Mods to the WSM then a family cook...

[417bullelk]

I made a couple of minor mods to my WSM. I added a couple temp gauges and installed the Guru eyelet(s) (Only 1 installed right now). Of course once the mods were done, I had to try it out. I had been wanting to make ribs for weeks, so we invited my brothers over and I was off to Costco.

Made 6 racks of baby backs. I did a little experimenting with 'em. I had been wanting to try the brown sugar / butter thing since seeing it on BBQ Pitmasters. A few of the racks I left in the rib rack for 4.5 hours with an occasional apple juice bath, no foil. A couple I foiled after 2 hours, and a couple a foiled with the brown sugar / butter trick.

WSM loaded, Minion method with Kingsford blue, 3 small/medium chucks hickory, 3 bottom vents 1/2 open, top vent 2/3 open, water pan foiled and filled with hot water.

Results -

2 racks cooked 4.5 hours at 225 top rack of WSM, no foil, apple juice spray, couple times in last 1.5 hours. Cooked until meat just started to pull away from ends.Family commented stronger smoke flavor (too strong some said), ribs were firm but tender, more like judges want, clean bite, meat stays on the bone.

2 racks - cooked with the 2-2-1 method, came out as expected, almost falling off the bone, milder smoke flavor, 1 rack sauced, 1 rack not, both got apple juice bath. Dang good eating.

2 racks - cooked 2.5 hours in the rib rack, apple juice bath twice, got pulled out of rib rack and placed in foil loaded with light brown sugar and squeeze Parkay, put more brown sugar on top of ribs with more squeeze Parkay, then sealed 'em up in foil. Put back in the heat for about an 2 hours. Temp rose to about 250 in WSM since some of the meat had been removed. Opened foil and WOW they looked great. Smell was incredible. These got sauced with Head Country Hot and some local stuff from The Barbecue Company - Free Range Red.

Now for the Rib pron...

[Sooner21]

I made a couple of minor mods to my WSM. I added a couple temp gauges and installed the Guru eyelet(s) (Only 1 installed right now). Of course once the mods were done, I had to try it out. I had been wanting to make ribs for weeks, so we invited my brothers over and I was off to Costco.

Made 6 racks of baby backs. I did a little experimenting with 'em. I had been wanting to try the brown sugar / butter thing since seeing it on BBQ Pitmasters. A few of the racks I left in the rib rack for 4.5 hours with an occasional apple juice bath, no foil. A couple I foiled after 2 hours, and a couple a foiled with the brown sugar / butter trick.

WSM loaded, Minion method with Kingsford blue, 3 small/medium chucks hickory, 3 bottom vents 1/2 open, top vent 2/3 open, water pan foiled and filled with hot water.

Results -

2 racks cooked 4.5 hours at 225 top rack of WSM, no foil, apple juice spray, couple times in last 1.5 hours. Cooked until meat just started to pull away from ends.Family commented stronger smoke flavor (too strong some said), ribs were firm but tender, more like judges want, clean bite, meat stays on the bone.

2 racks - cooked with the 2-2-1 method, came out as expected, almost falling off the bone, milder smoke flavor, 1 rack sauced, 1 rack not, both got apple juice bath. Dang good eating.

2 racks - cooked 2.5 hours in the rib rack, apple juice bath twice, got pulled out of rib rack and placed in foil loaded with light brown sugar and squeeze Parkay, put more brown sugar on top of ribs with more squeeze Parkay, then sealed 'em up in foil. Put back in the heat for about an hour and 20 minutes. Temp rose to about 250 in WSM since some of the meat had been removed. Opened foil and WOW they looked great. Smell was incredible. These got sauced with Head Country Hot and some local stuff from The Barbecue Company - Free Range Red.

Now for the Rib pron...



Did the brown sugar ones taste as good as they looked or were a different kind preferred?

[Arlin_MacRae]

Now THAT'S a glaze. They look...gotta try that. ;)

[Bogus Chezz Hawg]

Nice bones!

I use real butter on mine. I've been melting one stick of butter in a sauce pan. Then I add 1/2 cup of light brown sugar & 1/2 cup of honey. I combine this mixture without heat and pour over the slabs and then wrap. When doing a lot of slabs this method speeds up the process. The above quantities works well for 3 - 4 slabs.

[417bullelk]

The brown sugar ones were better. Everyone in the family liked them over the others. I have to admit, they were the best tasting ones I have done to date.

