3,2,1 Ribs ON... (pictures)

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SonnyE

Master of the Pit
Original poster
OTBS Member
Dec 13, 2017
4,371
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Saugus, California
Yeah, trying my first rib rack via the MES 30, with Hickory smoke.
Woke up at 5 AM with my smoked cheese on the brain. Got the overnight load of cheeses out, out and it was ready to bundle up at a nice cool 41 degrees.
That done, and things cleaned up, my mind turned to the ribs of yesterday...
Twas 8:40 AM... (08:40 Hrs)

I got a good deal on some meaty Baby Backs yesterday for $2.78 a pound (down .20 from usual). So impulse buy. Never miss a good deal, besides, that's why we gave each other a chest freezer for Christmas.
So I held out a rack for myself, since I'm batchin it till Sunday anyway. I halved and froze the other two racks per usual.
Great day to run a recipe trial. So got the smoker warmed up, while I prepped my ribs. I cut my full racks in half, makes them much nicer to handle for me. And laid the halves on a single rack with my new meshes.
Then in she goes. Set my handy dandy phone timer to keep me honest, and the TBS is drifting in the mornings cool breeze.
Green Beans, and boiled potatoes, as my sides. Come on 3 PM!

Apparently nobody wants me to mess with my regular rib cookin, so this I'm doin for me.
Me, Myself, and I... And if it turns out bad, well, I can talk to the guy in the mirror. :rolleyes:
I like smoke, the rest don't. So :p, eat Wheaties.
Grandpa is at play... :)

20180217_100100.jpg 20180217_100115.jpg 20180216_213130.jpg

Oh, and um, Yesterdays cheese night run...
(Just the start...)
20180216_165334.jpg
 
For the race tomorrow I'm going to be doing ribs in my MES 30 with hickory too.I've only done ribs on my WSM via the 3-2-1 method,this will be my first rack on an MES.My only issue is to sauce or not to sauce!
 
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Sonny, either those are some BIG ARSE ribs or that is one small smoker, and clean have you cooked anything in there LOL.

Seriously, it's nice sometimes to make things the way you want them, and not have to worry if others will like them. The cheese looks like it's going to be good, and the ribs - well what can I say. I love ribs, either fall of the bone or bite tender.

Point for sure.

Chris

p.s. I don't like my ribs sauced. Naked as a jaybird is just fine with me.
 
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For the race tomorrow I'm going to be doing ribs in my MES 30 with hickory too.I've only done ribs on my WSM via the 3-2-1 method,this will be my first rack on an MES.My only issue is to sauce or not to sauce!

I always sauce. But I have a formula...
I use Sweet Baby Rays as my base. Then I add the stuff I like to it. Granulated Garlic, Montreal Steak seasoning, Onion Powder, Lawery's Season Salt, and a big ol glob of Sage Honey to glaze.
I mix to taste, my taste.
When that gets baked on and caramelized... well, Grandma sez "Ribs", and the kids and their families come runnin.
And just look at a bottle of Sweet Baby Rays. Sez right there, "The Sauce is the Boss".

So far, I can hardly hold the dog, or myself off...
Yeah, they look that good!

In the last hour (coming up), I'll be Air Frying French Fries, and heating up some Green Beans.

I'm shootin for fall off the bone...
 
Sonny, either those are some BIG ARSE ribs or that is one small smoker, and clean have you cooked anything in there LOL.

Seriously, it's nice sometimes to make things the way you want them, and not have to worry if others will like them. The cheese looks like it's going to be good, and the ribs - well what can I say. I love ribs, either fall of the bone or bite tender.

Point for sure.

Chris

p.s. I don't like my ribs sauced. Naked as a jaybird is just fine with me.

Sorta both, Chris. Thanks for the point!
The MES 30 isn't exactly giaganticle, And those are Smithfield Brand Extra Meaty pork loin ribs. Or so the package said.

