More DARK Ribs??

Ribs

LloydQ said:
Why an aluminum pan of water? What is wrong with the water pan that that comes with it? And a whole split of cherry? Holy cow, a couple of chunks would be a gracios plenty! I could not imagine having enough airflow for a whole split.
Click to expand...

Hi I used a aluminum pan because with the wsm pan I usually use with lava rocks..The ribs were very moist, might try that method again.
It was a whole split of cherry maybe 2-3" x 18.

Thanks DanB
 
My vote goes to too much smolder, not enough burn.

I had the same dark effect and got rid of it by increasing cooking temperature a bit to get a better burn and by wrapping them up after reaching my desired color. I went from 225-250 range up to 275-300 range and ended up getting better results.

Also, if you used a whole split in a WSM, that seems a bit much. I'm not sure that cooker was made to handle splits.

At any rate, the fun is in the tinkering.
 
DanB said:
Hi I used a aluminum pan because with the wsm pan I usually use with lava rocks..The ribs were very moist, might try that method again.
It was a whole split of cherry maybe 2-3" x 18.

Thanks DanB
Click to expand...
That's enough for around 6 long cooks on my kettle. Maybe 8.
 
The ribs I make on my WSM literally ALWAYS come out much darker than the same rack (and rub) would on my offset smoker. Like the others are saying, wrap in foil or butcher paper after 2 1/2 hours or so. Also, I’ve noticed the ribs on the upper rack are always darker than those on the lower rack when made in my WSM. Personally, I think you’re probably burning too much smoke (or too dirty of a smoke).
 
DanB said:
Hi I used a aluminum pan because with the wsm pan I usually use with lava rocks..The ribs were very moist, might try that method again.
It was a whole split of cherry maybe 2-3" x 18.

Thanks DanB
Click to expand...

That's way too much wood in one big piece. The WSM was designed to burn charcoal with a few fist-sized (or smaller) chunks of wood mixed in.

Someone else already suggested it, but it bears repeating: try cooking a rack with only charcoal and see if you get the same result. Make sure you give it half an hour or so for the charcoal to finish off-gassing before you put the meat on. I'm guessing that will solve the problem. But if the ribs still come out too dark, then the problem is the rub and not the wood.

I don't wrap anything, and I've never had a problem with meat coming out too dark on my WSM. I use mostly charcoal with a few small chunks mixed in.
 
^^^ This

Fist size chunks is key in WSM.
Not enough air for combustion doing low and slow for splits to burn clean.
Need mostly charcoal with very little wood.

Do it with only charcoal. No foil pan. Use pan that come with. Fill with sand or cover in foil.
Report back.



Hurry!

;)
 
cherry will darken the color if used just by itself and that is why I mix it pecan or hickory . cut the cherry In 1/2 that what your using.
 
Too much wood, not enough airflow :thumb: if you wanna burn full splits do it on a stick burner but its unnecessary on a WSM that smolders its fuel. Probably not cooking at high enough a temp to scorch the sugar in your rub so I'm going with dirty smoldering fire. Less is more on a charcoal smoker.
 
I think they look damn good! If trying to improve the look for a competition I get it, otherwise, enjoy!
 
Ribs

Hi All Thanks for all your replies..You got me thinking must be the wood. By me using 4 different rubs and they all came out the same color, should eliminate the rubs?
Next time less cherry or switch to apple.
Thanks Again
DanB
 
DanB said:
Hi All Thanks for all your replies..You got me thinking must be the wood. By me using 4 different rubs and they all came out the same color, should eliminate the rubs?
Next time less cherry or switch to apple.
Thanks Again
DanB
Click to expand...

Maybe, maybe not. But I would limit or eliminate the moving parts here. There could be one or ten things going on. I would go from the ground up. Without getting into the "why" . . . ground being:

- Simple sugar free rub.
- No wood, only charcoal.
- Foil or sand the water pan. Or even water.
- Don't put your bones on until you reach desired temp and see NO exhaust.
- If you are a temperature person, I would cook anywhere between 225 and 300. Adjust times based on size of the rack and temp. But I wouldn't open the lid for at least 3 hours for a 3lb rack.

