabatta roll. I should have used a softer roll, the pork and the texture of it got lost in the firm roll. Oh, and that's Jeff's BBQ sauce recipe on them. I have never actually made the sauce before. Uh, it's a keeper. Great for the wife since it has no mustard in it (not left out, it doesn't call for it, a lot of sauces have it which is a royal pain).
This is my second smoke I think since I got my thermapen so I decided not to even bother with meat probes this time since the ribs were going to be 2-2-1, tri-tip usually runs about 1.5-2 hours to medium with me letting the smoker temp go 250-275 since tri-tip is flexible like that, and I thought I remembered the pork taking about 1.5 hours to 145-150 that I like it at. I just ran my air probe and it ran steady about 230ish for pretty much the whole smoke. I managed to also get my setup (lighting, coming to temp, etc.) down this time I think. I was always rushing before and bouncing temps up and down for a while. I let the WSM take what it needed which was about 45-60 minutes to get to temp and things went very smoothly this time from the start.
About 1.5 hours in I decided to check the temp on the loin. Oops, it was about 155+ in the middle. So I pulled it and then checked the tri-tip as well and again oops it was about 150 as well. So I pulled it too. Both were juicy and tender though. I have also learned that even though Jeff's tri-tip article recommends medium vs. medium rare I actually like it more done off the smoker because I'm usually making sandwiches with it and I've found it bites easier when it's more done (i.e. around med-well). If I was going to cut it into "steaks" to eat with a knife and fork I'd go about 135 max for sure.
So here's the pics.
Ribs and loin with Jeff's rub recipe. I use Alton Brown's chili powder recipe for the chili powder component in any rubs that call for it. I had to substitute the cascabel chili's in it for a California (anaheim) dried chili instead because I couldn't find cascabels, I think I like the substitution better though. The tri-tip has a custom rub I randomly came up with in the middle of the week when I tried searing and oven finishing the other loin my my cast iron skillet. It uses ground cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, ground pepper, crushed red pepper, dried rosemary, dried thyme. Applied after adding salt separately. Oh, I use olive oil to help the rubs stick, wife is allergic to mustard so I can't use it.
Totally forgot to take pics before cutting, This is half the tri-tip and loin after vac-sealing and freezing the rest for later
Ribs fresh off the smoker
de-boned
Server up on a ciabatta roll. I should have used a softer roll, the pork and the texture of it got lost in the firm roll. Oh, and that's Jeff's BBQ sauce recipe on them. I have never actually made the sauce before. Uh, it's a keeper. Great for the wife since it has no mustard in it (not left out, it doesn't call for it, a lot of sauces have it which is a royal pain).
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