Labor Day weekend BBQ with Q-View

[flyinion]

So, we're actually having everyone over today Sunday instead of Labor Day, but hey it's still Labor Day Weekend :).  Going to have 9 adults and 2 kids (who eat about 2 bites of anything).  I'm doing 5lbs of tri-tip and 9lbs of St. Louis cut ribs (all weights before trimming).  I picked all the meat up at Costco and I think I lost about 1/2-3/4 of a lbs overall on the ribs from my own trimming and almost nothing from the tri-tip.  

I have to say I was impressed by Costco's tri-tip.  This is the 2nd time I've used them, usually use the local grocery store chain, and this time I did nearly zero trimming.  They had almost all of the fat & silverskin removed.  The grocery store I usually lose a good 1/2 pound per tri-tip to fat trimming.  Ribs, well these are literally my FIRST ribs EVER.  I've eaten a lot, but NEVER cooked them before.  I'm going to use 3-2-1 method on them so hopefully they turn out.  I removed the silverskin/membrane (whichever it is on ribs) and then everything has been rubbed with Jeff's rub recipe.  

I'm really liking that rub.  I get to use my favorite homemade chili powder recipe from Alton Brown with it. Anyway here is a pic of everything resting in the fridge for the smoke to start.  The ribs go on about 9am PST and the tri-tip about 1pm PST.  Tri-tip usually takes about 1 1/2 hours on the WSM but I'm going with 2 hours before desired finish both for a rest and because they are going on the bottom rack instead of the top and I don't know if that will change cooking time being closer to the water pan.

edit:  Just in case it wasn't obvious/implied, I will be updating this post as the morning/afternoon progresses with pics of the actual smoking.

ldmeat.jpg

• flyinion
• Sep 2, 2012

 

[flyinion]

Here's a shot of the ribs about 1 1/2 hours into it.  Got them on right at 9am on time (which is like a first for me lol).  Temp has been bouncing between 225-233 as I get the WSM dialed in.  I think it has finally settled as the temp is holding at 226 since I took the lid off for about 5 seconds to get this shot.  I know, I don't normally pull the lid off, but being my first ribs I wanted to take a look quickly and see how they were progressing.  Tri-tip will go on in about 2 1/2 hours unless anyone has a better suggestion.  I.e. we are planning to have food ready at 3pm, I plan to put the tri-tip on at 1pm.  The sizes I have normally take about 1 1/2 hours on the top rack of the WSM but they will be on the bottom today so I don't know how much that will affect cooking time being closer to the water pan.  I'm thinking maybe I will put them on about 12:30 actually since I'm running about 225-230 on the smoker.  Usually it's more around 245-260 when I do it and I just remembered that little fact.

ldmeat2.jpg

• flyinion
• Sep 2, 2012

 

[flyinion]

Ack, my new ET-73 is apparently having issues.  I tested both the meat and air probes in an ice bath and they were accurate.  Just went to put the tri-tip on and I put the meat probe in and it was at 79 and rising.  The meat had just come out of the fridge so I knew that wasn't right.  Pulled out my normal probe that I used before and sure enough it reads the right temp for the meat.  Not sure what is up with the ET-73 meat probe but I hope my air probe is actually working right now 

 

[flyinion]

Ok here's the final pic.  Tri-tip still got done in about 1 1/2 hours.  Partly because it was thinner than the ones I normally end up with.  The ribs I think got over done.  They were falling apart after the 3-2 of 3-2-1 and I think I had a bit much smoke on them.  Overall everyone is liking it though.  I think the smoke problem is that I had some thick white smoke at the beginning due to poor choice in wood chunk positioning.  Also the tri-tip did seem a little med-well after resting in a cooler for an hour+.

ldmeat3.jpg

• flyinion
• Sep 2, 2012

 

[dragonmaster194]

Looks good, thanks for sharing.  Steve

 

[flyinion]

Thanks.  I think I may try a non-foiled rib method next time.  I.e. slap them on there at 225 and smoke them for 4-5 hours until done.  I wasn't expecting them to be so fall apart as they were.  I almost didn't think they'd stay intact moving from the foil to the smoker for the 1 in 3-2-1.  (I actually did lose a bone out of one of the racks during that)