I think anything beyond this and you're adding variables again

If these come out to your liking, I would start adding variables back in, in this order.

- Rub
- Wood. No splits though. WSMs benefit the most from chunks.
- Heat sink(s)
- Wrap vs no wrap. Butcher paper or foil.
- Temp

It's also important that you've named your WSM. If you haven't, that's prolly your problem right there. She needs an identity man.
 
cullenbranson said:
Maybe, maybe not. But I would limit or eliminate the moving parts here. There could be one or ten things going on. I would go from the ground up. Without getting into the "why" . . . ground being:

- Simple sugar free rub.
- No wood, only charcoal.
- Foil or sand the water pan. Or even water.
- Don't put your bones on until you reach desired temp and see NO exhaust.
- If you are a temperature person, I would cook anywhere between 225 and 300. Adjust times based on size of the rack and temp. But I wouldn't open the lid for at least 3 hours for a 3lb rack.

I think anything beyond this and you're adding variables again

If these come out to your liking, I would start adding variables back in, in this order.

- Rub
- Wood. No splits though. WSMs benefit the most from chunks.
- Heat sink(s)
- Wrap vs no wrap. Butcher paper or foil.
- Temp

It's also important that you've named your WSM. If you haven't, that's prolly your problem right there. She needs an identity man.
Click to expand...

And that advice right there is straight out of the "Troubleshooting 101" textbook. :clap2: Take complex systems (i.e. situations with many variables) back to their most basic level and then change things ONE Variable At a Time. Otherwise you can stay very busy chasing the issue and never get anywhere.

Good Luck!
 
Hey there. Just thought I’d let you know I had the same issue with you with my WSM. the following is what I started doing.

-WSM running at 275* (I let it run for an hour or hour and a half until I see its running “clean” or no smoke).
-Put the ribs on.
-Throw 1 chuck of wood...mostly use cherry, sometime apple. It should run light or “thin” smoke.
-2.5 hours unwrapped.
-.75-1 hour wrapped. Sometimes just ribs, sometimes butter, honey, brown sugar, etc.
-15 to 20 minutes unwrapped to tighten up a bit. Use bamboo skewer to test tenderness.

Results have been night and day.

Untitled by C Lasko, on Flickr

Untitled by C Lasko, on Flickr

Believe it or not, none of those ribs were sauced. Just purchased rubs, all with sugar etc. like I said, I swear by this method with the WSM.
 
^^This guy gets it. For a rib cook a single fist size chunk of wood is all you need. Or two or three smaller pieces that equal one fist size chunk. Not a foot and a half long tree branch!

And hey Clasco - what rub are you using? Those look amazing!!!
 
dgaddis1 said:
^^This guy gets it. For a rib cook a single fist size chunk of wood is all you need. Or two or three smaller pieces that equal one fist size chunk. Not a foot and a half long tree branch!

And hey Clasco - what rub are you using? Those look amazing!!!
Click to expand...

Thanks! Appreciate the kind words.

I almost exclusively use Meat Church. Absolutely love all their rubs. These ribs had a combo of Honey Hog, and then a light dusting of Honey Hog Hot.

**I forgot to mention that in my water pan I use a foiled clay saucer. No water.
 
cullenbranson said:
I'm betting that at least two of those rubs, if not all, are almost all sugar, and probably brown sugar.

Nothing wrong with that, except you're trying to figure this out. If you're afraid to ditch the rubs for a test run, you might need to just start liking ribs with the color you're getting.

I think those bones look great though! Good luck.
Click to expand...

Came to say exactly this. Too much sugar.

I like to smoke naked and add a glaze at the end of the cook.
 
Ribs

Right on Q said:
It's not the sugar folks. It's too much wood. Don't confuse the message.

We use plenty of sugar on our WSM and if we add any more than 2 fist sized chunks of apple we get dark ribs. Everytime.

Clasko those ribs look great! Nice job
Click to expand...

Hi All Next time I will use apple, maybe 2 small chunks, and also wait for the
blue smoke to arrive.
Thanks Dan
 
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