# I can’t keep my smoker clean!



## 73saint (Aug 5, 2018)

I woke up this morning and really gave my Lang and good cleaning.  Got it looking better than it has in a while.  But as the day progressed, it got nicer out and we got a hankering for ribs.  Winn Dixie had buy one get one so we decided to do one dry, and one glazed.  






Beautiful day on the Mississippi River. 





Got the old Lang hot and ready for some spares. 





Keeping it simple, running pecan splits at 250. Not wrapping, will pull when ready, glazing one and leaving the other dry. I spritzed with apple cider vinegar but only a few times. 






Glazed one about 30 minutes before pulling. Ran about 5 hrs, cranking temps up to 300 the last 30 minutes or so. 






We ate them with turnip greens.  Sorry didn’t get any plated pics. Everyone converged when they were cut up.  Both dry and wet were great.  I can’t decide which I like more.


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## Ishi (Aug 5, 2018)

I like them both!


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## Co4ch D4ve (Aug 5, 2018)

I’d have some of each... they look great!


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## motolife313 (Aug 5, 2018)

Great looking ribs!I stoped doing suace on my ribs couple months back. What are u burning for wood?


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## motolife313 (Aug 5, 2018)

Wow 3 comments in 1 minute that’s how good they look!


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## flatbroke (Aug 5, 2018)

Looks great


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## 73saint (Aug 5, 2018)

Ishi said:


> I like them both!
> View attachment 372906


Thanks Ishi, they really were both great!



Co4ch D4ve said:


> I’d have some of each... they look great!


Thanks Dave!



motolife313 said:


> Great looking ribs!I stoped doing suace on my ribs couple months back. What are u burning for wood?


Thanks Moto, burning pee-can!



flatbroke said:


> Looks great


Thanks flatbroke, I’m about t get into the ziplock bag of cold ones!


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## flatbroke (Aug 5, 2018)

Were you going off the gauge for 250 or prove?  My gauge reading 250 is around 275 at left side at nose and 385 at right side near firebox. Crazy variance. I tried my best to get the smoke down to 220 but it kept at about 250 or I’d lose coals.


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## 73saint (Aug 5, 2018)

flatbroke said:


> Were you going off the gauge for 250 or prove?  My gauge reading 250 is around 275 at left side at nose and 385 at right side near firebox. Crazy variance. I tried my best to get the smoke down to 220 but it kept at about 250 or I’d lose coals.


I was going by the gauge.  Right in the middle my gauge is dead on, I’ve probed enough to know. So when I’m only doing a couple racks I don’t even fool w thermos I just try and keep my grill thermometer to read 250.

But I should also add mine is one of the old stainless “ultra light” models. Not sure if that has anything to do with it but I’ve noticed my temp swings aren’t very dramatic at all.  25 degrees higher on the top shelf, and maybe about a 50 degree swing from left to right.


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## flatbroke (Aug 5, 2018)

73saint said:


> I was going by the gauge.  Right in the middle my gauge is dead on, I’ve probed enough to know. So when I’m only doing a couple racks I don’t even fool w thermos I just try and keep my grill thermometer to read 250.


Awesome. I’m still trying to learn mine. I had no idea it was so far off until today.


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## 73saint (Aug 5, 2018)

flatbroke said:


> Awesome. I’m still trying to learn mine. I had no idea it was so far off until today.


You know what I used to do was when I was finished cleaning my Lang (it’s still hot) I would take a probe grate and move it all around the smoker, then take a note book and chart the temps.  Also it helps when you “settle in” to a temp.   In other words make a big fire, and really burn it down to a solid bed of cherry red coals, then start adjusting your dampers and adding wood.  I find then, my temp swings are a lot less dramatic.


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## dcecil (Aug 5, 2018)

73saint said:


> I was going by the gauge.  Right in the middle my gauge is dead on, I’ve probed enough to know. So when I’m only doing a couple racks I don’t even fool w thermos I just try and keep my grill thermometer to read 250.
> 
> But I should also add mine is one of the old stainless “ultra light” models. Not sure if that has anything to do with it but I’ve noticed my temp swings aren’t very dramatic at all.  25 degrees higher on the top shelf, and maybe about a 50 degree swing from left to right.


