Rib help, please?

[food4thot]

Congratulations.

Now just keep cooking them once a week for the next year and you'll have it down pat.

I'll get there, someday

 

[smoke ninja]

From my experience the lower rack starts lower and evens out as time goes. Eventually the lower can creep past the upper if left closed up long enough. I ran a test awhile back and did a thead on it and that seemed to be the general consensus.

 

[Skip]

Careful. Don't close the top vent if at all possible.

 

[lashing1c]

Careful. Don't close the top vent if at all possible.

+1 never close that top vent when you have food on your smoker!! Leads to bad smoke

 

[THoey1963]

Sorry, late to this thread. Looks like your latest attempt is getting there. We all have our own way for smoking, and no one way is wrong, you just have to a) find what works for you on a consistent basis, and b) keep your mind open to other ways in case your timing gets thrown off (Need ribs in two - three hours? It can be done).

My normal way of doing SLC ribs:

Fire up my 22.5 WSM with KBB and cherry chunks (I like the color it gives them). While it is coming up to temp, I will pull the membrane and rub my ribs. We like spicy, so I have a rub recipe I found on the web that I make and use (http://www.deepsouthdish.com/2010/03/southern-style-dry-rub-pork-ribs.html#axzz2vQH31wwA)

Once the pit is stable around 275*, I start:

12:00 - Throw ribs on, close the lid and don't worry about them for 2 hours.

14:00 - Grab ribs, take them inside, foil them (nothing added), take them back out, and put them back on the smoker.

15:00 - Grab ribs, take them inside, remove foil, take them back out, and put them back on the smoker.

15:30 - Start checking for doneness via the bend test. Pick them up at one end with tongs or gloved hand. They should bend almost 90* and the bark across the top should slightly crack.

The ribs are usually done prior to hitting the 4th hour. Notice that my times aren't true 2-1-1, but I keep with the time to perform each action. I have also done the same without the foil step. Easier for me to skip the foil when cooking more than a couple racks. They turn out almost as good, just not quite as juicy.

I also do not spritz or sauce my ribs, but serve sauce on the side for those that want it. Some times I feel like a nut, some times I don't...

Good luck with the next test run. Keep a log of what you did each time until you get what you like, then practice duplicating that cook.

 

[food4thot]

Didn't completely close any of the vents. Smoke was gone when the sauce went on and it was more about heat regulation just to get a skin on the sauce. Hindsight, probably should have left the vents a little more open.

Kinda funny. Posted the same pics on another forum (MSU sports with a Q thread) and a guy I've met with a Peoria Cookers trailer commented they looked burned. Don't use KCM or any other sauce often. Just looked at the KCM bottle I've had in the fridge and used on the ribs. The date says 2010 lol! Perhaps it has darkened over the years but is still tasty. Had a similar but different experience with an old bottle of Sriracha. It darkened but didn't age well...flat-out awful.

Left the WSM outside overnight in continuing rain, like I've done many times with Weber kettles. Was sort of shocked the next day when I went to put it back in the garage. Despite the well-seasoned seal I thought the thing had at the joints, the fire bowl had water in it all the way up to the vents.

EDIT: suggestion to Weber. Put a small drain hole at the bottom of WSMs

 

[smoke ninja]

Yes water will get in a wsm during rain. I have a cover but i remember hearing if you put the middle section in upside-down it stops it. Dont know if it works but I've read it here somewhere.

 

[Melissaredhead]

Nom nom nom
Those ribs look good. Do what they did.

 

[dbl.cheese]

just cook 'em neked until they pass the bend test and don't be so heavy handed with the shaker

What he said