Game plan for spareribs

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stevefour

Newbie
Original poster
Jul 25, 2009
13
10
Salem, Oregon
Ok all,

I'm trying my second run at smoking some spareribs tomorrow. I did a poor job last weekend with a beautiful rack of babybacks, so its redemption time. I've done my research here on the board and I think I have a better plan of attack.

I've read the 3-2-1 and that helped on the times and temps. From what I read I need to lighten up on the white smoke and get light blue. I was letting the fire smolder which looks cool coming out of the flue, but makes the meat taste like beef jerkey and the neighbors wonder what the hell I'm doing over there.

I have some mesquite and hickory chunks of wood that is dry. Should I soak or not? This wood was purchased at Lowes "Cowboy Brand". I know that this probably isn't the best, but its what I got, any suggestions of what I should be using would be well received.

My other question is the best method of creating and mantaining my fire in my firebox. I have a Char-Griller Duo with side firebox. I have no mods as of yet, but may plan to do so at later date.

Lastly, any other tid bits of info that will make my smoke a pleasure, and not a damn what the heck do you think you are doing smoke would be greatful.
 
Some people soak their chips some do not.
I have tried both ways and can not tell the diffrence but soaked wood does take me longer to obtain smoke.
Sometimes I can not even see any smoke comming out but I can smell it.
If you follow the 3-2-1 you should do fine.
Hope you have a digital themonter to moniter you tems.
I cook mine at 225 to 230.
 
I was having some problems with my smoke yesterday, until I soaked about an 8 inch piece of oak wood and wrapped in in two foil pans for my cabinet smoker. After that it was thin blue all the way, but this may just work for my homemade smoker.
 
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And a vote for soaking from me.
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Just remember if you smell wood burning, you're smoking. You stated Cowboy Brand as wood.......isn't that lump charcoal? Not the best by far. Lots of snapping and popping. I'd rather use Kingsford Briquettes.



Remember, good smoke on right.

As to anything else you might do while smoking to make it better..........drink copious amounts of beer.
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I sometimes soak my wood and sometimes I don't It depends on how fast I want the smoke. On your baby back you want to use the 2-2-1 it's spares that you use the 3-2-1 for.
 
Maybe too late for this cook, but since you stated you had a CG duo with no mods, get you a CharBroil shaker basket from Lowes for your SFB and some way of mounting it above the ash drawer. This will let you mix your chunks in with unlit charcoal & use a Minion type method. Soak or no soak is your option. Do what feels right
 
Thanks for the input, just got done with the meat prep and getting ready to start the fire.

Here is my fire pic and my smoke pic. The smoke is blue and thin the pic doesn't do it any justice.

The final product.
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Ok ribs have been on for about 25 mins temp per the chargriller gauge is 180. I know I need to get it up a tad, so should I add a few charcoal chunks?

225 now and holding steady.

The beer tastes good.
 
It was a success, I posted a few pic on previous post. Not sure about doing the qview as don't fully understand how to upload photos.
 
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