First Smoke Help! Tri-tips and ribs

[boltsfan]

First off... AWESOME website. So happy I finally joined.



Got a new WSM (18”) for Christmas from my wife and am doing 1st smoke this weekend. Woohoo!



Having friends\family over for the NFL playoff games this Saturday and I plan to smoke 2 tri-tips and a 2-3 racks of baby backs. Want to keep it semi easy for my 1st smoke but want some variety. I have not had a chance to season the smoker and have read that it may run 50* hot for first few smokes.


Should I start the ribs about 3 hours prior to putting the tri-tips on? Also... Not sure what is best method to use both racks as I don't want tri-tips dripping on the ribs. Should I smoke the ribs for 3 hours, then foil and put on top rack and then put tri-tips on the bottom? I have rib racks so I could try to get everything on the top rack.
For the tri-tips I keep the rub simple when I grill them so I plan to do the same for smoking. Kosher salt, cracked pepper, garlic powder, dried parsley. I use same rub for the ribs but add some cayenne and brown sugar.
I make my own bbq sauce that I will serve on the side.


I want us to eat at about 6pm so here is my approx schedule:
11am - fire up briquettes using Minion Method and add 4-5 chunks of Pecan
Let temp stabilize (hopefully) to 225-250*


12pm - add ribs to top rack


3pm - foil ribs with apple juice


3:15pm - add tri-tips to bottom rack and set Maverick therm to 120-125*
Do I need to add more wood chunks?



6pm (approx) - take off ribs and reverse sear tri-tips
Tent foil and let tri-tip rest for 15-20 minutes



8pm - pass out with full belly of bbq and beer

Thanks… and any help is appreciated. I’ll post pics on Monday (if all goes well).

[Smoothsmoke]

Babybacks will not take 6 hours to cook. Closer to 4, maybe even 3. If you're going to foil, plan on 1.5 to 2 hours naked, 45 minutes in the foil, then 1 hour naked again.

[Smoothsmoke]

If you use a rib rack, that should all fit on the top rack.