First try at Ribs - QView

euromir · Jun 5, 2016

Its been a while, finally got my UDS tidied up and resprayed, although still not keen on the paint but anyway its for cooking not looking at!

Bit of a spontaneous smoke today, only decided yesterday that i was going to! And sadly i didn't have any heatbeads etc, so i ordered what i could from Amazon for next day! I know crazy but it was a sudden urge, ill order more beads etc tomorrow.

Anyway, got Landman premier briquettes as only thing available for Sunday delivery, and could only get hickory woodchips rather than chunks but needs must! Also got a "reds" rib rub as again all i could find at very short notice!

UDS is fired up (bit late but had wait for delivery! lol)

Ribs are rubbed and on now, i removed most of the membrane but think a couple small bits remained. Smoker started off too hot and was struggling to lower it without killing it, currently sitting at 220F and dropping with virtually all vents closed, need to open one a bit as dont want it to go out.. Hopefully it wont get too hot again.. Trying the 2-2-1 method from forums.

Updates later! Going to be a late dinner !

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Jun 5, 2016

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Jun 5, 2016

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Jun 5, 2016

wade · Jun 5, 2016

Looking good so far Lee. Waiting for the next update

Getting the smoker too hot to begin with is always a problem. It is much harder to reduce the temperature than it is to increase it. How did you start the burn off? We you using a Minion method or did you light all of the briquettes from the start?

The hickory chips will be fine. You may need to add more during the smoking period though as they will be quickly used up.

euromir · Jun 5, 2016

More pictures later, but currently been sat at 225f for past hour.. Got it nailed :-)

I lit about 12-15 briquettes in starter and then poured them in centre of a ring of unlit briquettes Wade. Like you say the start was a bit random, but since then it's pretty stable.

euromir · Jun 5, 2016

So first two hours done, sprayed some oil and apple juice on them and wrapped I foil.

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euromir
Jun 5, 2016

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euromir · Jun 5, 2016

Stage 3 is underway, the final hour. Smelling divine

euromir · Jun 5, 2016

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euromir
Jun 5, 2016

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euromir · Jun 5, 2016

Wow, impressed myself, tasted lovely!!
Probably could of been a little more tender and moist, but for first try, beautiful.

wade · Jun 6, 2016

Hi Lee - a good first attempt on your new UDS. It is good that they tasted lovely

They look as if they may have been cooked either a little too hot or maybe too long. Once you get the temperature control sorted they will come out much more moist. Looking at the first picture of your cooked post I see that you have the cooking grid directly over the coals with nothing in between. This will very likely cause the ribs to be hotter one side than the other. You should try and have a metal bowl full of sand or water a little above the charcoal to help buffer the heat in the cooking area. Can I see some fixings for a lower cooking grate half way down? If so then try placing a bowl of sand on top of a cooking grate there - or make a tray from tinfoil on the lower grate and fill it with sand. You need the bowl to cover most of the cooking grate with just a small gap around the edges. It will make a big difference.

The bark looks quite dark - almost black. Did you have a lot of sugar in the rub?

euromir · Jun 6, 2016

The rub was shop bought, don't think it was particularly sugary. Next time I'll be making my own from scratch.

No I've yet to try a water bowl. Definitely something I've wanted to try yes, just not got around to getting parts as yet. There are some bolts that could be used, there designed for raising basket for grilling, but I've thought of putting a heat deflector on them.

Temperatures were pretty much 225f for the whole 5hrs, spiked though whenever took lid off.

smokin monkey · Jun 6, 2016

I would go with Wade's suggestion of a heat deflector. I use them on all my equipment unless I am searing.

kc5tpy · Jun 9, 2016

Hello. I hate to go against popular wisdom here but I would never cook a rack like that for 5 hours. !-2 hours and those ribs should be done. I can smoke a spatched cock chicken in an hour.

Just my opinion. I don't like steamed pork. I like there to be a little "tug"; a little "chew" to the meat. Also my dogs "bark". I don't want my meat to "bark". I don't want burned sugar ( "carmelised" ) on my meat. This is not "set it and forget it" cooking. It would be about "tending the pit" moving the meat and actually cooking. ALL just my dumb opinion and tastes. GLAD you liked it! Keep Smokin!

Danny

slimjimuk · Jun 11, 2016

Been trying to do some research on the whole process and found a guy doing videos online. He was slating the use of water in the deflector, as it is for beginners and makes control of the temperature too easy.

Well, that sold it too me. I shall be using water in my heat deflector!!!! [emoji]128518[/emoji]

wade · Jun 11, 2016

slimjimUK said:
Been trying to do some research on the whole process and found a guy doing videos online. He was slating the use of water in the deflector, as it is for beginners and makes control of the temperature too easy.

Well, that sold it too me. I shall be using water in my heat deflector!!!! [emoji]128518[/emoji]

That is crazy. Why would you you want to make things harder for yourself just because you have smoked a few pieces of meat already. Maybe he would like to challenge all of the crews that use water or sand trays in their smokers as part of their competition cooking.

At home he probably uses the power switch on his cooker to regulate the temperature in his oven rather than "cheat" by using the thermostat. He has probably never knowingly eaten Quiche either.

slimjimuk · Jun 11, 2016

Ha.... Exactly!

He seemed to be a seasoned "expert" and by the looks of his setups, he didn't have a controller....
He was arguing that all the "pros" in the BBQ pits at big restaurants don't use water (he is a Southern American)

But he DID say he used ceramic bricks in his heat deflector!!!! Which I always presumed was pretty much the same thing as water?

Each to their own I guess.... [emoji]128521[/emoji]

smokin monkey · Jun 11, 2016

Bricks, water, sand it's all the same. He has possibly missed one point about the water, that it helps to keep things a little more moist.

wade · Jun 11, 2016

Commercial smokers used in restaurants here (and in most cities in the USA) are a different animal and use other methods to maintain steady temperatures. I have a commercial smoker (FEC-120) and it has the fire behind the cooking chamber, uses heat exchange through double skin walls and a computer managed fan to maintain a steady temperature. It makes it even easier than using a smoker with a water - LOL

Some of the larger BBQ restaurants in rural areas with plenty of space do use the "traditional" offset smokers. I have not seen any of those use water bowls - but they are unlikely to be the kind of smoker used by back yard smokers.

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smokin monkey · Jun 11, 2016

Haha Wade you look like the midget man stood next to that smoker. The top of the smoker is at neck height, the owner, it comes up to his chest!

toonarmy · Jun 11, 2016

Where does everyone in the UK source their pork ribs for smoking?

I normally get them from the local Morrisons supermarket but unfortunately the cuts they have are never very big. I have also found doing ribs on my smoker, they tend to turn out quite dry. I tried the 3-2-1 method last time, it could be the cuts are too small, cooking too long and drying out quicker or that I should maybe baist them more to keep the meat moist.

Below is my previous attempt at ribs. Im hoping to have another try tomorrow and would like to improve them:

Any tips would be greatly appreciated

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toonarmy
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wade · Jun 11, 2016

Smokin Monkey said:
Haha Wade you look like the midget man stood next to that smoker. The top of the smoker is at neck height, the owner, it comes up to his chest!

LOL - He was standing on the bed of the trailer whilst I was standing on the floor. I tried to get him to stand in front of it but in that pa\rt of Texas they didn't seem to speak English.

wade · Jun 11, 2016

Go to your local butcher and ask for "meaty ribs". They should know exactly what you mean. You will then get something that approaches the US ribs. Supermarkets rarely have ribs with any meat left on them.

What you are looking for is something like these.

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wade
Jun 11, 2016

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Jun 11, 2016

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