School me on smoking ribs

[SnikPlosskin]

I picked up a FPOCS (Free piece of crap smoker) and am getting ready to make my first batch of smoked ribs. Actually it's the first time I've smoked any meat. (There was this one time in high school I tried smoking fish, but I couldn't keep it lit).

The smoker is one of these

http://www.charbroil.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/650x/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/1/2/12201570.jpg

But much crappier. I've modified it by sealing the air leaks, making a sheet metal baffle to move the smoke under the meat, then across the meat and out through the chimney which I moved to the opposite side. I also moved the thermometor from way up on the lid to where the meat will actually be.

My understanding is that you use charcoal and get them nice and hot. Then control the heat by controlling the oxygen - shooting for 225 for five or six hours.

I'll make a rub and a mop sauce.

But how and when do you add wood chips? Do you wrap the ribs in foil?

Probably be next week before I can make the ribs. I need to run some test fires in there. I'm also having a very sucky procedure on Friday involving drinking barium so I'll be sick as a dog all weekend.

[DropTheTop]

Here's what I like to do with a similar setup:

* I like to place drip pans under the ribs, with a couple inches of hot water.
* Fill fire box most of the way with lump charcoal, then make a nest ring out of large wood chunks on top.
* Dump a heated chimney worth of lump into ring and spread evenly. This will allow fire to slowly work it's way down through.
* I like to start out with soaked and strained apple chips on top for the first smoke. About a half hour later I like to add soaked and strained hickory chips, and then about a half hour after that I like to add soaked and strained mesquite chips.
* I only wrap the ribs (crutch method) in apple juice near the end, when I have enough people that think falling-off-the-bone ribs are the best. Most often it's for myself and I like them dry with some tug, so no wrap until I take them off and put in paper bag to hang out for a while before devouring.

There's like a million ways to do it, and I'm sure they'll be posted here :lol:
You just have to figure out how YOU want them, and maybe people can advise better.

[NeedSpeed]

There's like a million ways to do it, and I'm sure they'll be posted here :lol:
You just have to figure out how YOU want them, and maybe people can advise better.

:iagree:

My only notes:

Careful with the smoke, it's easy to over smoke. You'll have to figure out what you like.

Soaking the woods chips is mostly a fallacy. My latest trick (and I'm sure it'll change lol) is to buy the large chuck wood instead of chips. Wrap a big one in foil with a few small air holes and throw in the fire. Too many holes and it'll just start on fire though.

[SnikPlosskin]

Here's what I like to do with a similar setup:

* I like to place drip pans under the ribs, with a couple inches of hot water.
* Fill fire box most of the way with lump charcoal, then make a nest ring out of large wood chunks on top.
* Dump a heated chimney worth of lump into ring and spread evenly. This will allow fire to slowly work it's way down through.
* I like to start out with soaked and strained apple chips on top for the first smoke. About a half hour later I like to add soaked and strained hickory chips, and then about a half hour after that I like to add soaked and strained mesquite chips.
* I only wrap the ribs (crutch method) in apple juice near the end, when I have enough people that think falling-off-the-bone ribs are the best. Most often it's for myself and I like them dry with some tug, so no wrap until I take them off and put in paper bag to hang out for a while before devouring.

There's like a million ways to do it, and I'm sure they'll be posted here :lol:
You just have to figure out how YOU want them, and maybe people can advise better.

So if I understand you, you put new charcoal with wood chips on top and then dump hot coals into that?

How long does it burn? I guess I need some kind of chimney...

Do you add more wood chips over time? I read that some folks just put the chips in at the end.

I like to brush the ribs with apple vinegar, then coat with mustard the night before. Then rub, let it sit at room temp for an hour.

Cooking them in the oven, I wrap them in foil for the first few hours, then crank the heat and unwrap to get a crust. It seems that smoking is the opposite. They start unwrapped and then some people wrap at the end.

I like them to fall off the bone. The vinegar helps that process. I also use white, granulated sugar in the rub. It seems to carmalize (sp?) better.

Mop sauce is apple vinegar and apple juice.

[mrvette]

Bet my pot turns out better than your ribs.......:lol:

[SnikPlosskin]

Bet my pot turns out better than your ribs.......:lol:

Damn, is this the one thing you don't know about? Cough up the knowledge!

Here's some pics of my extreme craftsmanship. (Blademaker step aside Bitch!)

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k130/ThrakkorzogPJM/IMG_2214_zps6c9ffe91.jpg

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k130/ThrakkorzogPJM/IMG_2213_zps226eae07.jpg

I made a gasket for the cover from high temp RTV...

