WSM Over smoked ribs - Page 3

ChrisBarb · 04-19-2019, 01:24 PM

For my WSM, I have am using lump with 2-3 good size chunks of apple. Works quite well.

DefTaker · 04-19-2019, 02:01 PM

Woah - 4 chunks of hickory?!?! Like everyone had already printed out, that's a lot of hickory. Hickory is a strong wood so that is way too many chunks. 1-2 chunks is plenty depending on how many racks you are cooking.

You don't need water in the pan. Lump or briquettes don't matter. The amount if girl and how much you have lit will matter though. I will use the Minion/donut hole method.

I usually like H&F for briskets, Chuckies, or any other larger cut of meat but I stay within the 225-250 range for ribs (I usually do St. Louis). 2 hours for smoke, approximately 1.5 wrapped and then about 30-45 minutes unwrapped. I get tender ribs that are NOT fall-off-the-home (i.e.; overcooked) and that last half hour cooked unwrapped helps to firm the bark up again.

Hope that helps and good luck on your next cook!

Big N Hot · 04-19-2019, 02:13 PM

I always added chunks one at a time. That gave me control over how long that heavy smoldering wood smoke went on. Once fist size chunk would last about an hour. The most I ever put in consecutively was 3.

SmittyJonz · 04-19-2019, 02:19 PM

My Ugly Drum Basket - Hickory.

........But I did run a water pan because I don’t like drippings on the fire/coals nor drippings burning in an empty water pan and I let it breathe and ran 275*-300*.........

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

qnbiker · 04-19-2019, 03:04 PM

DJ, contrats on your new smoker. A couple of questions: One, what are you doing with your top vents? The WSM needs a few cooks to seal itself; until then, temps tend to get away from you. If you're closing the top vent to maintain temps, you may get an acrid, over smoked taste. A clean burning fire is one of the keys. I control the temps in my very well broken in WSM with the bottom vents and leave the top vent wide open. Once it's chugging along, I may make minor changes by closing the top vent a little, but I always have very thin blue or invisible smoke. Two, as Steve said, the WSM has a pretty strong smoke profile. You may be used to something lighter.

bdadams84 · 04-20-2019, 03:23 PM

Like qnbiker, I am curious about how you set your top vent. It should be wide open. Personally, I don't notice a big flavor difference between lump or good briquettes. I always fill the water pan unless I'm trying to cook a ham or poultry at 350.

I'm doing spare ribs tomorrow on my WSM. I'll be using briquettes and at least 4 fist sized chunks of seasoned hickory. I'll run it right about 250.

Try different wood. Hickory is strong for some pallets. Is the hickory you're using locally sourced or do you buy it in a bag from a big box store? I ask, because if you're getting it from a big box store, the wood has most likely been kiln dried and not seasoned. This can effect how fast the wood burns and the flavor profile.

DJ321 · 04-22-2019, 04:13 PM

Thanks to all for the tips. Still learning the WSM. Trying to dial it in to get to the point where I can do a long brisket cook and maybe get a few hours sleep during the cook. I'll fire it up again this weekend.
Cheers!

DJ321 · 04-22-2019, 04:15 PM

I try to leave the top vent wide open, but did close it down slightly for a short time.

morningwoodbbq · 04-22-2019, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJ321

Thanks to all for the tips. Still learning the WSM. Trying to dial it in to get to the point where I can do a long brisket cook and maybe get a few hours sleep during the cook. I'll fire it up again this weekend.
Cheers!

Minion method. I can get 12 hrs on a ring full of charcoal on my 18" WSM. Weather has to be perfect, but it's happened twice.

THoey1963 · 04-24-2019, 09:10 AM

All vents wide open at the start, top vent stays open throughout the cook. When mine got over 200*, I'd close two of the bottom vents. When it got around 250*, I'd close the third bottom vent to just barely open. This usually settled in around 275* and would cruise that way for hours.

That being said, I didn't trust it to stay that way by itself while I slept. Bought a Pitmaster IQ 120 and a Maverick pit thermometer with a remote that would wake me up if temps went sideways.

Check out the link in my signature for mods I did to my WSM to make it work better for me.

mrp116 · 04-24-2019, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by angryelfFan

Maybe if you have to close the vents that much, you are starting with too big of a fire. When I use the Minion Method, I don't have to make any adjustments until at least a hour and a half in. Also seems like I usually end up with all 3 half to 2/3 close but never completely closed.

Agreed, same here.

mrp116 · 04-24-2019, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by morningwoodbbq

Minion method. I can get 12 hrs on a ring full of charcoal on my 18" WSM. Weather has to be perfect, but it's happened twice.

Have gone much longer than 12 hrs on my 18" WSM with a slight mounding above the ring. I believe that 20 hours in, one time, I was still running up around 250 in the summer. My typical overnight butt cook is 14 hours. I can count on one hand the number of times I have had to add fuel in 12 years.

04-19-2019, 01:24 PM	#31
ChrisBarb is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 09-08-16 Location: Melrose, MA	For my WSM, I have am using lump with 2-3 good size chunks of apple. Works quite well. __________________ Weber WSM 22.5, Broil King Regal S490 Pro, Weber Kettle,

04-19-2019, 02:19 PM	#34
SmittyJonz somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-17-13 Location: Burleson Tx	My Ugly Drum Basket - Hickory. ........But I did run a water pan because I don’t like drippings on the fire/coals nor drippings burning in an empty water pan and I let it breathe and ran 275-300......... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk __________________ NO Such Thing as Over Smoked - just Over Dirty Smoked............. Last edited by SmittyJonz; 04-19-2019 at 02:24 PM..

