Smokin' !

[Sixpence]

Well, smoked for the first time today. Smoked 2 racks of pork spareribs using a recipe raub linked minus the msg(kind of like a rub, but you sprinkle it on, let it set for a bit). I decided to try two different methods. After the first three hours, I took one rack out and poured BBQ sauce down the middle(KC masterpiece and honey) and wrapped it in foil leaving a space between the top of the ribs and the foil(not touching). This was in the video that came with the smoker.

I read the temp on the first rack after 7 3/4 hours(the one without foil). It was real close to 200 and looked done, so I took it out. We tried it and it was pretty good, the wife could not stop eating it. Real moist and we could peel the bones out pretty easy.

I took the 2nd one out about 20 minutes later(the one with the foil). I slapped some more KC and honey on it like the recipe calls for(the first one I did not because the wife does not like bbq sauce). This one was even more moist, the bones slid out of the meat, it melted in our mouths. The kids devoured it.

Overall it went real well. The temp averaged about 250 degrees. I am a little nervous about pork so I didn't want to go too low, but next time I will try to get it a little lower. The rub was heavy on salt and chilli powder, I think I will omit the chilli powder next time and go less on the salt. I used hickory for wood(all you find is hickory and mesquite around here), but I got online and found places that sell all kinds, apple, cherry, maple, etc.

I have some boneless spareribs and some steak tips I am going to marinate and try to get them going saturday morning. Hoping to have them done before work(3PM report) I am figuring four hours. Can't wait to try different recipes and woods.

[Raubvogel]

You're hooked dude!
Glad it all turned out good for you. I think everyone comes up with their own little tweaks on recipes, and that's a good thing. I like that rub the way it is, but I found that a little goes a looong way. Maybe it was too salty because you used a too much? Normally I don't even use sauce on ribs, but a good sauce finishes that recipe off just right! Thinking about doing up some sausage this weekend.

[Sixpence]

Originally posted by Raubvogel
Maybe it was too salty because you used a too much?

Actually, it wasn't that salty, the less salt was just a health thought. The overpowering taste seemed to be the chilli powder. What I did was sprinkle some on, then lift the rack and tilt it back and forth and dumped the excess, like flouring a greased pan for baking. We are not big on chilli powder or cumin( never used cumin before to be honest), so we might omit those and try it as a rub on the boneless spareribs. I like BBQ flavor like the BBQ sauces(KC masterpiece, etc.), so I might add a touch of that to make it a paste(wet rub?) and try that too.

In the video I have they take a ham with the bone in it(shank?) that's precooked, sprinkle some brown sugar and some honey and smoke it. He says to put a pan of beans under it with some brown sugar and honey and let the ham drip into it. Cut a little piece of ham off every now and then and drop it into the pan. Says after a few hours you have the best beans you ever tasted.

So much smoking to do, so few days off.

[Gunslinger]

close to 200 and looked done

Six,

Was this the internal temp of the ribs or the smoker?  I cooked mine to 180 but they were still a bit chewy and bones were kinda tight still so I'm wonderin (for anyone to answer) will the meat get more tender as it cooks and get's hotter?

I find it's real easy to put a small meat thermometer in between the bones and just leave it in there the whole cook.

I know you were worried about the smokey flavor, how was it?  How much chips did you use in one of those?

[Sixpence]

Originally posted by Gunslinger
Six,

Was this the internal temp of the ribs or the smoker?  I cooked mine to 180 but they were still a bit chewy and bones were kinda tight still so I'm wonderin (for anyone to answer) will the meat get more tender as it cooks and get's hotter?

I find it's real easy to put a small meat thermometer in between the bones and just leave it in there the whole cook.

I know you were worried about the smokey flavor, how was it?  How much chips did you use in one of those?

I ran the smoker close to 250, a bit high, I was worried working with pork the first time. As I posted I cooked two racks of ribs. Both came out moist, but the second rack I wrapped in foil after three hours, leaving some space between the top of the rack and the foil. Then I cooked it for a little over three hours more. The bones slid out clean and the meat melted in our mouths. This is the technique that some guy named Lloyd Davenport uses, he is in the video that came with the smoker. I cooked both racks about 6 hours.

I want to try the temp a little lower, I am told the lower the temp, the more tender the meat.

I did some boneless spare ribs and some beef tips today. I cooked them for about 2 hours and they were becoming a bit dry. I had the temp up near 250 again and that may have done it, they were not that big either. I wrapped them in foil and let them go another hour and a half and when I took them out they were tender and basting in their own juice. I left some beef tips wrapped in foil another hour and a half and they fell apart but were a bit chewy. I will lower the temp for the smaller cuts of meat next time and get them in foil after an hour.

I filled the wood box up twice, but I want to shop around for wood, I can only find hickory and mesquite around here.

[Raubvogel]

You don't really need a thermometer for ribs. Just cook em until the meat pulls down from the ends of the bones about 1/2 inch or so and they're done! Usually takes me about 4 hours or so 225ish degrees. That varies with the outside temp too.

[Sixpence]

Bump:D