Really low and slow spares in a wsm or a UDS

I don't smoke ribs too often, but was wondering how many of you guys prefer to smoke ribs below 225 and spritz often, like Mike Mills advocates in his book, Peace, Love and Barbecue.

It's been a while, but my BEST results BY FAR (tender and quite juicy) were with this method in my UDS using a foiled brinkman charcoal pan to diffuse the heat. I would cook 2 racks of St. Louis (sinew off) spares (about 4 lbs. each pre-trimmed) layed bone down below chicken leg quarters on the top grate, temp gauge at bottom grate in the 200 to 225 range, with 215 being the target temp, never turning any thing until time to start checking for doneness, which takes a LONG time (probably almost 7 hours if I remember correctly) using this method. Sorry, I wasn't good about taking good notes, but I am sure about everything else I mentioned.

Per Mills suggestion, I checked ribs every 20 minutes. He seems to be suggesting spritzing and dusting with a little rub when the ribs would sweat. I just started spritzing with apple juice once the rub was set every 20 minutes or so. I know that in a lot of cookers this wouldn't work because it would be a roller coaster in terms of temps, opening the lid so many times, but I have been able to keep it low with the method described a few times as long as the weather was fair, and it was on the UDS with the pan over the coals. I don't really know what the key was, but this is what I did a few times, and the ribs were still my best yet by far.

I'd like to get the same results with my new wsm, and I'm open to ANY suggestions, although I'd really not prefer using foil and margarine. Dr. BBQ has said that ribs done this low get done before the bark develops, but I liked the juicy, tender ribs over any of the ribs I've done at higher temps. Also, I learned that chicken is supposed to cook at higher temps to keep from drying out and to help the skin cook right. That's probably why I haven't cooked like this in a while (I don't really remember what the chicken skin was like), add to the fact that it's hard to keep temps that low and be squinting down below that top rack of chicken trying to hit the ribs with juice every 20 minutes or so...and time the chicken being done right before time to check ribs for doneness.

Anybody got any similiar experiences, with or without the chicken? I wish I could get the same results with my wsm without chicken, and use the water pan. I'm wondering if the racks layed flat was key. Any thoughts? I'm telling ya, I've had some good ribs, and these were good. I'm just wondering if I can even do it again with the little wsm, and if the water pan will affect the texture of the surface of the meat. Sorry so long, and thanks for any feedback!

Dave Russell

Well, I guess I'm gonna try the 215 degree spares cook, minus the chicken, with the wsm in a week or so.....lay 'em flat, two on the top, one on the bottom, and water in the pan. Once the rub sets, I'll start spritzing every 20 to 30 minutes until done to see if I can keep 'em juicy like they have been with the method as described before. (Yeah, I know...that's not supposed to help any in keeping 'em juicy, but I don't know what did, as described in my first post.) Every time I've tried cooking hotter, they start losing that juicyness before getting tender, and I've never been happy with the texture when I foiled.

Nobody cooks ribs like Mike Mills anymore?

Skidder said:

Are you saying you have the chicken on the top rack? If that is a yes don't! You don't want raw chicken dripping on the ribs. If not disregard.

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Yep, you read it right.

I just put the chicken on not too long after the ribs so that the chicken was done long before the ribs, for obvious food safety reasons.

Obviously though, chicken is best right off the pit...(although some of the best smoked chicken I've ever had was unglazed leg quarters that were smoked the night before along with a big 17 lb brisket my aunt had a local 'q joint cook for our family reunion, but that's another topic, altogether.)...So, that's one reason why I haven't done it like that anymore. All the ribs would disappear, but I'd have all this chicken left. Not a big problem, but I'm really wondering if the chicken drippings along with the frequent apple juice spritzing on ribs layed flat is what would keep them so juicey, or if it was because of the low temp as well. In case anyone's wondering, yes, the outside texture of the ribs was perfectly fine when done!

Thanks for chiming in!
Dave
UDS, wsm, weber ots, char-griller

early mornin' smokin' said:

idk, too much looking and such, i like 250, i hang them, no spritz. 2 hrs or so til they weep, foil for about 45 min(johnny trig mod), than out to firm them up and glaze.

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Mike Mills refers to "weeping" as "sweating", and he seems to be saying this is when you want to be spritzing. He claimed in his book that they did this three times or so, although he doesn't say for how long. Thanks, that makes perfect sense to foil right after they start weeping. I've never heard that, just to foil "after they looked right". I'll have to give it a try sometime.

Thanks,
Dave

I use the WSM with the pan full of water and target temp of 225'. It takes about 5 hours to cook a slab, and I baste one time about halfway through. All ribs have come out very juicy and good so far.

sdb25 said:

I have to agree, the best product comes from following the peace/love/bbq approach. I started with that, and pretty much stick to it. Not sure how to translate that to a WSM, but should be pretty easy. No water, temps at 215, and follow the book.

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Wow, man. First guy to post back that smokes ribs below 225 like Mills. The water pan sure would make it easier to keep temps low. Mills prefers without a pan, but I don't think he says it will sacrifice the texture of the bark like a lot of folks think, presumably, especially at such low temps. I guess I'll find out by trying it both ways.

Couple of queastions:
Have you found laying 'em flat keeps moisture in better?
How often do you spritz and when have you found is a good time to start the "20 minute check". Mill's just a little unclear about this in the book.

Thanks for chiming in!
Dave

west said:

I use the WSM with the pan full of water and target temp of 225'. It takes about 5 hours to cook a slab, and I baste one time about halfway through. All ribs have come out very juicy and good so far.

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I looked back in my old log book this afternoon (I've been sort of hit and miss with it) and discovered that at some point in time, I started cooking ribs AT 225 and not keeping the temp BELOW 225, target 215 like Mills says to do.

That sounds really nit picky, but I've been distracted by the other changes in technique: using a rib rack so I wouldn't need two racks, and not cooking leg quarters over the spares. In other words, I pretty much had changed three things at once, but was only thinking about the set-up, not the change in cooking temp. The results EVERY time weren't near as good as before, but you know how it is when you only do something every few months.

My plan is to cook two layed flat on the top grate at 215, which will put the third slab on the bottom grate at about 200, with a full pan of water to make temp control easier. I'm gonna be sure to spritz with something or another at least every half hour after the rub sets and the ribs start sweating, or "weeping", as several on here have called it. The only departure from Mills technique as described in his book will be the water in the pan. If I'm not happy with the bark, I'll cook with an empty pan the next time.

Thanks for your input!
Dave
UDS, wsm, ots, char-griller

all that I have to say is that another brethren I know had mills hand him a rack of ribs, i had to farking actually pay for them. the brethren buddy and i have the same feelings about the ribs.

sdb25 said:

I have to agree, the best product comes from following the peace/love/bbq approach. I started with that, and pretty much stick to it. Not sure how to translate that to a WSM, but should be pretty easy. No water, temps at 215, and follow the book.

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ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooohhhhh grasshoppaaaa now take the pebble from my hand

I like 250-260...for 2 hours to 2.5 hours...foil for 45 minutes to an hour...then out of foil to glaze and firm up...

Bamabuzzard said:

I used to cook between 210-225 then started cooking between 240-250 and the only difference I've found is the meat is done quicker at 240-250. The texture, flavor, etc is the exact same.

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Thank you, sir! That is exactly the input I've been looking for. Maybe it's a combination of factors that work best for a given pit. Anyway, I appreciate the feedback.

Dave