Yes, I'm trying my best to customize the inside. Aside from several test burns of different fuels in an otherwise new (but now Highly Modified) MES. Only 3 smokes to it's glory so far. Salmon, Cheese, and now a rack of ribs.
They looked so good at the 3 mark, it was all my little buddy and I could do to not start eatin them then and there. But I sauced and foiled them for the 2 hour run. Coming up it the 1 hour finish, where the foil goes away, and the ribs get the caramelizing.
Maybe that's what you don't care for in 'sauce'. Maybe nobody baked and caramelized the sauce for you so it is more like a bark, than something dripping off your elbows?
My ribs ain't drippy, or gooey, nomally.

My problem is I like a nice smokey flavor. But the Family and extended Family don't seem to share that. So I'm going to see if I can convert a few. :rolleyes:

Anyway, just back from the final stage. Defoiled and running down the straightaway.
If they don't dry up, I'll take my torch to them. :eek:

Here's a drool for you:

Just opened:
20180217_142307.jpg

And going in for the kill:
20180217_142442.jpg

Last hour. Got to go do some fries and my Green Beans.

I vill be bach....
 
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Looking good Sonny!!:)
Almost time for you & your side-kick to eat !!:D
Be careful they don't fall apart on you.:eek:

Nice Job!:)
Like.

Bear
 
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I always sauce. But I have a formula...
I use Sweet Baby Rays as my base. Then I add the stuff I like to it. Granulated Garlic, Montreal Steak seasoning, Onion Powder, Lawery's Season Salt, and a big ol glob of Sage Honey to glaze.
I mix to taste, my taste.
When that gets baked on and caramelized... well, Grandma sez "Ribs", and the kids and their families come runnin.
And just look at a bottle of Sweet Baby Rays. Sez right there, "The Sauce is the Boss".

So far, I can hardly hold the dog, or myself off...
Yeah, they look that good!

In the last hour (coming up), I'll be Air Frying French Fries, and heating up some Green Beans.

I'm shootin for fall off the bone...
I kind of do the same thing for sauce.My base is equal parts Melindas ketchup(I prefer the Ghost) and RC cola with one or two shots of JD or JB.After that I add whatever I think it needs,garlic/onion powder etc.Then I reduce to the thickness I like.
 
Looking good Sonny!!:)
Almost time for you & your side-kick to eat !!:D
Be careful they don't fall apart on you.:eek:

Nice Job!:)
Like.

Bear

And EAT we did, my friend! Thank You for the Like!

OMG! SOoooooo GOOD!
Called our 20 year old Granddaughter over, and she grabbed some to go. (Home from college on the weekends, her M,D, and little Brother are out in the desert riding dirt toys for the weekend.

OK, I'm stuffed! So is my buddy.
Here's the Chronicles...
So in the last half of an hour, I did my hand cut house fries, put them in our Air Fryer, and let her rip. The green beans (canned) went in a small sauce pan on lowest heat, covered.
Ding! Fries are done. Green Beans are simmering, and shucks about 12 minutes to go on the MES 30.... :(
Finally, the phone sez go... I have my plate ready with Fries and Beans. In comes the rack with the two half slabs. Oh Man!
20180217_152807.jpg
Beautimus! :)
So I grab one and begin to cut it apart.
The first attempt meats with meat falling apart.

His. Including fry bites, of course!
20180217_153427.jpg
And His 20180217_154205(0).jpg

He wouldn't even look back up at the camera a second time. He'd been helpin and waiting all day for this...
20180217_153653.jpg This little Chihuahua mix is 14 years old. Damn right I'm going to spoil him.

Fallie off the bonie enough?
20180217_154939.jpg Dadgum Good Bar-B-Que!

Miss Jordan would only take the 3 in the foreground.
20180217_153443.jpg So the other 4 are saved for Grandma when she gets home tomorrow.