[bigabyte]

Thanks for sharing!:cool: Looks great!

[417bullelk]

Nice bones!

I use real butter on mine. I've been melting one stick of butter in a sauce pan. Then I add 1/2 cup of light brown sugar & 1/2 cup of honey. I combine this mixture without heat and pour over the slabs and then wrap. When doing a lot of slabs this method speeds up the process. The above quantities works well for 3 - 4 slabs.

That's a good idea, I may have to do another experiment!

[deguerre]

Man, those look good. I wonder what would happen if you mixed some bacon grease in with that butter and brown sugar.

[early mornin' smokin']

I use real butter too, have tried parkay squeeze, not impressed, i mite have to shig the 1/2 1/2 1/2 in a sauce pot from you thou, with a few other goodies tossed in!

[aquablue22]

Nice looking ribs you got there!

[Dave Russell]

Thanks for sharing!

If they were too smoky for ya'll, cut the hickory back to one chunk with a couple chunks of some type of fruitwood. Some would say to cut it out altogether, but I'm here in Tennesse, so it's gotta have a little hickory to be bbq!

Looks good!
Dave
UDS, wsm, wots, char-griller

[Bogus Chezz Hawg]

I use real butter too, have tried parkay squeeze, not impressed, i mite have to shig the 1/2 1/2 1/2 in a sauce pot from you thou, with a few other goodies tossed in!

Try it! If you like it maybe you can PM me with the "other goodies" so I can try it your way. I was thinking of adding Tiger sauce and onion powder like Trigg supposedly does.

[early mornin' smokin']

ill key everyone in, im not afraid to hide my secrets, i was gonna saute down some vidalia onions and fresh garlic, add butter, than sugar and honey, im a durkee's redhot guy so i was gonna use that instead of tiger sauce.

[Jamo]

This may be a silly question here, but what Rub do you use before using the Trigg method?

[early mornin' smokin']

Ive been liking birds and bones by the slabs, cant go wrong with plowboys yardbird on ribs, and simply marvelous is, well simply marvelous, on everything

[417bullelk]

Ive been liking birds and bones by the slabs, cant go wrong with plowboys yardbird on ribs, and simply marvelous is, well simply marvelous, on everything

Yardbird is killer on ribs! I wished I had enough for all the slabs I did on this cook. I only got to put it on one of the slabs. It's time to reorder along with some Bovine Bold!

[GreasePig]

Dust a steak with bovine bold and then sear that baby in a cast iron skillet (friggin cold outside mod). Gives it a really nice crust and great flavor.

Yardbird and Simply Marvelous are both great on ribs. I like Head Country on ribs too.

[417bullelk]

I like Head Country on ribs too.

Funny you mention that as the rest of the slabs were dusted with Head Country. I bought a bunch of it last time I was in Kansas. Can't find it out here in the desert.

[Bogus Chezz Hawg]

ill key everyone in, im not afraid to hide my secrets, i was gonna saute down some vidalia onions and fresh garlic, add butter, than sugar and honey, im a durkee's redhot guy so i was gonna use that instead of tiger sauce.

Mmmmm! I can taste it already!

[early mornin' smokin']

I think after this years season of TLC's pitmasters we're all gonna have to step up our game as sooooo many tricks of the trade were just laid out there for all to see.

[417bullelk]

I'm going to have to go back and watch the old ones to see what I have missed!

[Jay Bird]

Ribs are on for this weekend. Gonna try that saucepan soak. Thanks for the tests.

[QuietOne]

....I've been melting one stick of butter in a sauce pan. Then I add 1/2 cup of light brown sugar & 1/2 cup of honey. ...... The above quantities works well for 3 - 4 slabs.

When you say 1 stick are you talking a pound or 1/4 pound or some other measure?

[Dave Russell]

Quote from 417bullelk:

"WSM loaded, Minion method with Kingsford blue, 3 small/medium chucks hickory, 3 bottom vents 1/2 open, top vent 2/3 open, water pan foiled and filled with hot water."

Dustin, I didn't notice this when you first posted. You want to leave that top (LID) vent all the way OPEN. Weber designed the wsm to cook this way, with the bottom vents for controlling the temps. You want the smoke to get out before it gets stale, and also, like I said in my previous post, go real easy on the hickory and amount of wood when smoking ribs, or chicken, for that matter. I think your guests will be much happier next time with the flavor if you follow these simple tips, foiling or not.

Dave
uds, wsm, wots, wsj, char-griller