Finishing Brisket and Ribs In The Oven

[daricksta]

I'm new to smoking, and it's possible my question has already been addressed in a few hundred threads but here goes.  What is the purpose of smoking a brisket or a rack of ribs for a few hours and then finishing them off in an oven? I've seen this on a few restaurant and cooking shows but not at all in BBQ competitions or in all BBQ restaurants. One chef smoked his dry-rubbed ribs, finished them off in an oven, laid some sauce on them, seared the sauce, and I think put them back in the oven for a few more minutes. (This was on Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives.) Why?

 

[chef jimmyj]

I'm convinced that the Chef's on DDD do not give away all the correct info. I have heard some Crazy smoke times on that show. Anyway many restaurants hold their Ribs/Meat in Ovens at 150*F until needed then Sauce and Finish/Re-heat on a Grill....JJ

 

[diggingdogfarm]

Some restaurants that I've been associated with have had very limited smoker space which was the reason for finishing things off in an oven.


~Martin

 

[jirodriguez]

A lot of them use the approach that once you wrap it in foil, then all you doing is cooking it a low slow temps..... regardless of if it is in an oven or a smoker, and an oven is basically set it and walk away.

Most of us here though prefer to just finish it off on the smoker... since the smoker is already going and what not. But there have been times people have had to resort to the oven: usually based on weather or availability of space in the smoker.

 

[alblancher]

Pork butts seem to always end up in the oven for me.  I'm good for 10 to 12 hours standing in front of a smoker, after that it's time to put my feet up. 

 

[red dog]

I,m with Al on this one. And when happy hour starts at our place nobody pays any attention to how I finish it anyway.

 

[daricksta]

Thanks, everyone.  I'm learning so much from all of you. I'm of the lazy school, semi-lazy anyway. I stick the meat in the smoker and then every 30 minutes or so check the temps and the smoke flowing out of the vent. I'm learning now to judge the amount of wood pellets I'll need for however many hours I plan to smoke. I just got a free larger wood chip tray from MES which I haven't installed yet so I need to experiment with how much wood chips to use so I don't need to refill the tray too often. As I wrote elsewheres, I did learn that that smoke can be too much of a good thing, as I thought both my brisket and ribs could have been less smoke-infused and would have tasted yummier.