Smokin' Baby Backs In My Big Daddy

[bill scott]

Okay, Sunday's the big day. I bought two racks of baby backs (already trimmed) and I'm gonna make my first run at cooking them in the Big Daddy tomorrow.

I plan on cooking Rack #1 with just the rub, but Rack #2 is gonna be an experiment. I'll put the rub on both racks in the beginning, but for Rack #2, I am going to try a Orange Marmalade Sriracha glaze. Might take the top of my head off, but I found a recipe that looks scrumptious. 

18oz Orange Marmalade

1/3 cup honey (local)

1/3 cup Sriracha sauce

1/3 cup of brown sugar

Just thinking about this makes me nervous as a cat on a smoker. My plan is  to cook the ribs at about 190 for 2.5 hours and then 30 minutes before they are done, lower the temp to 180 and put three layers of the sauce on them in ten minute intervals. My problem is: how do you know when '30 minutes before they are done' rolls around? It's like giving a total stranger directions and telling him to turn left where the old church used to be. I don't want to chance overcooking the ribs and I don't want my sauce to burn.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[bama bbq]

Baby Backs usually take about 5 hours.  It's a good planning number anyways.  You should be able to backwards plan your glaze times.  Remember to post the cook and the photos so we can see how a pro does it.

 

[bill scott]

Ha! Bama, You know how to give a guy confidence. Nice try but it didn't work. :)

Five hours at 190? How is that possible? Would you suggest I wrapped them, or no? I usually like to warp them at the end but, then I wouldn't be able to apply the glaze, and if I wrapped them after I glazed them, it would be a mess.

Has anyone tried that glazing recipe I wrote about? I would like to know it that *hot* Sriracha sauce permanently affected your speech. LOL!
 

 

[pgsmoker64]

Use the 2-2-1 method!

Cook on the smoker with only your rub at 225 to 240, pull them and double wrap in foil and put them back on the smoker for 1.5 to 2 hours.  Remove them from the foil and put them back on the smoker for 1 to 1.5 hours.  In the last 30 minutes or so apply your glaze.  

Be sure to test the doneness of the ribs by inserting a toothpick, if it slides in and out like in warm butter they are ready!  

Don't apply sauce or glaze before foiling.

Good luck,

Bill

 

[flash]

Use the 2-2-1 method!

Cook on the smoker with only your rub at 225 to 240, pull them and double wrap in foil and put them back on the smoker for 1.5 to 2 hours.  Remove them from the foil and put them back on the smoker for 1 to 1.5 hours.  In the last 30 minutes or so apply your glaze.  

Be sure to test the doneness of the ribs by inserting a toothpick, if it slides in and out like in warm butter they are ready!  

Don't apply sauce or glaze before foiling.

Good luck,

Bill

This

But I would only do them for 4 1/2 hours.

 

[bill scott]

I posted this about an hour ago Guess I didn't submit it.

Thanks guys, I'm think about your suggestions.

Let the games proceed.

Step 1: Bought some of Walmart's black label meat. About 4.25 to 4.5# per rack at $15.00 each. Kept them in the fridge for about a day and a half. One didn't smell good when I opened it, but once I rinsed the blood off, the smell went away. Nevertheless, I don't think I will buy anymore Walmart's ribs again.

Both racks were smeared with French's mustard (plain). The ribs in the front have Jeff's rub on them, and the ones in the rear have a store-bought rub on them. I can't really tell the difference, but it's less work. I am going to do my experiment with Jeff's ribs.

Smoker set to 190. Time about 11:30am.

ribs81101.jpg

• bill scott
• Aug 11, 2013

 

[bill scott]

Step 2:

I put the ribs in the smoker, put some hickory in the smoke box, poured some apple juice in the liquid container and turned it on.

