I have Pellets coming towards the end of this week from A-MAZE-N-PELLETS. Waiting on them. This will be my first expeience with Pellets, so that will be a learning experience for me. I may do some Brats this Sunday. As for Smoking ribs, pork loins, pork tenderloins, etc. that will be the week of 6-21 as we are having a sort of family reunion that week with our 5 kids (all married with kids). Two live locally in OK with one in NY, one in CA, and one in China.
OK, I'm tuned but I'm still thinking. I always set my smoker at around 225-235° for whatever I'm smoking. I only smoke St. Louis or baby backs, never a rack of spareribs. Oops--I tell a lie! I bought two racks of spareribs once so I could trim them St. Louis style myself. Watched a couple of You Tube videos first and then found it was fairly easy to do. The last time I smoked ribs I didn't foil them, which convinced me to foil them from then on. Besides that I cooked them for 7 hours when I should have only cooked them for 6. Time got away from me. With grilling, it's such a hassle to get the ribs out of the rack that I haven't foiled them. The last time I grilled ribs in the rack (which was after the smoked ribs) I slightly undercooked them in about 2.5 hours or so.
As far as 3-2-1 or 2-2-1, I also include "variations thereof" because I might go 3-2.5-.5 or whatever if I'm late applying the foil and/or unwrapping the foil for various reasons. But I've read to basically use 3-2-1 for St. Louis and 2-2-1 for baby backs.
I also go by the way the ribs look which is why I knew the smoked ribs were overcooked but was surprised the grilled ribs were not done enough. It's harder to grill ribs because besides the hassling (for me) with the rib rack there's applying the mop and the finishing sauces and having to manage the heat in the BBQ using indirect heat with the lump charcoal (typically I use briquettes) in two Weber charcoal fuel holders on each side of the rib rack. When the ribs are done I just put them on a platter and bring 'em to the dining room and just let them rest for about 15 minutes.
I decided to spray the rib rack from now on. I'll use Weber Grill 'N Spray which I prefer to Pam. I'm an inveterate and compulsive label reader and I just like the ingredients used in the Weber better than other similar sprays.
OK, I'm back to staying tuned and watching this space for some BRICKGUY221 QVIEWS, BABY!!!!! Haven't seen hardly any Bluetooths in action yet.