04-19-2019, 03:04 PM	#35
qnbiker is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 05-05-10 Location: Marietta, GA Name/Nickname : Lew	DJ, contrats on your new smoker. A couple of questions: One, what are you doing with your top vents? The WSM needs a few cooks to seal itself; until then, temps tend to get away from you. If you're closing the top vent to maintain temps, you may get an acrid, over smoked taste. A clean burning fire is one of the keys. I control the temps in my very well broken in WSM with the bottom vents and leave the top vent wide open. Once it's chugging along, I may make minor changes by closing the top vent a little, but I always have very thin blue or invisible smoke. Two, as Steve said, the WSM has a pretty strong smoke profile. You may be used to something lighter. __________________ A bunch of Webers, Smoke EZ, GMG Daniel Boone, and a WHITE Thermapen MK4 Last edited by qnbiker; 04-19-2019 at 03:05 PM.. Reason: Stupid typo

04-20-2019, 03:23 PM	#36
bdadams84 Knows what a fatty is. Join Date: 07-12-12 Location: Knightdale, NC	Like qnbiker, I am curious about how you set your top vent. It should be wide open. Personally, I don't notice a big flavor difference between lump or good briquettes. I always fill the water pan unless I'm trying to cook a ham or poultry at 350. I'm doing spare ribs tomorrow on my WSM. I'll be using briquettes and at least 4 fist sized chunks of seasoned hickory. I'll run it right about 250. Try different wood. Hickory is strong for some pallets. Is the hickory you're using locally sourced or do you buy it in a bag from a big box store? I ask, because if you're getting it from a big box store, the wood has most likely been kiln dried and not seasoned. This can effect how fast the wood burns and the flavor profile. __________________ 22.5" WSM & 22.5" Weber Kettle w/ rotisserie “How did it get so late so soon? It's night before it's afternoon. December is here before it's June. My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon?” ~Dr. Seuss

04-22-2019, 04:13 PM	#37
DJ321 Got Wood. Join Date: 01-24-19 Location: Woodstock, CT Name/Nickname : DJ	Thanks to all for the tips. Still learning the WSM. Trying to dial it in to get to the point where I can do a long brisket cook and maybe get a few hours sleep during the cook. I'll fire it up again this weekend. Cheers! __________________ Weber Kettle, 22.5 WSM, OK Joe Highland Offset

04-19-2019, 02:01 PM	#32
DefTaker Knows what a fatty is. Join Date: 08-11-18 Location: Los Angeles, CA Name/Nickname : Tony	Woah - 4 chunks of hickory?!?! Like everyone had already printed out, that's a lot of hickory. Hickory is a strong wood so that is way too many chunks. 1-2 chunks is plenty depending on how many racks you are cooking. You don't need water in the pan. Lump or briquettes don't matter. The amount if girl and how much you have lit will matter though. I will use the Minion/donut hole method. I usually like H&F for briskets, Chuckies, or any other larger cut of meat but I stay within the 225-250 range for ribs (I usually do St. Louis). 2 hours for smoke, approximately 1.5 wrapped and then about 30-45 minutes unwrapped. I get tender ribs that are NOT fall-off-the-home (i.e.; overcooked) and that last half hour cooked unwrapped helps to firm the bark up again. Hope that helps and good luck on your next cook!

04-19-2019, 02:13 PM	#33
Big N Hot Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 01-30-17 Location: Huntsville, AL	I always added chunks one at a time. That gave me control over how long that heavy smoldering wood smoke went on. Once fist size chunk would last about an hour. The most I ever put in consecutively was 3.

04-22-2019, 04:15 PM	#38
DJ321 Got Wood. Join Date: 01-24-19 Location: Woodstock, CT Name/Nickname : DJ	I try to leave the top vent wide open, but did close it down slightly for a short time. __________________ Weber Kettle, 22.5 WSM, OK Joe Highland Offset

04-24-2019, 09:10 AM	#40
THoey1963 somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 01-08-14 Location: San Antonio, TX Name/Nickname : Terry	All vents wide open at the start, top vent stays open throughout the cook. When mine got over 200, I'd close two of the bottom vents. When it got around 250, I'd close the third bottom vent to just barely open. This usually settled in around 275* and would cruise that way for hours. That being said, I didn't trust it to stay that way by itself while I slept. Bought a Pitmaster IQ 120 and a Maverick pit thermometer with a remote that would wake me up if temps went sideways. Check out the link in my signature for mods I did to my WSM to make it work better for me. __________________ There are thousands of ways to BBQ. The right way is the one that you enjoy doing, and that produces food that you, your family, and your friends enjoy to eat. So, keep experimenting. :) Lone Star Grillz Insulated Cabinet Smoker / Weber Summit Charcoal Grilling (WSCG) Station / CyberQ / Slow N Sear with Drip N Griddle WSCG Review [URL="http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=245542"][COLOR=Blue][B]HERE[/B][/COLOR][/URL]. WSM Mods [URL="http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=201917"][COLOR=Blue][B]HERE[/B][/COLOR][/URL]. My Brisket Guide [URL="http://bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=238834"][COLOR=Blue][B]HERE[/B][/COLOR][/URL].