Water Pan Question

[jted]

 
Funny you should ask since I'm doing baby backs tomorrow in my MES 30 Gen 1. I never tasted Famous Dave's but I have eaten Dickey's BBQ Pit and the old Tony Roma's. I and my wife feel mine are much better. Thanks to this forum and to Jeff Phillips, I use the 3-2-1 or 2-2-1 cooking method. 2-3 hours unfoiled, 2 hours foiled with foil juice inside, then .5-1 hour unfoiled when I brush on a finishing sauce. I don't want my ribs falling off the bone. I want them to bend and to have little tug when I pull the meat off with my teeth.

I'm going to apply a rub from a recipe in a Steven Raichlen cookbook, create my own foil juice, and then use a commercial BBQ sauce at the end. I'm going to smoke over hickory wood pellets at around 225-235°, probably 235. I like my ribs to have a wet look and not heavy bark, although the bark will be there. I use the AMNPS which is great since it never oversmokes meat but serves to have the smoke enhance the flavor.

daRickta, You have a sound plan. Please share  a picture of your finished product when you are finished. Prying eyes you know.  Jted 

 

[daricksta]

 
daRickta, You have a sound plan. Please share  a picture of your finished product when you are finished. Prying eyes you know.  Jted 

Thanks, Jted. Although I've got a few books on smoking, I'd say it was from what I learned on SMF that enabled me to make great ribs, and I sincerely think they're great. I know that family and friends have told me the same thing. And, anyone can do it. Get the right tools, learn the basic techniques, and it's really very easy.

I'll be posting Q-View and I'll also share the rub recipe I'm using. My wife chose it and it's one I've never tried before.

 

[Bearcarver]

 
He's a member here!

Shoot him a PM, I'm sure he'll hook you up! 

Might take awhile to get a reply.

That "Famous Dave" only ever made 2 posts on this forum, and hasn't been here for over 3 years.

Bear

 

[jp61]

 
Might take awhile to get a reply.

That "Famous Dave" only ever made 2 posts on this forum, and hasn't been here for over 3 years.

Bear

 yes, I wouldn't hold my breath.

 

[daricksta]

 
Might take awhile to get a reply.

That "Famous Dave" only ever made 2 posts on this forum, and hasn't been here for over 3 years.

Bear

The real Famous Dave? I'm not a fan of FD. Never been to his restaurant but I saw him compete in a TV BBQ competition and I wasn't impressed with what he did. I think he was the 1st or 2nd to be eliminated. I've seen his BBQ sauce and pickles at the supermarket and there's a lot of cheap ingredients in there. I think Stubbs sells much better products, overall.

Some people probably missed it but last week I posted a quote from a smoking page that claimed electric smokers turn out better products than most BBQ restaurants.

There's going to be a pork BBQ competition in my town in September. I won't be competing but I'll sure be out there tasting to see how the Q of the pros and amateurs compares to mine.

 

[alwaysntraining]

I am going to use my MES 40 for the first time tomorrow. You guys have given me so much good advice on here. You have probably saved me a year of trial and error. I know this thread is a little older but great info. I would have filled my water pan half full and closed my vent off half way to start. I have had 4-Brinkmann electric smokers in the past. Sometimes it would be great and sometimes not at all. I would fill the water pan every time, if not it was a grill but since it is not insulated I would cover it when it was cold out. The colder the more large towels I would put on. Looking back, the more towels I used the worse the results. No towels and I had good results. No steam was getting out when it was so covered up and steaming instead of smoking. The meat would come out with no bark and really bitter. It should have been more obvious I guess. Figured it was more of a season issue. With all your comments everything makes more since. Sorry for the rambling on but my past validates all you guys have said!!! One last thing, I like the flavor a beer in the smoker gives. What would be the best way to do that, maybe cut a can in half with a couple inches of beer and set it in the water pan or still best without all together? Before I just dumped it in the water.

 

[Bearcarver]

 
I am going to use my MES 40 for the first time tomorrow. You guys have given me so much good advice on here. You have probably saved me a year of trial and error. I know this thread is a little older but great info. I would have filled my water pan half full and closed my vent off half way to start. I have had 4-Brinkmann electric smokers in the past. Sometimes it would be great and sometimes not at all. I would fill the water pan every time, if not it was a grill but since it is not insulated I would cover it when it was cold out. The colder the more large towels I would put on. Looking back, the more towels I used the worse the results. No towels and I had good results. No steam was getting out when it was so covered up and steaming instead of smoking. The meat would come out with no bark and really bitter. It should have been more obvious I guess. Figured it was more of a season issue. With all your comments everything makes more since. Sorry for the rambling on but my past validates all you guys have said!!! One last thing, I like the flavor a beer in the smoker gives. What would be the best way to do that, maybe cut a can in half with a couple inches of beer and set it in the water pan or still best without all together? Before I just dumped it in the water.

When I used to add water to my water pan (6 years ago), I used to try Beer or Apple Juice, or a few other things. I couldn't taste any of the things I added, and then I found out it works better with the water pan empty anyway.

If you want to add Beer flavor, add it to the second step (foiling step) when doing Ribs, or when you foil a Butt at about 165° (if you do it like I do).

Bear

 

[alwaysntraining]

Ok thanks. I might give that a try or maybe try a mister bottle and spray it once or twice but hate opening the door. Just another reason to open another one, lol.