Smoking on a Yoder YS480

[specialblend07]

Well, I took delivery on our Yoder YS480. Very excited to try it out, my family is new to smoking so sorry for all the recent threads I've started!

This weekend we plan on doing some St Louis style ribs. It seems to preferred method is the 3-2-1, I tried this in my Masterbuilt and they turned out extremely dry and tough. Now I only spritzed them  (brown sugar, apple juice, apple cider vinegar) once when I wrapped them so maybe that's why. But I want to try it again.

I plan on setting my smoker to 180 for the first hour then bring it to 225 with a blended apple/hickory pellet (bought from BBQ store) and doing a 3-2-1 method of smoking. I would be very open to any criticism or ideas. Really hoping to impress my family!

I'm assuming for the first 3 hours to not mess with them or maybe spray them a few times with my mop? Then put apple juice in the tinfoil before I wrap and put the rubs meat side down? Once un-wrapped spray again, after the last hour should I let them sit for an amount of time?

 

[bmaddox]

I don't see a need with ribs to start them at a lower temp. I have great success with the 3-2-1 method. I leave them alone for the first three hours, then wrap them with a splash of apple juice. For the last hour I return them to the smoker (or grill depending on how I feel) with some sauce then cook them just enough to get them done to my liking. This weekend I did some that only needed 20 minutes instead of an hour but I also had my smoker running closer to 250. 

 

[specialblend07]

I've just been hearing that with a pellet grill it might be best to start at a lower temp to get more of a smoke profile, or even add a smoke tube. Like I said, I'm new to all this, just going by what I've heard!

 

[specialblend07]

Any thoughts on this recipe? I probably wouldn't put any BBQ sauce on the ribs though

http://www.smokingpit.com/recipes/Pecan-Cherry-Smoked-Spare-Ribs-Trigg-Method.htm

 

[seenred]

The 3-2-1 formula was designed for cooking at a temp of 225* for the 6 hour cook.  If you begin at a lower cooking temp, you will naturally need to plan on adding extra time at the end to get them done.  Also, keep in mind that these numbers are no more than estimates...you times may vary based on unknown variables.  As far as spritzing or mopping goes, I never found it necessary...and every time you open your smoker to mop, you add time to the total cook.  An old adage in BBQ is, "If you're looking, you're not cooking".  

The dry and tough ribs you cooked in you MB were probably just a bit undercooked.  My advice is, only use the time estimates as a general guide...its best to cook until they reach your desired tenderness and texture.  When I'm nearing the end of a rib cook, I'll periodically test the ribs by poking with a probe or a toothpick until I'm happy with the tenderness.  And I like to allow the rack to rest for 15-30 minutes before cutting.

I've used the Trigg method many times with good success.  Give it a try and see how you like it, then you can adjust your methods based on what you like.

Good luck, and let us know how it turns out!

Red

 

[chef jimmyj]

If you don't have a means of adding smoke, AMNTS Tube, starting at 180 will give the smoke on that unit. Bump to 225 and smoke for 2.5 hours, foil for 2 hours and then unwrap and finish the cook at 225 until they are the tenderness you desire. Could take the whole hour may be less maybe more. Don't get locked into using Time alone. Time is a guideline but Done is a matter of tenderness you like. A therm probe should penetrate the meat with no resistance. This is an adjusted 3-2-1 for your unit...JJ