Smoking Ribs On a Performer--Questions??

vnmg331 · Feb 19, 2015

I've smokedpork spare ribs on my Performer grill a few times basically following Steven Raichlen's BBQ Bible. A couple questions:

I've never been super satisfied with the setup with having the charcoal in baskets on each side. I would like to let it smoke 4-5 hours without adding coals. So I read here about the Minion Method with charcoal banked on one side, the snake method or ring of fire, and then some say it is better to use the baskets. I am confused which would be best, should I just buy a smokenator?

Do any of you wrap your ribs in tin foil the last hour or so? Is there any merit in this?

Thanks!

aawa · Feb 19, 2015

There are several things that you can do to make your smoking experience with a kettle more enjoyable so you do not have to reload coals.

1. Learn to cook hot and fast. Cooking at 300-325 you can cook Pork butts and briskets in about 6-7 hours. Spare Ribs - 4-5 hours, St. Louis Cut Ribs - 3.5-4.5 hours, and Baby Back Ribs in 3-3.5 hours.

2. Learn the snake/ring of fire method. This will give you extended burn times of 6-8+ hours when cooking hot and fast. It will make it so you do not have to reload coals during cooking.

Here are some ribs that I have cooked at 300-325 using the snake method.

Sammy_Shuford · Feb 19, 2015

Try the snake, 2 wide and 2 tall. open top vent and dial in lower to 225 to 275. Should last 6 hours or better.

smokainmuskoka · Feb 19, 2015

Check out this forum thread - it has excellent ideas.
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=129246

dadsr4 · Feb 19, 2015

Here are a couple cooks of mine. I keep thing s simple.
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=131749
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=142927
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=196030

Cat797 · Feb 19, 2015

I've done them on my performer with the Ring of Fire........I also go 2 wide and 2 tall. Then throw a few chunks of wood or sprinkle ring with wood chips. I don't get too technical on temperature when I do this. Basically I shut the bottom vent down to about 1/3 open and shoot for being able to place my hands on top of the lid for a few seconds without losing my finger prints! :shocked::laugh:

I think you lose too much real estate on the grill for smoking when you bank to one side or use the charcoal baskets.

Good Luck and take pics!

Ed

Bluebyyou · Feb 19, 2015

This is the method that i use when doing Baby backs and i get 4 hours easy on a non windy day.

Used same method here. 4 hours.

dadsr4 · Feb 19, 2015

Cat797 said:
I've done them on my performer with the Ring of Fire........I also go 2 wide and 2 tall. Then throw a few chunks of wood or sprinkle ring with wood chips. I don't get too technical on temperature when I do this. Basically I shut the bottom vent down to about 1/3 open and shoot for being able to place my hands on top of the lid for a few seconds without losing my finger prints! :shocked::laugh:

I think you lose too much real estate on the grill for smoking when you bank to one side or use the charcoal baskets.

Good Luck and take pics!

Ed

I find I need the width that is taken up by the ring.

THoey1963 · Feb 19, 2015

With the ring of fire method, you have the whole grate except where the fire is currently burning. As the fire burns around the ring, rotate your grate or move your meat to stay opposite of it.

Cat797 · Feb 19, 2015

THoey1963 said:
With the ring of fire method, you have the whole grate except where the fire is currently burning. As the fire burns around the ring, rotate your grate or move your meat to stay opposite of it.

+1..... Yup that's what I do too.

vnmg331 · Feb 19, 2015

Sammy_Shuford said:
Try the snake, 2 wide and 2 tall. open top vent and dial in lower to 225 to 275. Should last 6 hours or better.

A lot of interesting replies here............do you mean a row of charcoal all around the grill two briquettes wide and two high? How do you light it?

dadsr4 · Feb 19, 2015

THoey1963 said:
With the ring of fire method, you have the whole grate except where the fire is currently burning. As the fire burns around the ring, rotate your grate or move your meat to stay opposite of it.

Each time you lift the lid to rotate the grate, you lose heat and extend the cook time. I always have coals left over after a cook, so rotation is not needed. The OP is dissatisfied with his method/results. A ring of fire is similar to the two basket method he is using. He is also asking about using charcoal banked on one side.

smoke ninja · Feb 19, 2015

The baskets on each side is not the best. ive always done coals divided by bricks. Ive even done packer brisket that way. The smokenator has good reviews but is not needed. Its getting to be a running joke about my trying ring of fire..........one of these days, one of these days.

dadsr4 · Feb 19, 2015

smoke ninja said:
The baskets on each side is not the best. ive always done coals divided by bricks. Ive even done packer brisket that way. The smokenator has good reviews but is not needed. Its getting to be a running joke about my trying ring of fire..........one of these days, one of these days.

