"Chud style" direct heat spares

[Nuco59]

About 2 weeks ago, I did a St Louis rack on my 30 gallon UDS -shooting for that direct heat heat treatment that Chud has done on a couple of videos- mop sauce and all (new one for me)
It was better than good- so I did it again with 1 full spare and 1 St. Louis Cut yesterday to see if the first one was a fluke.

Just used charcoal (no flavoring/smoking wood). Trimmed (did not remove membrane) Salt /pepper/garlic onion. Except for the no- wood and a slightly higher grate temp 300* vs my normal 275, this is how my setup has been for ribs from the beginning.

1-1/2 hours bone side down, 1-1/2 (ish) hours meat side down (just looking for bark to set up). Meat side back up and mopped every 15 minutes for a final hour. Chud seems to use a different mop sauce every video- so I followed his lead of "butter, onions...and then a bit of the kitchen sink" - it smelled fantastic as it was simmering.

Pulled the ribs at IT of about 200*. Foiled at the end meat side down with final mop on the bone side. Rested for 20 minutes and dug in.

Not a fluke. There was no smoke ring - and they didn't have smoky taste of what I've come to think of as ribs...but I think I prefer them.

The wife and her visiting girlfriend made "yummy" noises... I did too- but kept them inside my head.

 

[oldgfbbq]

Good story/cook. I mop on my offset. Good thinking keeping the noises to yourself. Otherwise they might think it was a fluke. :-D

 

[TheHojo]

I have grown to really enjoy the taste of direct heat cooking on my hill country style cooker - different taste than the offset - agree not as smokey, but I enjoy the flavor of the mop sauce and the taste you get from the mop sauce and fat hitting the coals below

 

[Eric In STL]

I have grown to really enjoy the taste of direct heat cooking on my hill country style cooker - different taste than the offset - agree not as smokey, but I enjoy the flavor of the mop sauce and the taste you get from the mop sauce and fat hitting the coals below

Dammit Ted, i'm still adding wood in my direct cooker, so coals only, am i not getting that different taste because i'm still adding wood?

 

[LYU370]

What's a "Chud style"? :noidea:

 

[Eric In STL]

What's a "Chud style"? :noidea:

direct fire cooking, cooking grate far enough above the fire to keep meats from burning. It's kinda smoking/grilling combo, and meats also cook faster

 

[Eric In STL]

What's a "Chud style"? :noidea:

https://youtu.be/AbFFipA_es4


check this out for reference

 

[TheHojo]

Dammit Ted, i'm still adding wood in my direct cooker, so coals only, am i not getting that different taste because i'm still adding wood?

Not sure - I usually run mine with just lump charcoal - toss in a very small split depending on length of cook

I did set it up to run last weekend with the deflectors in it and set up a snake in the fire basket below

 

[cowgirl]

What's a "Chud style"? :noidea:

Grilling.

 

[Nuco59]

Grilling? I guess you could call it that, Miss Jeanie. The grate is 18-20 inches above the coals- is higher than I would call grilling but maybe. To me, grilling is closer to the fire and at a higher temp. The 290 to 300 degrees is barely toes dipping into hot and fast...smoking.

 

[cowgirl]

Grilling? I guess you could call it that, Miss Jeanie. The grate is 18-20 inches above the coals- is higher than I would call grilling but maybe. To me, grilling is closer to the fire and at a higher temp. The 290 to 300 degrees is barely toes dipping into hot and fast...smoking.

Your cook sounds like "drum" cookin'. I'm fond of drum ribs. :grin:

The "Chud" video looks like grilling.
I have... and have had several cookers where the hot coal rack can be lowered or raised depending on how hot you want to grill. It's handy!

 

[kevinstaggs]

When a good cook and some good meat meet (see what I did there?) it works out. I like that charcoal grilled taste too. An American classic.

 

[charcoalwilly]

Sounds like a good cook Nuco.

The square-style direct heat cookers were around years before Chudbox. This video gives good summary of some of the older ones.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUx6WNTGarw&t=700s

This one always intrigued me:
https://www.americanbarbecuesystems.com/product/bar-be-cube/

I've built square one couple of years ago and there is definitely advantage to having a large access door although some of the drum smokers have doors now too. So versatile since you can go low-n-slow direct or indirect with a defector plate

 

[bschoen]

Grilling.

It's a drum cooker with a square profile (cross section). Low and slow or hot and fast, dealers choice. The OP has a nice one, thick steel, will last a lifetime.

 

[Nuco59]

Ribs have pretty much kicked my butt over the years- talking hit or miss- some good -some not so great. My last two Direct Cook ribs (not going to call them grilled because of proximity and temp) have been an eye opener. My 30 gallon drum is not a chud box- but it's what I had.
I need to put a concrete block retaining wall on the back side of the double wide... I'm thinking a few more blocks just might *somehow* show up than needed -and I can put in a small block pit that's more in line with Hojo's and the mini- chud box. Do I need another cooker? nope. But I'm gonna.

 

[cowgirl]

It's a drum cooker with a square profile (cross section). Low and slow or hot and fast, dealers choice. The OP has a nice one, thick steel, will last a lifetime.

Had to re-read my post.

Your cook sounds like "drum" cookin'. I'm fond of drum ribs.

 

[TheHojo]

Ribs have pretty much kicked my butt over the years- talking hit or miss- some good -some not so great. My last two Direct Cook ribs (not going to call them grilled because of proximity and temp) have been an eye opener. My 30 gallon drum is not a chud box- but it's what I had.
I need to put a concrete block retaining wall on the back side of the double wide... I'm thinking a few more blocks just might *somehow* show up than needed -and I can put in a small block pit that's more in line with Hojo's and the mini- chud box. Do I need another cooker? nope. But I'm gonna.

I am with you - really enjoy the ribs and chicken I have done on my direct heat cooker - I even did a 12 pound shoulder clod on it over direct heat and it turned out great - the mop sauce and fat dripping on the coals below makes the difference - doesn’t seen as rich as meat smoked on my offset