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Dave Russell
Guest
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
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