Dig that crazy chimney... :willy:

[NeedSpeed]

Bet my pot turns out better than your ribs.......:lol:

Try smoking the ribs with pot.

[mrvette]

Eh, easier to go to a burger joint and pay for 15 bux/hr min wage.....:issues::rofl:

[Oh-yaa]

I use a fruit wood of some sort, apple,cherry, etc. Pork is more tolerant of smoke than beef. I also spray apple cider/veg oil mix about every hour to keep the moisture. The last hour or 2 the homemade sauce goes on, brush on instead of the cider/oil mix. Works very well for me.

Take notes when you smoke. You know what worked and can build from there.

You using lump charcoal or briquettes?

[MrPeabody]

I have a similar smoker. Living in wine country, I always have access to oak from wine barrels. I use fruitwood for seafood and poultry, but I like the oak for pork and beef.

['77Babe]

If you're beginning with smoking, I highly recommend Gary Wiviott's book, Low and Slow. He doesn't take you straight to ribs, though. But he will help you understand your smoker.

[DropTheTop]

So if I understand you, you put new charcoal with wood chips on top and then dump hot coals into that?
I start out with a firebox mostly filled with unlit lump charcoal, build a ring on top with large chunks of wood, then fill the ring's center void with a chimney of lit lump (takes ~ 20 min. for the chimney to be ready). Then I toss the soaked wood chips on top periodically, when I want to add the smoke flavor. The fire will burn down for several hours, especially with a sealed setup. some people never have to add more lump, some do. You just have to keep watching and let the grill and temps tell you what it needs. There's just too many factors and time involved. This is why smoking meat is such a great thing for guys who like to hang out, drink beer, talk shit, and then eat! :lol:

How long does it burn? I guess I need some kind of chimney...
Chimneys are da bomb, and only take ~ 20 min to be ready. The firebox time will vary, and ambient temps, wind, humidity and placement of grill all work together or work against each other. You just have to play around with it. That's what she said

Do you add more wood chips over time? I read that some folks just put the chips in at the end.
I like to add smoke periodically within the first two hours, so it can get into the meat before any bark sets in. I like to layer the smoke with varieties of wood, as I enjoy when each flavor can be picked up. YMMV

I like to brush the ribs with apple vinegar, then coat with mustard the night before. Then rub, let it sit at room temp for an hour.
I like to use mustard as well; good old Plochman's yellow.

Cooking them in the oven, I wrap them in foil for the first few hours, then crank the heat and unwrap to get a crust. It seems that smoking is the opposite. They start unwrapped and then some people wrap at the end.
There is science to the crutch method of wrapping, and you can really screw things up. Research it first, then mess around. You can still get the meat to fall off the bone without it, it just takes longer and then other bad things can happen.

I like them to fall off the bone. The vinegar helps that process. I also use white, granulated sugar in the rub. It seems to carmalize (sp?) better.


Mop sauce is apple vinegar and apple juice.

For me, trial and error is the best part of smoking, and I've never had to toss any food. I pretty much dedicate the whole night before and next day to it, and since I don't have any kids to chase after it's very relaxing for me. :cert:

[Rob]

I do a simple 3-2-1 method.

3 hours over smoke @ 250*

pull off at 3 hour mark - wrap in foil - throw a little coke or pineapple juice in the foil and seal up each slab and throw back in smoker for 2 hours

pull off smoker, unwrap, season or sauce them and cook unwrapped for 1 hour to finish them off

:seasix:

3-2-1

Simple and works every time

[SnikPlosskin]

I use a fruit wood of some sort, apple,cherry, etc. Pork is more tolerant of smoke than beef. I also spray apple cider/veg oil mix about every hour to keep the moisture. The last hour or 2 the homemade sauce goes on, brush on instead of the cider/oil mix. Works very well for me.

Take notes when you smoke. You know what worked and can build from there.

You using lump charcoal or briquettes?

charcoal. Not sure where to get lump - maybe the BBQ store.

If you're beginning with smoking, I highly recommend Gary Wiviott's book, Low and Slow. He doesn't take you straight to ribs, though. But he will help you understand your smoker.

I will check it out! Thanks. Coincidentally, that's also how I like to please a woman. :yesnod:

For me, trial and error is the best part of smoking, and I've never had to toss any food. I pretty much dedicate the whole night before and next day to it, and since I don't have any kids to chase after it's very relaxing for me. :cert:

Toss food? No idea what that means.

