Hot and Fast Ribs

[Invoke]

Hey all,

Long time lurker, first post. I've got a couple of questions for those of you that have had success with 'Hot and Fast' ribs on a Gateway smoker, WSM, or Barrel smoker. I have a WSM and decided to give this a try the other day, but didn't get the results I had hoped for.

I put my dry rub on some spare ribs (mustard binder) and got my smoker to 300F. I put my ribs on the top grate and let the fat drop right onto the coals, no water pan. The temp of the meat hit 140F in about 45 minutes. I've heard at this point meat will typically stop taking smoke, and my rub was basically black, so I decided to go ahead and wrap. I had ribs in the foil for about 45 minutes until they hit around 175 - 180 degrees. When I peel the foil back, all of my rub had fallen off...

It doesn't seem like the ribs are on long enough to get a good smoke going and for the bark to set up. I guess I just don't understand this method yet and I'd like to know what I'm missing. Thanks in advance!

 

[aawa]

A few things. Where were you measuring the temperature of the smoker? Were you using the thermo in the dome or did you have a thermometer/probe at grate level?

Also the meat will still take on smoke when you are above 140F, however the formation of the smoke ring will stop at 140F.

With your rub turning basically black as you described it. How much sugar is in your rub? When cooking at higher temperatures you need to be aware of how much sugar you have in your rub. The sugars will burn and turn black if you aren't careful.

A couple of suggestions when cooking hot and fast on a WSM. Put the water pan back in, but don't put any water in the pan. I foil over the opening of the water pan, so cleaning up the fat dripping is easy. I don't believe the WSM has as much space between the racks and the coals as a UDS/Gateway. So you get a lot more radiant heat hitting your meat. The way to not scorch any meats is to diffuse the heat some to make it more of an indirect cook vs direct cook if distance between the grates and coals isn't enough.

Here is my process for cooking ribs on my UDS at 325 degrees.

Get smoker up to temp.

While smoker is getting up to temp, go prep the ribs.

When smoker is at 300-325 I place the rib onto the top rack of my drum.
At about 1.5-2 hours I check the ribs for the color. They are typically a nice dark deep red. The bark is set also, so that I have to really scrap at it to try to get the bark to come on. Here is where you determine if you want to wrap the ribs or not. I prefer to wrap my ribs in butcher paper so the bark doesn't soften up. YOu can also wrap in foil, but it will soften up the bark and if the bark isn't set it will fall off the ribs. One thing to keep the bark from falling off is to cook the meat bone side down/meat side up. This will keep any liquid on the bone side vs meat side.

After about 1.5-2 hours I check my ribs for doneness using the bend test.

I then put back on the grate unwrapped (people using foil can turn the foil wrap into a "boat" so clean up is a lot easier) And cook until done. If I put sauce on my ribs, I'll do that the last 15-20mins then pull them off the smoker.

 

[Fwismoker]

The 140* has nothing to do with taking on smoke but only when some say the meat can't take on any more smoke ring.

With regard to H&F ribs I cook mine on a barrel cooker and usually in the range of 300-450* but no wrapping. When grate cooking ribs over direct heat I flip and cook both sides facing down and finish having them just lay on a piece of foil bone side down to finish. Perfect ribs everytime

 

[Invoke]

I had a thermometer/probe at grate level.

Ok, I was clearly confused about the 140F taking on smoke vs. smoke ring formation thing. Good to know. I didn't think there was much sugar in the rub I was using, but I'll have to double check on that. I suppose the WSM just isn't as conducive to this sort of cooking as a UDS would be. I've tried just foiling the pan a few times, but wanted the fat dripping on the coals flavor that I've seen some people talking about. I suppose I'll still get a little bit of it. Thanks for laying out your process for me. Really interesting stuff. How is it that foil softens the bark but butcher paper does not? I'm going to have to try that.

A few things. Where were you measuring the temperature of the smoker? Were you using the thermo in the dome or did you have a thermometer/probe at grate level?

Also the meat will still take on smoke when you are above 140F, however the formation of the smoke ring will stop at 140F.