Cleanin my plate, I realised... I'm STUFFED!
20180217_155111.jpg Dem bones, dem bones, dem bones!
Dem is some clean bones!

I do believe there will be some converts next rib fest.
Arguably the easiest ribs I think I've made. And DadGum Good!

Some particulars:
I washed off the ribs, then patted them dry. Not something I ordinarily do, but they seemed 'bloody'.
Then put on my "Sonny's Secret BBQ Seasoning". My style of a rub.
Incidentally, I see countless videos referring to a rub, but they never rub the stuff. They sprinkle it, they pile it, but never rub it. I rub my rub to make sure it gets down onto and into the meat. I don't grind it in, but I don't have mine falling off when rolled over.
Then onto the rack, and out to the smoker on a cookie sheet. (After I washed and dried my paws.) I use a cookie sheet like a tray. Saves me cleaning the floor. :confused:
I also brought mine in to do the foil wrap and the saucing. Chris would have been proud, after all was said and done, when I opened the MES 30, I was looking at the nicest, mostest beautifullest, dark bark appearing slabs! I almost thought 'Too much?' (No, they were not saucy Chris, they were done the way I like them, dry. ;) )
But noooo, just right and wonderful to the taste buds. The wet sauciness from opening the foil dried into a beautiful crust of goodness.

Am I happy? Dadgum Gooden Happy, Pappy! :rolleyes:;):D

This old dog is happy with these new tricks.
And I really, really, need an AMNPS when the Eagle lands again.

I'm still full. TV time, everything is cleaned up, including this thread.
Thanks for your Interest, and Your Encouragement. :)
 
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I kind of do the same thing for sauce.My base is equal parts Melindas ketchup(I prefer the Ghost) and RC cola with one or two shots of JD or JB.After that I add whatever I think it needs,garlic/onion powder etc.Then I reduce to the thickness I like.

I'm not that adventurous yet....
I'd like to 'Roll my own' BBQ sauce, but it is easier for me to Doctor some store bought.
Besides, with the tea-totalers here, I'd rather put the shots in the cook. ;):D
 
Sonny, the ribs look fantastic congratulations. I've done the caramelization thing before. The family likes it I just don't care for it on ribs. Once I pull from the foil part of the ribs get sauced and my part stay nakkid. Keep on cooking.

Chris
 
Some great looking ribs! Nice job!
Also, I feel that if people don’t like smoked meats, might be from poorly smoking where there is no tbs only nasty white smoke.
 
Nice job Sonny. Those ribs turned out great. I'd eat a few of those anyday.
POINT
Gary

Thank You Gary. My success is due to all the help I've been given here on SMF. :rolleyes:

Sonny, the ribs look fantastic congratulations. I've done the caramelization thing before. The family likes it I just don't care for it on ribs. Once I pull from the foil part of the ribs get sauced and my part stay nakkid. Keep on cooking.
Chris

It's sarrite Chris. That's what you like. If I was to get some of your "Naked Ribs", who knows, I might like them better. ;)

Nice job on the ribs!
They look delicious!
Al

Oh Al, they were (are) so very good! I never would have thought I coulda done them this good. I put up some pickled hot dogs and onions the other day. Should be ready on the 20th...

Some great looking ribs! Nice job!
Also, I feel that if people don’t like smoked meats, might be from poorly smoking where there is no tbs only nasty white smoke.

I bet you are right about that. I have to keep working on mine. I like a bold smokiness, but not everybody does.
So I'm working on toning mine down. I am very happy with this first attempt at 3,2,1 ribs. I think I'll try 1/2 the smoke time next batch, just get a hint. But I need to get my AMNPS ordered. I'm convinced I need that tool in my arsenal.
But I am a cheater. I like taking the easy way out, instead of working at it like you do. ;)


I'm dreaming of a GREAT summer ahead! I can see me doing more and more outdoor cooking this summer when it's hot. I'll be able to dart out and run back inside to cool back off when it's +100 * F.
 
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