I do a simple 3-2-1 method.

3 hours over smoke @ 250*

pull off at 3 hour mark - wrap in foil - throw a little coke or pineapple juice in the foil and seal up each slab and throw back in smoker for 2 hours

pull off smoker, unwrap, season or sauce them and cook unwrapped for 1 hour to finish them off

:seasix:

3-2-1

Simple and works every time

Sweet!

What does it say about me that I'm so dependant on this site I can't even cook my own food? :willy:

[DropTheTop]

Lump charcoal burns better and results in much less ash than briquettes. You don't want to be fighting temps and trying to clean out ash from the firebox. You should be able to find some hardwood lump charcoal at Lowes or HD.

[Cybercowboy]

My dad had a smoker like that, I used it a few times. Ribs were not really too much of a problem but brisket was a real PITA on it because you have to check it/add fuel about every two hours. That meant getting up in the middle of the night several times, which sucked. It also has a hard time maintaining an even temp, the thin metal and drafty nature of those things cause that. But it did a decent job.

Ribs are easy, but keep in mind it totally depends what style of ribs you start with. Baby backs, true baby backs, only take about 3.5-4 hours at 250. Loin backs, which are just big baby backs essentially, take about 5 hours. Spare ribs aka St. Louis style ribs are great but take 6 hours or so.

I don't foil my ribs at all but then again my ceramic grill holds moisture a lot better than your grill will. If you don't want to foil, put a pan of hot water in with them. Have the water pan between the firebox and the ribs. You'll find that the side by the firebox will run hotter than the far end, so you want to rotate the ribs every hour or so.

Pecan chunks are my favorite for ribs. Hickory also works well, oak is good too. And yes you can get lump charcoal almost anywhere that sells charcoal. If you can find the Ozark Oak brand, that is the best I've ever found. Fortunately they sell it here at a few places, and it's the top rated brand on the website dedicated to rating lump (yes, there is one.)

I like to take the membrane off the ribs before applying the dry rub. Meathead's Memphis Dust is a great rub, here is the recipe (http://amazingribs.com/recipes/rubs_pastes_marinades_and_brines/meatheads_memphis_dust.html). About 1-1/2 tablespoons per side, I like to rub with a little olive oil smeared on first, helps the rub stick. No need to do this way ahead of time. I prep the ribs, rub them, and let them sit at room temp while I get the grill going. You can browse the amazingribs.com website and learn a lot also.

And please do not use lighter fluid. A chimney starter and a piece of newspaper is all you need, or a propane torch.

[DropTheTop]

^ Yep, a website for everything! This is the one I reference: The Lump Charcoal Database Rankings-- Naked Whiz Charcoal Ceramic Cooking (http://www.nakedwhiz.com/lumprankpoll.htm)

[Sea Six]

Tossing food means it wasn't fit for eating. He's saying that even when things didn't go perfectly it was still a meal.

[DropTheTop]

This thread needs pics!

http://www.thevettebarn.com/forums/members/dropthetop-albums-miscellanious-picture2212-ribs-01.jpg

[SnikPlosskin]

Tossing food means it wasn't fit for eating. He's saying that even when things didn't go perfectly it was still a meal.

:lol:

I got it. I was acting as if I did not ever hear of anyone throwing away BBQ. I'd eat it even it was on the floor. :rofl:

Can't wait to try it. My son tells people I'm building a time machine. :rofl:

[SnikPlosskin]

This thread needs pics!

http://www.thevettebarn.com/forums/members/dropthetop-albums-miscellanious-picture2212-ribs-01.jpg

ZOMG. For some reason I want to get naked and roll round in those ribs. Is that wrong?

[DropTheTop]

^ That particular day I was up until 2 am smoking those 10 racks. I got 4 hours of sleep, then took them to the track to share . . . so I'd have to say it would've been VERY wrong, and could possibly have gotten you killed! :lol:

[CertInsaneC5]

All I have to add to the expert advice above is do not try this on a windy day with that setup.

As said before. Get some lump charcoal. Many supermarkets now sell it.

Do not use charcoal lighter fluid!!!! If you do not have a chimney to light the charcoal in, an old coffee can, although small, can be used. Just drill a bunch of holes in the bottom of it and find something to make some room for a little news paper underneath it. You will be amazed at how fast your coals are ready. You will have to do several batches of charcoal this way and it will still be faster than waiting on those POS brickets to get ready. :cert:

And a decent charcoal chimney from lowes costs about $20.