With your rub turning basically black as you described it. How much sugar is in your rub? When cooking at higher temperatures you need to be aware of how much sugar you have in your rub. The sugars will burn and turn black if you aren't careful.

A couple of suggestions when cooking hot and fast on a WSM. Put the water pan back in, but don't put any water in the pan. I foil over the opening of the water pan, so cleaning up the fat dripping is easy. I don't believe the WSM has as much space between the racks and the coals as a UDS/Gateway. So you get a lot more radiant heat hitting your meat. The way to not scorch any meats is to diffuse the heat some to make it more of an indirect cook vs direct cook if distance between the grates and coals isn't enough.

Here is my process for cooking ribs on my UDS at 325 degrees.

Get smoker up to temp.

While smoker is getting up to temp, go prep the ribs.

When smoker is at 300-325 I place the rib onto the top rack of my drum.
At about 1.5-2 hours I check the ribs for the color. They are typically a nice dark deep red. The bark is set also, so that I have to really scrap at it to try to get the bark to come on. Here is where you determine if you want to wrap the ribs or not. I prefer to wrap my ribs in butcher paper so the bark doesn't soften up. YOu can also wrap in foil, but it will soften up the bark and if the bark isn't set it will fall off the ribs. One thing to keep the bark from falling off is to cook the meat bone side down/meat side up. This will keep any liquid on the bone side vs meat side.

After about 1.5-2 hours I check my ribs for doneness using the bend test.

I then put back on the grate unwrapped (people using foil can turn the foil wrap into a "boat" so clean up is a lot easier) And cook until done. If I put sauce on my ribs, I'll do that the last 15-20mins then pull them off the smoker.

 

[Burnt at Both Endz]

Hang them on hooks, just sayin!

 

[KevinJ]

Hang them on hooks, just sayin!

If I want to cook ribs in the WSM without a diffuser/water bowl I hang them, if on the grate I will cook them with a clay diffuser in place. When using a grate I cook ribs at 275-300 most of the time and don't wrap, over 300 I'll wrap with butcher paper when I get the color I'm looking for when using the rack. Hanging I just leave them alone until I'm ready to pull regardless of temp.

These were cooked at temps between 296 and 336 and I did wrap with BP at 2.5 hours in for 1 hour then unwrapped for 20-30 minutes to finish.

 

[Ham14]

I cook my ribs between 275-300. I put them on with some cherry and pecan wood. I'll keep at that temp for about an hour or so and then I spray them with some apple juice. I let them cook about forty five more mins ( it's all about the color, times are different cause you may get that nice color and bark sooner or later but start watching after that hour mark) spritizing every 20 mins. When I have my color I go ahead and wrap with apple juice butter and honey and now is the time to keep a good check on them. I've done them enough to lift up the rack and can tell if there close or even done. Another way is unwrap a touch and see if you can get a toothpick to go through like butter. I use my thermapen to see if it slides through and tells me temp. When I hit that close factor I take them out of the foil and glaze for about 20 mins. Overall I don't let them stay in the foil super long just enough to get a tad more tenderness. Just keep your eyes on them and most important have fun cooking.

 

[Invoke]

You guys are awesome. Thanks for the responses. It sounds like I was a little confused about the 140F taking on smoke thing.

What is the benefit of hanging the ribs versus laying them on the grate with this particular method? Also, butcher paper vs. foil, why do they soften up more in the foil? Less breathable?

 

[aawa]

You guys are awesome. Thanks for the responses. It sounds like I was a little confused about the 140F taking on smoke thing.

What is the benefit of hanging the ribs versus laying them on the grate with this particular method? Also, butcher paper vs. foil, why do they soften up more in the foil? Less breathable?

The bark softens up in foil because the foil holds moisture. There is no way for the liquid to escape. Butcher paper allows the meat to breathe since it is pourous so the bark doesn't soften up as much.

 

[Burnt at Both Endz]

You guys are awesome. Thanks for the responses. It sounds like I was a little confused about the 140F taking on smoke thing.

What is the benefit of hanging the ribs versus laying them on the grate with this particular method?

Don't really know the why's and why not's, but I can tell you this. I cook a bunch of comps and those top rib cooks on the circuit do it, that's good enough for me.:decision: