Need help - smoked spares on Weber kettle

[Al Czervik]

I'm going steelhead fishing this weekend and am charge of grub for one night. I have two racks of pork spares I'm considering taking to feed me and my BIL. He has a 22.5" Weber kettle at his place I would use. I've never done ribs on a kettle, but I'm sure a bunch of your farkers have. I'm hoping you can help a brother out with some helpful advice. I have the rub, a rib rack, my Mav-732, a Thermopen and plenty of foil...

I'll need advice on briquete amount, type of wood for smoke, temp control, etc... Any and all help would be greatly appreciated! :thumb:

[gtr]

The best advice I could give is to get a hold of Landarc. He's the kettle master - by far.

[boogiesnap]

i don't have a kettle, but use a top and bottom of a WSM 22.5.

for charcoal, i start with @ 1/4 chimney lit. dumped on top of a small pile of unlit in one corner of the WSM bottom in between 2 of the vents. maybe a chimneyworth or so.

rock solid 275* for at least 4 hours like this. all vents, except top(fully open), a sliver or so open.

hope that helps!

[deguerre]

I section off a third of the charcoal grate with a large disposable AL pan. Have to do a little bending. Fill with briquettes to the top of the pan, put in a couple good sized chunks of hickory partially buried and make a depression off to one side to nestle about 8 to 10 lit. Open the bottom vent to just about 1/8" and leave the top wide open. Wait 1/2 hour as it comes up and adjust as needed then put on your ribs and smoke!

[AD18]

I usually put a drip pan that fits under one half of the grate on one side and fill it about half full of hot water. Fill the other half of kettle with a layer of no filler, pure hardwood briquettes or lump. I light 6-8 briquettes and place them at one end of the charcoal and leave both upper and lower vents pretty much wide open. Starting one end lets the fire progress across the length of charcoal. I like adding 2-3 chunks of hickory or pecan. I have a grate mounted thermo and when the temp hits about 180 I shut bottom vent to about 1/8 inch and leave uppper wide open. I tweak both until I stabilize about 225-250. With a kettle that can be hard to do if it is windy. Chuck the ribs on over the drip pan and expect 4-6 hours to cook. I also rotate the 2 racks about half way through so both are closest to charcoal about the same amount of time. Sounds like a good trip. Enjoy.

[CPMatthew]

I have the Weber char-baskets. When I do spares on the 22.5" kettle, I use one of them and fill it with charcoal and wood chunks (2 good sized chunk in, then poor charcoal around them). I get the fire going with 6-8 briquettes in the chimney starter. Then, as others have said, watch your temps on the way up. You will need to close to lower intake most of the way to keep the temp down. I have a wine work stuck in one of the four holes in the top vent and I stick my thermometer probe through that. I can get about 3-4 hours at 230 or so with that. You should have room for 2 racks on the grate this way.

[El Ropo]

I do similar to what's mentioned above, but will try to get cooking temps around 300-325. I also make sure the meaty side of the ribs are closest to the fire. Prefer a couple chunks of cherry or apple buried in unlit coals for ribs. Don't foil of anything, just straight up cook 'em.

[Al Czervik]

Thanks to everyone for the replies...

Since I use a pellet pooper, I don't have experience with chunk wood for smoke. I have some 2" diameter oak and maple branches from pruning my trees this spring... Aside from personal flavor preferences, could I use this wood for smoke?

[deguerre]

Thanks to everyone for the replies...

Since I use a pellet pooper, I don't have experience with chunk wood for smoke. I have some 2" diameter oak and maple branches from pruning my trees this spring... Aside from personal flavor preferences, could I use this wood for smoke?

Sure. Oak's nice, especially on beef so you could get a rack of those too.:becky: I'd mix if I had both, I just like hickory on pork.

[chomper's bbq]

Check out the food network and Alton Brown's indirect rib method. He uses a rib rack indirect heat and a piece of foil on the front of the rib rack to act as a heat deflector.
Chef Ramsey touts a killer rib recipe where he boils the ribs in a marinade and finishes them on the grill in just minutes. YOU-TUBE and see that recipe. Good luck.

[caseydog]

I did them on the 22.5 for years before I had a smoker. But, I used the two Weber baskets, and it was a PITA.

I have done them within the last year, and now use the Minion method, with the coals on one side, directly above two of the bottom vents. I put a drip pan on the other side, under the meat. I put the lid on with the top vent above the meat.

I put about 25 to 30 unlit coals down, with about five wood chunks. I dump about ten lit coals on top -- 12 to 15 if it is colder outside. I have to add more unlit coals halfway through the cook, because there just isn't enough room to start with enough coals -- at least not the way I set up.

I start with the bottom and top vents open, and close down the bottom vents as I near my temperature. Then I go about half closed on the top vent.

I rigged my bottom vents so they can't close 100 percent, but when I am up to temperature, I am often at the most closed position, which is about 1/8 inch from completely closed.

You have to keep an eye on the temps, and fark with the vents from time to time. It's not like using a WSM, but it does work.

That's my two cents.

CD

[Gore]

Oak is good on anything, and ditch the thermos, they'll just confuse you. Water boils at about 212*, so no real need to measure the temp. And what do you have against steelhead? They're good eating.... or is this one of those fishing trips where you don't actually do any fishing. Oh, and don't forget a big pot. Bring extra beer for the pot. If you have any questions you can just consult these basic instructions:

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=103141

It doesn't really matter if it's a pellet pooper or a kettle.

[AD18]

or is this one of those fishing trips where you don't actually do any fishing.


My sentiments too Gore. Take all that good food and do nothing but tip a few too many cocktails of choice and eat Tylenol and Rolaids. Good ol' days before I got too old for that kind of stuff.:doh:

[Al Czervik]

or is this one of those fishing trips where you don't actually do any fishing.


My sentiments too Gore. Take all that good food and do nothing but tip a few too many cocktails of choice and eat Tylenol and Rolaids. Good ol' days before I got too old for that kind of stuff.:doh:

Nope... This is definitely going to be two full days (Fri-Sat) of steelhead fishing. Eating and drinking is done before/after the fact. I'll actually be making these ribs Thursday afternoon/evening if the plan works out... :mrgreen:

[Paulmark]

I liked using a couple of bricks and a water/drip pan, here's a pic of my old kettle(adopted by a friend). BTW, I don't foil.

http://i849.photobucket.com/albums/ab60/Paulmark123/MOINKBALLDAYetcetc005.jpg?t=1275796429

[landarc]

I have no idea what I am talking about and I am not going to help Al either. :-P

[smokainmuskoka]

I got several good suggestions when I started doing ribs on my kettle. You might want to skim overthis thread:
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=116991

I took some advise and decreased the size of my drip pan, but I still use the bricks.

[Al Czervik]

Master Landarc... What have I done to anger the great Platy spirit? :confused:

[Al Czervik]

I got several good suggestions when I started doing ribs on my kettle. You might want to skim overthis thread:
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=116991

I took some advise and decreased the size of my drip pan, but I still use the bricks.

Gracias Amigo... :becky:

[landarc]

It was that Eggplant head, freaked me out.