First Smoke Impression

[jasper95]

I've introduced myself at the roll call last week and yesterday used my GOSM for the first time (after seasoning on Friday). I bought some ribs and overall I was quite happy with the results. I'm going to detail what I did so the "experts" on here can critique and give me some pointers (as I know what I considered good ribs is pretty subjective relative to my in-experience!!).

-Bought the baby-back ribs at 8:00 AM.
-About an hour before I fire up the smoker, I took the ribs out of fridge, prepped them, put some mustard on and then rubbed some of Jeff's Naked Rib Rub on them.
-Fire up smoker, put soaked smaller hickory chips in the standard chip holder and put lid on.
-At about 160 and rising, I put the ribs on bone down.
-Temperature steadies right at 250 on GOSM guage and 235 internal guage that I bought the day before.
-After 1 hour, spray apple juice.
-After 2 hours, take ribs out, put in foir, put a little more rub on and spray with apple juice, place back in smoker.
-After another 1.5 hours (3.5 total), take ribs out of foil, spritz with more apple juice, put back in smoker.
-After another hour (4.5 total), ribs are done.
-Let sit about 10 minutes and then my wife and I stuff our faces (had side bowl of Jeff's GGSA bbq sauce.

I thought the ribs were quite tender, nice smoke flavor (yet still tasted like ribs and not just meat slathered with sauce), and overall much better then you get in a restaurant. The side bbq sauce was outstanding as well.

Concerns and Questions

First of all, using the standard chip holder was a mistake. The first set of chips didn't produce a whole lot of smoke. When I put more in, I simply wrapped the chips in foil, sliced the foil in several places, then put into the holder without the lid. That worked much better and next time, I will cut down a coffee can and use that with the foil method.

Next, the external temp guage read about 15-20 degrees hotter then the internal guage that was on the rack the ribs were on. I relied on the internal guage. Thoughts?

I detailed the above "technique" that I used. What can I do to improve the process?

Finally, I had the tank open only about a half turn and had the smoker on "low"......yet the lowest sustained internal temp reading I could get was around 235 degrees (the external read 250). Is there something I could do to get it lower? The damper was about 3/4 open.

Thanks for reading and commenting. Overall, I was quite pleased with my first smoke and this site had a tremendous amount to do with it!!!

Steve

 

[catfish]

Welcome to SMF I missed you in rollcall. Congrats sounds like you had a good smoke. I also use the GOSM. The coffee can is good I use a .96 cent loaf pan for my chips or chunks. Fits nice and loads good. I have moved away from the chips recently. They seemed to burn too quickly.The chunks burn nice and even I have found.I do not soak them. I am lucky my them gauge on the door is spot on. I also set a oven thermo on the top if using it to adjust cooking time for what I have up there. (on a side note)I zip tied the old chipbox lid to the handle on the outside to make a shelf for my termo sending unit.

I know some here recomend rubbing the meat a few hours before the smoking proces even the day before.I rub the same day a few hours before the smoking. Then wrap them in plastic wrap.

What was your outside tem? I am in texas and when I smoke it has been in th 90's if i run it on low with the vent open on top all the way it gives me 220 smooth. I even have to turn it up in the pm whe the temp drops again.Did you test both of the gauges? boiling water is about 212 DEG. I test my temp gauges every other smoke or if i think it is wrong. There is a mod on here where others have instaled exra temp gauges through the wall at different rack levels (which is my next mod).

Hope I answered your qustions and helped out some.
Sounds like you are off to a good start keep up the smoking. Don't forget the fattys and the ABT's to keep ya going through the smoking process.

 

[deejaydebi]

Hi Steve -

I can tell your hooked already! First smoke tatsed good and you want to improve it - good sign of a smokeaholic in the making! Congrats!

I don't have a gosm but I think most dial thermometers can can calibrated. If the one on the smoker can't be calibrated get a new one from Wally World, Lowes or Home Depot that can be. Your can look on the back and if it has a little nut on the stem you can tweek it in to reflect accurate temperatures. Temperatures are important!

In case you haven't tried in yet to claibrate your thermometer just bring a cup of water to boiling that's 212°F at sealevel. Adjust your thermometer to read 212°F and your good t go. I have no idea how to calibrate the digital ones I have three still in the box and tried one this winter and it froze up on me so I use the dial thermometers.

Speaking of environmental temperatures - they will affect your smoking as well. If it's really cold out you may have to add more fuel to come up to temperature and if it's real hot you may have to use less. If it's 100° outside it's gonna be damn near imposible to smoke at at 80°F witout added shades, fans etc.

Good job!

Sounds like the process was good - good job!

 

[jasper95]

The outside temp was low 80's. I have an overhang on my back porch, thus, the smoker is always in the shade. There was very little wind as well. Calibrating is a great idea and something I should have done before. Thanks for the reminder. Plus, in the future I'm going to go with chunks instead of the chips, as the chips petered out pretty quickly once they did get going. I used Hickory as well and might mix Hickory and Apple next time.

 

[blackhawk19]

Sounds like you done good, I tried something a little different last ribs I did. They were small racks of St Louis style. My wife doesn't like a real thick crust so I put them on naked. It turned into 2-1-1/2. I smoked over Apple and Hickory and sprayed with apple juice, I put T-Bones sticky apple ribs sauce on them along with apple juice when I foiled them and then basted with it after unfoiling. My wife loved them.

1/4tsp pepper
1/4tsp paprika
1/4tsp cinnamon
1/4tsp garlic salt
1 cup brown sugar(tightly packed)
1/2 cup apple sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
3tblsp lemon juice.
mix all ingredients and heat over low heat till smooth, refrigerate overnight (optional)

 

[jasper95]

One other thing. I sprayed apple juice one hour after throwing them on, right after I took off and put in foil, and once more after taking the foil off and putting back in. In total, I probably only used about 1.5 ounce for the rack of ribs. I know the first spray I didn't put enough on but then after that, it seemed like I was dousing them pretty good. However, 1.5 ounces doesn't seem like a lot. How much do all of you use?

 

[shellbellc]

Looks like you did good! Didn't see mention of the membrane though. You didn't leave that thing on the ribs did ya???

 

[doc]

Sounds like a great smoke. My only adivse to you for next time is to post some pics of the goods! We love Q-view!

 

[jasper95]

I took it off. One of the things I learned on here. It was actually easier then I had anticipated, but only because of the great advice given on here.

 

[blackhawk19]

I've never checked the amount, I just a have spray bottle filled apple juice in the beer fridge at the shop and I just spray them

 

[ron50]

When I spray I usually fill it with about 4 ounces and go through most of it. I guess it depends on how fine a spray you have the nozzle on. If the grub was juicy then it was the right amount, whatever that amount happens to be.

 

[deejaydebi]

I usually get those juiceboxes and one is perfect for a smoke. I have a fine sray I use a chefs pump sprayer.