If I may...ribs with bark and plentiful interior moisture...I don't get that with any of the previously mentioned methods or treatments...other than low & slow. Ribs aren't that difficult, or I would smoke them less often than I do...:
Wet-to-Dry No-Foil Smoke Chamber Method for Smoking Meats - SmokingMeatForums.com Community
Eric
Thanks so much for writing this, Eric. I'm a bit overwhelmed by it all—I don't quite understand how to setup the water-pan correctly, with the water / pea-gravel / drip protection, etc. Your ribs look fantastic and the article has convinced me this works, I'm just not quite sure how to execute it.
Ah, maybe you shouldn't be so quick to thank me...just kidding!!! You're welcome. For setting it up, just think thermal mass in the pan (pea-gravel or washed sand) along with a smaller amount of water, and something above the pan to keep dripping from getting at your thermal mass (so you can keep using it over and over again).
From my understanding, when you did your ribs…
- 3hrs @ ??? temp w/ 1 qt water…followed by another few cups after 2 hours since water dissolved. (but then your article mentions 1/3 qt for ribs should suffice?)
- 2hrs @ 250 w/ no water.
- Done.
Keep in mind that for every smoker the water amount will be different, and can change with ambient temps, wind, and actual target chamber temps...and will also change to your personal preference once you get a good feel for how everything is working for you. I do like to smoke my ribs a bit on the low side of low & slow, generally under 225*, similar to Dave. but sometimes I run a bit hotter as well. Slower seems to render out a bit more fat, so if I want a bit leaner eating rib, slower is the way to go.
It was also mentioned that severe temperature spikes are an issue in vertical charcoal smokers (like my
WSM.) Has anyone here with a
WSM had experience using this method?
I don't seem to have a clear picture of this method, thus my hesitance to attempt it.
The mention of temperature spikes is a caution for those who may not have experienced a boil-off of your water in the past. Water helps to regulate temps in vertical smokers due to evaporative cooling, and when the water is gone, the temps can and do go up. When using a thermal mass plus some water, the thermal mass helps to offset the temp spike when you let the water evaporate for the dry smoke chamber stage of cooking...gives a little extra insurance against high smoke chamber temp spikes, although it won't eliminate that problem, it should help to reduce it.
Hope this helps you get a better perspective of how to make it come together.
EDIT: I should also mention, as it directly relates to cooking, that I'm located @ 5,000ft elevation...my food cooks slower at a given temp than for someone @ 1,000ft, for example, but faster than for someone @ 7,000ft. Here's how it relates to cooking:
Boiling Point / Atmospheric Pressure / Altitude
Eric