First spares on the Char Broil

[ryanhoelzer]

I did some baby backs last weekend. Started them on the Char Broil and then finished them on the MES for temp control and saving charcoal/lump. Going to do spares the whole time on the Char Broil today to see how much fuel I use and practice temp control. Doing a kind of modified 2-3-1. Starting them in a foil pan uncovered for 2 hours, then adding some apple juice and covering the pan for 3 hrs, then an hour directly on the rack to firm them back up. The baby backs last weekend were great with this method.

Using Head Country rub and hickory.

I attempted a St Louis cut, I need more practice..

 

[werdwolf]

Looks good.

More practice means more eats

 

[rdknb]

looks like you on the way

 

[ozark rt]

Let us know the outcome. I'm not criticizing or even remotely tring to tell you what to do but I would be worried that 3 hours covered and steaming would make them mushy. I get pretty nervous and skeptical even at 2 hours sometimes.

 

[ryanhoelzer]

Check out the experiment I did with baby backs last weekend.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...ad.php?t=91822

The 2-3-1s were falling off the bone but the time before and after the foil kept them from being mushy. The only thing I'm doing different this time is the first 2 hours in the pan uncovered.

 

[mythmaster]

I thought it was 3-2-1 for spares and 2-2-1 for baby backs? What is this 2-3-1 I'm hearing about??? Let us know how it turns out.

 

[ryanhoelzer]

I did the trimmings 2-2-1.5. I was going to pull them at 1 but they needed a little more time directly on the rack, probably because of the first part in the pan. Firm enough to cut with a knife or they'll pull apart to eat with your hands.

 

[northern greenhorn]

They look like they turned out great, nice job

 

[ryanhoelzer]

Man this charcoal is alot of work..

I had to pay pretty close attention all day to keep it around 230. Then at about 6 hours in I was out of charcoal and lump and they still needed more time. So again I plugged in the MES and finished in it. I ended up with a 2-3-3, the last 3 is misleading because I was losing heat and then had some low heat in between the Char Broil and the MES heating up. I think the pan at the beginning set me back too and I won't try that again. I was really happy with the baby backs last weekend so I think what I'll do next with spares is 2 or 3 hours on charcoal, then 3 hours foiled in the MES, and finish on the rack in the MES.

All that aside, they turned out pretty good. Not falling off the bone but tender and still pretty juicy.

 

[ryanhoelzer]

I wanted to test longer foil times and I tend to like them about an hour longer than those #s. I did some baby backs at 2-3-1 last weekend and they were great.

 

[caveman]

He is just altering the formula to fit his taste is all. You can play around with the time as long as the ribs come out to your liking.



All that matters is that the taste was to your liking. You have a little smoke ring there & the meat did not "Flop" off of the bone or burn, so I would say that was a pretty successful smoke. Good job.

Yeah, the char broil. Always keep extra lump & coal around for that puppy. It is a beast that needs to be fed.

 

[mythmaster]

I see, and no one can argue with that. As long as they were good, and they looked good to me!