platys
03-15-2010, 10:53 AM
Hi! Last Friday, I posted, desperate for some tips and instruction on how to smoke baby backs on a Weber. My sister had asked for them for my nephew's 1st birthday party. Of course, I failed to practice like I meant to.
Oh, and did I mention I had never done anything with charcoal? Like, at all? But, with you guys' help, plus Swineola, it worked out great.
First, I setup up my charcoal like this - I had three big racks to smoke, and putting the charcoal to one side left me enough room to shingle stack them:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2722/4434243456_be3d65ab3b.jpg
Oh, to get to that point, I had to clean out my sister's Weber, which was totally full of ash. So I dumped it out on the grass. My sister freaked, Which led to my sister running out in her PJs:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2795/4434244024_cdfd2146e3.jpg
So, anyways, I started the charcoal. Kinda. Sort of. I mean, there was some heat, but it was taking forever and I was already behind schedule. So Swineola rescued me, got the fire going. I finally got the ribs on at about 8 am. Which was bad, since the BBQ started at noon.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4028/4434246936_5c6d2fe80a.jpg
I used my favorite Penzey's Galena Street Rib and Chicken Rub. We did get some Yardbird, which we love. But, I grew up without salt (for some reason, the whole entire family stopped using it), so I find it almost too salty. Very scrumptious, but borderline. I knew my family would too. I sprayed down the ribs regularly with a combination of half apple cider vinegar, half apple juice.
So I had a horrible time with temp control, mainly because I didn't know what I was doing. I had it at 230 to start, which was sweet. Then, of course, the temp climbed to 350 in no time flat, so I closed up the vents. That, of course, led to the temp being barely 200. So I opened the vents and added some more briquets and woods. Then, I took a shower, and by the time I made it back, the heat was back up to almost 400. Then I closed the vents and blahblah, you get the idea. I never managed to foil them - besides, my sister ran out of foil. But, they still looked super good:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4001/4434256518_da649ea2cf.jpg
I finally got the ribs off at 1, after mopping with Rick Bayless' Texas BBQ sauce and more apple juice and vinegar - which was after most everyone had eaten their fill of brisket and salads and sides. And honestly, they could have spent a little more time on the grill. But, they turned out great - here is me slicing them:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2729/4434256954_12b15b05a0.jpg
And ready for eating:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4006/4433486937_af19e5d00c.jpg
They turned out nice and tender, with lots of good smoke flavor. People said they loved them. Most everyone had a rib, but by the time I got them out and ready, it really was too late. Which made my sis and mom happy, because they got the left overs. :)
It turns out though, that the birthday boy LOVES the ribs - here is him deciding he'd rather keep chewing on his rib, instead of eating his birthday cake:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4016/4433490239_11710989f7.jpg
He had another one for dinner that night, and another rib for dinner last night. They must have been tender if a one year old with three teeth can manage them. :)
Oh, and did I mention I had never done anything with charcoal? Like, at all? But, with you guys' help, plus Swineola, it worked out great.
First, I setup up my charcoal like this - I had three big racks to smoke, and putting the charcoal to one side left me enough room to shingle stack them:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2722/4434243456_be3d65ab3b.jpg
Oh, to get to that point, I had to clean out my sister's Weber, which was totally full of ash. So I dumped it out on the grass. My sister freaked, Which led to my sister running out in her PJs:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2795/4434244024_cdfd2146e3.jpg
So, anyways, I started the charcoal. Kinda. Sort of. I mean, there was some heat, but it was taking forever and I was already behind schedule. So Swineola rescued me, got the fire going. I finally got the ribs on at about 8 am. Which was bad, since the BBQ started at noon.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4028/4434246936_5c6d2fe80a.jpg
I used my favorite Penzey's Galena Street Rib and Chicken Rub. We did get some Yardbird, which we love. But, I grew up without salt (for some reason, the whole entire family stopped using it), so I find it almost too salty. Very scrumptious, but borderline. I knew my family would too. I sprayed down the ribs regularly with a combination of half apple cider vinegar, half apple juice.
So I had a horrible time with temp control, mainly because I didn't know what I was doing. I had it at 230 to start, which was sweet. Then, of course, the temp climbed to 350 in no time flat, so I closed up the vents. That, of course, led to the temp being barely 200. So I opened the vents and added some more briquets and woods. Then, I took a shower, and by the time I made it back, the heat was back up to almost 400. Then I closed the vents and blahblah, you get the idea. I never managed to foil them - besides, my sister ran out of foil. But, they still looked super good:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4001/4434256518_da649ea2cf.jpg
I finally got the ribs off at 1, after mopping with Rick Bayless' Texas BBQ sauce and more apple juice and vinegar - which was after most everyone had eaten their fill of brisket and salads and sides. And honestly, they could have spent a little more time on the grill. But, they turned out great - here is me slicing them:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2729/4434256954_12b15b05a0.jpg
And ready for eating:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4006/4433486937_af19e5d00c.jpg
They turned out nice and tender, with lots of good smoke flavor. People said they loved them. Most everyone had a rib, but by the time I got them out and ready, it really was too late. Which made my sis and mom happy, because they got the left overs. :)
It turns out though, that the birthday boy LOVES the ribs - here is him deciding he'd rather keep chewing on his rib, instead of eating his birthday cake:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4016/4433490239_11710989f7.jpg
He had another one for dinner that night, and another rib for dinner last night. They must have been tender if a one year old with three teeth can manage them. :)