Saint, One of the things I have been toying with in my lang is a placing a 3 inch deep pan for water on the firebox side of the cooking chamber.  I like the deeper pan, it holds a fair amount of water and that seems to keep the left and right sides of the cooking chamber at a more even heat.  Your Ribs look awesome by the way.


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## 73saint (Aug 5, 2018)

dcecil said:


> Saint, One of the things I have been toying with in my lang is a placing a 3 inch deep pan for water on the firebox side of the cooking chamber.  I like the deeper pan, it holds a fair amount of water and that seems to keep the left and right sides of the cooking chamber at a more even heat.  Your Ribs look awesome by the way.


That’s a good idea.  I haven’t tried it before, but I certainly will.  Do you have to add water during cooks?  You know, usually my cooker is full, I suppose that’s why I haven’t tried it before.


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## dcecil (Aug 5, 2018)

With butts and brisket I have to refill once.  That’s why I use the over sized bread pan.  They are long and narrow and don’t take up much space but yet still deep enough to hold a good amount of liquid


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## willbeg4q (Aug 5, 2018)

Those look incredible!


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## motocrash (Aug 5, 2018)

Lookin' good.
Unsauced/no wrap is the Boss,no matter what that dude Ray says.
The only one that calls him "Sweet Baby" is his Momma...


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## 73saint (Aug 5, 2018)

willbeg4q said:


> Those look incredible!


Thanks Will!  We enjoyed them...


motocrash said:


> Lookin' good.
> Unsauced/no wrap is the Boss,no matter what that dude Ray says.
> The only one that calls him "Sweet Baby" is his Momma...


Thanks moto!  You know, years ago I ate the best ribs I’ve ever had in my life, at the rendezvous in Memphis tenn.  these came as close to those as I’ve ever had. I’ll definitely do dry more often.  They were great!


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## motolife313 (Aug 5, 2018)

Nice! What do U a the pecan vs other woods? I’ve never tried pecan. I’m in pnw. Mainly for but other woods too if u look. Some oak in places.


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## mike5051 (Aug 5, 2018)

Those ribs look great!  

Mike


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## gmc2003 (Aug 6, 2018)

Those ribs look like a keeper in my book. Nice job.

Point for sure.

Chris


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## 73saint (Aug 6, 2018)

motolife313 said:


> Nice! What do U a the pecan vs other woods? I’ve never tried pecan. I’m in pnw. Mainly for but other woods too if u look. Some oak in places.


Pecan is my favorite, but I also cut, split and season it myself.  It’s very prevalent down here. 



mike5051 said:


> Those ribs look great!
> Thanks Mike, we sure enjoyed them!
> Mike





gmc2003 said:


> Those ribs look like a keeper in my book. Nice job.
> 
> Point for sure.
> 
> Chris


Thanks Chris!


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## phatbac (Aug 6, 2018)

Great looking ribs!

When i had the lang 36 i noticed about a 25-30 degree difference at the firebox end and 10-15 degree difference low to high rack. Now on my 48 there is some difference low to high but there isn't as much temp difference right to left. i notice the therm i have on this one is very accurate and is very and tracks well with my new thermopro. the one on my 36 was way off (i things it got banged around in shipping or something) and i had to replace with a river country therm. 

BTW im a big fan of pecan wood (smells great) but lately i have been running hickory and i love that flavor of smoke too!

Happy Smoking,
phatbac (Aaron)


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## 73saint (Aug 6, 2018)

phatbac said:


> Great looking ribs!
> 
> When i had the lang 36 i noticed about a 25-30 degree difference at the firebox end and 10-15 degree difference low to high rack. Now on my 48 there is some difference low to high but there isn't as much temp difference right to left. i notice the therm i have on this one is very accurate and is very and tracks well with my new thermopro. the one on my 36 was way off (i things it got banged around in shipping or something) and i had to replace with a river country therm.
> 
> ...


Aaron I’ve been on a hickory kick lately too, but pecan is my go to wood.  I’ve also got some persimmon and grapefruit that is ready to burn (I’ll use it on chicken and or fish), and I’m excited to try some of that as well.


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## laughingpanther (Aug 6, 2018)

Nice looking ribs.


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## SmokinLogs (Aug 8, 2018)

Ribs look fantastic! I’ll have some of each please. Good job!


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