My first baby backs

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toffey1984

Newbie
Original poster
Mar 19, 2013
4
10
Bellingham, WA
Hey all,  

  I'm a noob here. Just started smoking this spring after my partner got me a Masterbuilt Pro dual fuel smoker. I've been using this forum and the main site to learn all about smoking. So far I've done a few whole chickens, a couple tri tip, a couple pork loins, a pork shoulder and today I'm doing some pork BB ribs. Im using the 2-2-1 method I learned from here, as well as a rub recipe and foiling recipe I found on here. I've had pretty good success so far, thanks to all of you wonderful people! I'm really enjoying myself and am excited to keep learning more!

Here they are with the dry rub on and ready to go into the smoker. Ill post more as I go. Im about to take them out for their two hours of foiling. 

Melissa

 
 
welcome1.gif
Melissa. glad to have you in our group. remember to post pics as you go to foil, out of foil then to the finish. tell us what you do every step. we like to drool!

Happy smoken.

David
 
Hey all,  

  I'm a noob here. Just started smoking this spring after my partner got me a Masterbuilt Pro dual fuel smoker. I've been using this forum and the main site to learn all about smoking. So far I've done a few whole chickens, a couple tri tip, a couple pork loins, a pork shoulder and today I'm doing some pork BB ribs. Im using the 2-2-1 method I learned from here, as well as a rub recipe and foiling recipe I found on here. I've had pretty good success so far, thanks to all of you wonderful people! I'm really enjoying myself and am excited to keep learning more!

Here they are with the dry rub on and ready to go into the smoker. Ill post more as I go. Im about to take them out for their two hours of foiling. 

Melissa

 
Melissa. when you get a chance. will you take a moment to update your info. we like to know what part of the world you are in.

Happy smoken.

David
 
Hello again, they are just about ready to pull. Here are some pic's from the smoke.

Ready to foil after two hours with smoke:

 
Out of the foil and in for another hour to finish off:


So I was having trouble keeping the temp in my smoker around 225. It was a crazy weather day here in WA, passing rain showers with some wind. But I have been having a hard time keeping the temp low enough... it keeps jumping up to 250+. I keep all of the vents open and have the dial turned as low as it goes, and still cant keep it steady. Too many wood chunks? Too much air flow? Trying to experiment with everything, but I havent quite gotten the hang of it yet.  

Anyways, they're about ready to pull... Going to go check on them. 

Mel
 
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They are looking good so far. Just hang in there temperature control can be a very frustrating thing. The good news is pork is pretty forgiving. 
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Hello again, they are just about ready to pull. Here are some pic's from the smoke.

Ready to foil after two hours with smoke:

 
Out of the foil and in for another hour to finish off:


So I was having trouble keeping the temp in my smoker around 225. It was a crazy weather day here in WA, passing rain showers with some wind. But I have been having a hard time keeping the temp low enough... it keeps jumping up to 250+. I keep all of the vents open and have the dial turned as low as it goes, and still cant keep it steady. Too many wood chunks? Too much air flow? Trying to experiment with everything, but I havent quite gotten the hang of it yet.  

Anyways, they're about ready to pull... Going to go check on them. 

Mel
WRT chamber temps, you might try moving your thermometer around and test every rack level possible.  In vertical smokers, you often have variations in chamber temps as you move up and down
 
Hello again, they are just about ready to pull. Here are some pic's from the smoke.

Ready to foil after two hours with smoke:

 
Out of the foil and in for another hour to finish off:


So I was having trouble keeping the temp in my smoker around 225. It was a crazy weather day here in WA, passing rain showers with some wind. But I have been having a hard time keeping the temp low enough... it keeps jumping up to 250+. I keep all of the vents open and have the dial turned as low as it goes, and still cant keep it steady. Too many wood chunks? Too much air flow? Trying to experiment with everything, but I havent quite gotten the hang of it yet.  

Anyways, they're about ready to pull... Going to go check on them. 

Mel
Hey Mel

The ribs look great. Now to your temp problems. Air and fuel make heat. Air makes it go up and down the fastest. That is not to say it can't  be fuel. Make small changes in the amount of air. Wait and see how that works before you make the next adjustment. Also, if you don't get it burning real good before you start to cook. You will be chasing it the whole cook.

Happy smoken.

David
 
A pan full of sand or peat gravel above your heat source helps stabilize temps. Even a flat pan with nothing in it acts like a baffle and changes what temps are in your smoker. I'm not sure if you were using propane or electricity but I have read on the forum there are different propane orifices that you can get to slow down propane some. Making sure you have accurate temp readings at your racks is the first step. The temperature guages on most smokers are not accurate.
 
Melissa looking good!

Folks if you look at Melissa's photo you will see she is using a Digital probe as well as the thermo in the center, looks to be a Maverick so she probably has a pretty accurate reading?
 
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Hey everyone, 

  Sorry Im just updating today! They ribs tasted amazing! We really loved the flavor of the rub and the foiling juice! I used it in the end to finish them off as a glaze too. The ribs didnt quite get as tender as I normally like, but with the temp fluctuations I was having, I think that might be why. I'll get better though!

Here they are out of the smoker and plated up ready to eat! 


 
Hey everyone, 

  Sorry Im just updating today! They ribs tasted amazing! We really loved the flavor of the rub and the foiling juice! I used it in the end to finish them off as a glaze too. The ribs didnt quite get as tender as I normally like, but with the temp fluctuations I was having, I think that might be why. I'll get better though!

Here they are out of the smoker and plated up ready to eat! 


Welcome!! Your ribs look great!!!

You mentioned having problems keeping the temp set. It appears that you are using a propane smoker. Is that correct? As mentioned above filling the water pan with sand or pea gravel will help maintain a more solid temp, especially on cold damp or windy days (those conditions never happen in the Pacific NW right???
laugh1.gif
). If it is a propane smoker then there are some other modifications that you can make to help control the temps too. Let us know what kind of smoker you have and we can help you out some more.
 
Hey Melissa.....nice looking racks. I'm down here in Oregon and can feel your pain with the swirling winds and rain making running a smoker difficult. Remember , it's all a learning curve but looks like you're getting your unit dialed in. 2-2-1 is just a guide line, so for possibly more tender, fall off the bone ribs go longer with the foiled time perhaps so that juice can work it's magic. As far as temp controls I'd agree with the air flow pointers mentioned above. Wide open with the top vent and close off the lower vents. Maybe start with half open and make small changes in vent positions. I eventually made a 3-sided hooch outta plywood to somewhat control the swirling winds.
 
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