Doing my first sets of BB ribs

[puckinggoalie]

Hi all,

I finally cured my smoker and have everything set up to go for tomorrow.  For reference, I'm using at 18" Weber Smokey Mountain

I've been reading a lot on the site (probably too much at this point), and have a plan that I wanted to run past those who will surely know better.

First, I'm doing 2 racks and a chicken.  I'm planning on brining the chicken overnight putting the ribs in apple juice overnight.  I'm going to rub in the morning and let them sit for 2 hours to get to room temp and let the rub soak in.

Going to load (1 chimney's worth) unlit charcoal and and about 4 pieces of apple wood into the bottom.  Light another chimney and get that burning, and dump on top of the unlit stuff after they go for about 20 minutes.

First question:  Chicken on the top or the bottom?  I've been looking, and the temps for both are about 250, which I was able to maintain in the test run I did.  I know times are different, so I'm going to use a meat thermometer in the chicken.  I know the chicken would be better on the bottom, but I'm concerned about the ribs dripping.

I'm planning on using the 2-1.5-1.5 method for the ribs.  I like a little pull, and this would seem to give me the right balance.  I have a spray bottle of apple juice, and was planning on spraying the racks down before wrapping them in foil.  I was going to add about a quarter cup to each.

I would welcome any critiques to my plan here.  I'm looking to the best result I can get, although I know it might be subject to some new circumstance.

Thanks all!

Frank

 

[flash]

Chicken ALWAYS on the bottom in a vertical smoker.

You time seems good for a start. Always keep notes and re-adjust if needed next time.

I don't think you really need a full lit chimney to get your coals going, that may be too much. I would stack my coals in the minion method, then add 6 to 10 lit coals around the others and then watch you heat build. Atleast that always worked in my Brinkman ECB.

Next time post smoking questions in the Smoker section. This is Grilling and may be why the lack of answers for you.

 

[cliffcarter]

Do not let the ribs or the chicken sit out to get to room temp for safety reasons. Take them out of the fridge and rub them and put them in the smoker. Nothing else is necessary IMHO.

 

[chef jimmyj]

Do not let the ribs or the chicken sit out to get to room temp for safety reasons. Take them out of the fridge and rub them and put them in the smoker. Nothing else is necessary IMHO.

 X 100! Never warm meat that will be cooked Well Done to Room Temp...Especially Injected meat or Chicken! There is just no need to warm anything but Steaks or Beef Roasts. Beef is cooked for a short time <4 hours and we want even doneness...JJ

 

[JckDanls 07]

Also I am not so sure you want to go 1.5 hrs on the last leg of the 2-2-1 method... even 1 hr is to much for me as it tends to dry them out to much... 30 minutes for the last leg works good for me... but then each smoker and personal preference is different....

 

[flash]

Also I am not so sure you want to go 1.5 hrs on the last leg of the 2-2-1 method... even 1 hr is to much for me as it tends to dry them out to much... 30 minutes for the last leg works good for me... but then each smoker and personal preference is different....

Agree

So Chief Jimmy, what about meat that is NOT going to be cooked well done? I don't let meat get to room temp, but have always let it sit out for atleast a half hour before popping onto the smoker.

 

[chef jimmyj]

Agree

So Chief Jimmy, what about meat that is NOT going to be cooked well done? I don't let meat get to room temp, but have always let it sit out for atleast a half hour before popping onto the smoker.

 Steaks and Beef Roasts that are going to be Med/Rare are warmed at room temp for 30-60 minutes so they cook more evenly. If too cold when you go in the Oven or Smoker, you a get fairly well done outer third, a medium middle third and a med/rare center. With a bit of warming the meat will be a more uniform Med/Rare across the width of the meat after cooking. With meats like Butts and Briskets we cook Well Done, even though thirty minutes is not really an issue, what are you gaining letting it sit out? The problem is, many folks have posted they let meat come to room temp. The meat is spending time in the Danger Zone. Now what if something goes wrong with the Smoker...It all adds up to trouble. If the meat is injected then a few hours on the counter added to issues with the Smoker and you have a sick bunch of Family and Friends...JJ

 

[puckinggoalie]

Thanks for the info all!

I did end up aborting on the 2-2-1 method, and ended up just smoking the ribs for about 5 hours.  My neighbor, my Smoker Yoda, said that he doesn't ever braise the ribs, so I figured I would do it the same way.  

I think that I might have overdone the ribs some.  I had trouble keeping the temp up (it kept slipping down to about 215), but I opened the door for a few minutes and that seemed spike the temp back up.  

I put the chicken on top (I thought chickeny ribs was better than porky chicken, again, a tip from Yoda), and ran a meat thermometer in the breast.  Having brined the chicken, it was probably the juiciest chicken I've ever made.  I was able to get a fair amount of rub under the skin as well, so it ran all through the bird.  The juice basically shot out of it when I cut into it.

The ribs were also excellent, but the rub was a little weak.  I could taste the cayenne pepper, but not a whole lot else.  I also went a little light on the sauce, which is something that I won't do in the future.  I did get a good smoke ring in the ribs (and the chicken) and will post a few pics when I pull them off my phone.  

All in all, it was pretty successful. I'm planning on smoking a pork shoulder for the Browns home opener next weekend, so I'll be trying a new recipe for that.

On a side note, from the other conversation here, I always bring my steaks up to room temperature (and usually rub them with crushed garlic) when I make them.

I'll post the photos soon!

Frank

 

[flash]

I put the chicken on top (I thought chickeny ribs was better than porky chicken, again, a tip from Yoda), and ran a meat thermometer in the breast.

Frank

   You open yourself up to a lot of bacterial issues doing that.

 

[puckinggoalie]

The cops!  Cheese it!

Good to know.  Is that due to the cooler temp at the top?  

Why wouldn't I have the same issue with, well, whatever I put at the top?  Assuming that you're referring to the fact that it would be in the danger zone for a prolonged time, but wouldn't that be the same with pork?

In a quasi-related note, I picked up some pink salt to make a cure for jerky (I think its sodium nitrate), and the person that sold it to me made me think that she was selling me explosives that were filled with bees.  I'm still looking into making it, but I'm probably going to have to put on a suit of armor and a radiation suit!

 

[so ms smoker]

  As for the pink salt and curing meats, be sure to read up on it first. You don't want to use too much ! But it's good stuff if you use it correctly.

Mike

 

[fpnmf]

In a quasi-related note, I picked up some pink salt to make a cure for jerky (I think its sodium nitrate), and the person that sold it to me made me think that she was selling me explosives that were filled with bees.  I'm still looking into making it, but I'm probably going to have to put on a suit of armor and a radiation suit!

http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?736-Curing-Salts

 

[puckinggoalie]

Thanks for the info on the pink salt.  I'm looking forward to putting that one together!

 

[smokinhusker]

Glad they turned out, but Chicken on top. You open yourself up to cross contamination and illness...not fun.

Here's another interesting thread about Cure: http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/118474/ryteks-recipe-and-cure-1#post_779117