It's been an hour since I put them in, and I am having a devil of a time keeping the Big Daddy at 190. I have to keep going downstairs and tweaking the temperature know. It keeps going from 195 to 180 every time I breathe on it. This wireless temperature thing is nice, but I have another wireless thermometer that registers higher. I have on inside the smoker laying on the grill and I compare the two. It's dropped to 178 now. Geeeesh! Controlling it is turning out to be a nightmare

ribs81102.jpg

• bill scott
• Aug 11, 2013

 

[dirtsailor2003]

190* is way too low. You really need to be up around at least 225* I smoke my ribs @265*

 

[bill scott]

Step3:

I went ahead and raised the temp up to 220 or so. Spayed them with apple juice and added some more hickory to the fire box. I'm not liking the temperature control on the Big Daddy. If swings  back and forth by about10 degrees or so without touching the thermostat.

Time in thus far: 3 hours

robs081106.jpg

• bill scott
• Aug 11, 2013

 

[JckDanls 07]

first off.. is the big daddy electric ? second.. where did you get the 190` from... 225` is what you want from start to finish... I dod the 2-2-1 method as well... I start checking them at the 1.5 hr mark when in the foil... most times the 1.5 hr mark is enough time in the foil... then when I take them out of foil I sauce and put back in smoker for 30-40 minutes... but then again each rack of ribs is different... some take longer some not so long... the bend test is a good way to gauge doneness... use tongs and grab about half way or so down the rack... when the half hanging out of the tongs bends down to about 90` it's time for them to come out of the foil.... hope some if this makes sense

 

[JckDanls 07]

If it's electric, temps will do that when the burner turns on and off... just average the high and low....

 

[bill scott]

Thanks, Jck.I am experimenting with a recipe that doesn't call for wrapping. I usually warp as well, however I want to try something different this time. Might be a big mistake. I guess I'll soon find out. Yes, the Big Daddy is electric. I've only had it about three weeks and trying different things. That 1,500 watt cooking element has changed a lot of things.

Time of cook: 4 hours

Smoker temp: About 245

Meat Temp: 174

ribs081107.jpg

• bill scott
• Aug 11, 2013

 

[JckDanls 07]

just use the bend test then to figure out when to start saucing...

 

[bill scott]

Thanks, Jck. Passed the bend test, started basting.

Time in cook: 6:30

ribs081109.jpg

• bill scott
• Aug 11, 2013

 

[themule69]

Looks GREAT!

Thanks for sharing

David

 

[bill scott]

Pictures before resting.

Total cooking time 6:30

I hope these will be done and not dry. The ones in the rear were not glazed. Which looks better?

ribs081110.jpg

• bill scott
• Aug 11, 2013

 

[bill scott]

Final Results on Orange-Marmalade/Sriracha Baby Back Ribs.

I have to say I was somewhat surprised. I thought they would be too dry, because I cooked them for the first three hours at 190... They were not dry

With all that honey and orange-marmalade in the glaze, I though they would be too sweet... they were not sweet.

Using 1/3 cup of Sriracha, I thought they might be too hot... They were just right.

I took them off at 184 and I expected them to be undercooked and tough... They were done and tender.

In fact they were so tender, the knife sunk through them like butter, and there was practically no pull on the bone (see picture). but they were not falling off of the bone. The meat had the consistency of very tender ham. The kind you buy sliced in the store, maybe even more tender.

The taste was wonderful. I have to say that it is the best bbq I have ever cooked, and I would highly recommend the Orange-Marmalade/Sriacha glaze. It wasn't too hot, or too sweet. They were just right. It's also the first time I haven't said, 'The next time I'm gonna do it different".

Thanks, guys for all the great tips.

Good Smokin'

ribs081111.jpg

• bill scott
• Aug 11, 2013

 

[JckDanls 07]

good deal.. glad they came out to your liking

 

[pgsmoker64]

They look fantastic Bill!

Nice job!

Bill

 

[longevity]

How much did the Big Daddy cost? That is the number #4 model? I just bought a number #3 model and i am having a hard time getting above 195 when set to 225 degrees. A bit disapointed.