It works for long cooks where you don't need the whole grate area. Small butts and roasts, for example. For ribs, I need the whole width of the grate. The whole opening the lid during the cook so as to not burn the meat wastes time and heat.

THoey1963 · Feb 19, 2015

vnmg331 said:
A lot of interesting replies here............do you mean a row of charcoal all around the grill two briquettes wide and two high? How do you light it?

Here's a quick video. He talks funny, but you'll get the idea...

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiGRbyg_zeI"]The Snake Method - Charcoal Kettle Tutorial, Low and Slow Technique - YouTube[/ame]

dadsr4 said:
Each time you lift the lid to rotate the grate, you lose heat and extend the cook time. I always have coals left over after a cook, so rotation is not needed. The OP is dissatisfied with his method/results. A ring of fire is similar to the two basket method he is using. He is also asking about using charcoal banked on one side.

We can agree to disagree, but I don't consider the two basket method similar to the snake. The two basket method is just indirect cooking. The ring of fire is a way to control lower temps over longer cooks.

I understand about "if you are looking, you ain't cooking", but you don't have to remove the lid completely, just vent it a little and turn the grate with your tongs. Doing it that way, once each 30-60 mins and you won't increase your cooking time by much.

THoey1963 · Feb 19, 2015

Another suggestion to alleviate the real estate problem might be to roll your ribs. This shows several rolled racks on a WSM, but you could roll one rack, and then run the ring of fire / snake method and not have to worry about rotating your grate.

dadsr4 · Feb 19, 2015

THoey1963 said:
Here's a quick video. He talks funny, but you'll get the idea...

The Snake Method - Charcoal Kettle Tutorial, Low and Slow Technique - YouTube

We can agree to disagree, but I don't consider the two basket method similar to the snake. The two basket method is just indirect cooking. The ring of fire is a way to control lower temps over longer cooks.

I understand about "if you are looking, you ain't cooking", but you don't have to remove the lid completely, just vent it a little and turn the grate with your tongs. Doing it that way, once each 30-60 mins and you won't increase your cooking time by much.

I lift the lid to check if they are done, never before. I've learned that I can cook a slab of whole, untrimmed spares at around 250-275 deg. 4 hours before it's time to see if they are done. If I look, I need to add at least 20 min. to the cook, usually it's 30, before checking.

Redtail · Feb 19, 2015

vnmg331 said:
A lot of interesting replies here............do you mean a row of charcoal all around the grill two briquettes wide and two high? How do you light it?

With some form of fire lol

Sausage Warrior · Feb 19, 2015

THoey1963 said:
Another suggestion to alleviate the real estate problem might be to roll your ribs. This shows several rolled racks on a WSM, but you could roll one rack, and then run the ring of fire / snake method and not have to worry about rotating your grate.

Oh what a great pic!

vnmg331 · Feb 19, 2015

THoey1963 said:
Here's a quick video. He talks funny, but you'll get the idea...

The Snake Method - Charcoal Kettle Tutorial, Low and Slow Technique - YouTube

We can agree to disagree, but I don't consider the two basket method similar to the snake. The two basket method is just indirect cooking. The ring of fire is a way to control lower temps over longer cooks.

I understand about "if you are looking, you ain't cooking", but you don't have to remove the lid completely, just vent it a little and turn the grate with your tongs. Doing it that way, once each 30-60 mins and you won't increase your cooking time by much.

Ok, I see how it is done.........You don't need a "snake around the whole perimeter, just part of it, maybe half.

Smoking Ribs On a Performer--Questions??

Knows what a fatty is.

Babbling Farker

is Blowin Smoke!

is one Smokin' Farker

somebody shut me the fark up.

is one Smokin' Farker

Knows what a fatty is.

somebody shut me the fark up.

somebody shut me the fark up.

is one Smokin' Farker

Knows what a fatty is.

somebody shut me the fark up.

somebody shut me the fark up.

somebody shut me the fark up.

somebody shut me the fark up.

somebody shut me the fark up.

Attachments

somebody shut me the fark up.

Well-known member

Sausage Warrior

Guest

Knows what a fatty is.

Similar threads