New here, and could use RIB advice!

[SmokerNovice]

Hey all. Glad to be here. I just finished assembling my first ever smoker. I'm sure it's nothing compared to what you all have.. mine is just a MasterBuilt Electric Smoker, with the digital control panel. Not sure if you guys with "real" smokers look down at guys like me, but I sure hope not LOL! I will be attempting ribs this weekend, and although I think I have a basic idea what to do, I wanted to run it by you pro's!

So let me know if this sounds right, and please feel free to correct me.

I'm going to do 3 racks of baby backs for my first ever smoking. I read in the manual that I should season my smoker first, so I'll do that the day before. As far as the actual smoking, here's my plans.. 3-2-1 method.

Dry rub all over the ribs, let them sit about an hour to absorb the rub. Add wood chips (and keep adding about once an hour?) and smoke for 3 hours uncovered at around 225. After that, wrap the ribs in foil, and add a liquid, maybe beer or apple juice, and let them go for 2 hours.. QUESTION here tho.. do I keep adding wood chips for these 2 hours, or no? After those 2 hours are complete, I unwrap them, hit them up good with my homemade BBQ sauce, and let them go for the last hour at 225.. adding more wood chips to let them smoke that last hour.

This is what I gathered from reading some stuff online. If I stick to these plans, will my ribs at least be edible?? lol. Also, I read that I should keep the damper on the top of the smoker open about halfway throughout the process.. is that right? I would seriously appreciate any and all feedback you fella's could give me. Thanks so much, have a safe holiday weekend, everyone!

 

[browneyesvictim]

Masterbuilt electric smokers are actually probably the most common of eclectic smokers. No one will look down their nose at you at all!

For baby backs I would recommend 2-2-1 or thereabouts. 3-2-1 is best for spares and St Louis ribs

No need for smoke once they are wrapped, but no harm-no foul if your chips keep smoldering.

Keep your top damper all the way open. I never close mine even part way for any cooks.

I think that answers all your questions. But please don't forget to take pics and post your first rib smoke! Welcome!

 

[RiversideSm0ker]

Welcome aboard. I don't have an electric unit so I can't speak to any of those specifics but listen to browneyes about the 2-2-1 method. It's tried and true. There are various camps about ribs but if you want a tried and true method as a baseline. That is the best one I can offer. So it's a five hour method but it will take longer than that. You have to consider the time it takes to wrap your ribs. When you pull them off to wrap them make sure that your smoker is closed as quickly as you can so it can build temp back up while you are wrapping. This is how I do the method. Prep the ribs by removing the membrane and then use mustard as a binder and apply Jeff's rub liberally on both sides. When the smoker is ready I put the ribs on with bone side down for two hours. I then pull the ribs off the smoker and wrap in foil. When I wrap I put a small amount of brown sugar and three pats of butter or margarine on the foil. Place the ribs meat side down on top of that brown sugar and butter layer. I repeat the brown sugar and butter on the back of the ribs and then pour a small amount of apple juice along both sides of the rack of ribs and not on top of the ribs at all. Close the foil then put the ribs on the smoker meat side down. Two hours later I pull the ribs from the foil and carefully place them back on the smoker grate bone side down. They will be pretty tender so take care not to tear them up. I then glaze with honey flavored Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce. I do this in two or three coats. I like slathering them every 15 minutes for a total of three layers of sauce. After an hour of setting the glaze they are done. Generally five and a half hours actual time from start to finish. Enjoy your ribs.

George

 

[SmokerNovice]

browneyesvictim, and RiversideSm0ker,

Thanks a TON for the very informative, and quick replies. I will certainly take advice from both of you! I can't wait till Saturday so I can give this a go. I love to cook, grill, etc.. but never got into smoking. The wife bought me the smoker this past Christmas, and I finally got around to opening the box and putting it together today. Guys, again, thanks a lot for the replies, I really appreciate you taking the time to give a new guy some advice! I will definitely post some pictures of the final results!

 

[poolecw]

Everything mentioned above is Sound Advice. However I do it just a little differently. I start off with meaty side up. Then after 2 hours I wrap in foil. Ribs then goes meat side down in the foil. Before laying the ribs in the foiI will squirt a couple of swipes of Parkay, then a few spoonfuls of brown sugar, followed by some tiger sauce and honey. I then repeat that on top of the ribs after they have been placed in the foil. It goes in for 2 hours in the foil. Then I remove the ribs from the foil and place back in the smoker meat side up. It goes for about an hour or sometimes only 30 minutes. I don't baste with sauce.

 

[KrisUpInSmoke]

I've learned everything riverside and brown eyes said and that's how I do it. They are more tender and juicy when wrapped in my opinion, but some people don't wrap at all.

I like slathering them every 15 minutes for a total of three layers of sauce. After an hour of setting the glaze they are done.

This suggestion, I wouldn't do using my MES because they take longer to come back up to temperatures that other types of smokers. If you open it every 15 min to sauce 3 racks, it may take you longer than an hour to get the same results, or you may wonder why your ribs seem tough and it's because they didn't cook long enough because you kept opening the MES to sauce them.
It seems like each MES can be finicky in its own way. Many people suggest buying your own electronic thermometer with meat probe or several meat probes (which come out of one monitor for more than one meat temp at a time), so it monitors temp inside unit so you know what you're cooking at and it monitors the temp of your meat. There are many threads to search here with discussions about meat thermometers.

These links may also help,
PERFECT RIBS EVERY TIME! This really works!
From SmokinAl
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/perfect-ribs-every-time-this-really-works.240916/

Bear's Step by Steps, from Bearcarver , a master smoker who uses MES,
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/bears-step-by-step-index.159333/

Good luck! Let us know how it goes!

 

[TomKnollRFV]

No fears; I run a Masterbuilt 40 inch and so far no one has said much to me here... lol. Every thing said above concerning the ribs is bang on; Though I have done the 2-2-1 method for baby backs and personally think I could have ran them as 3-2-1 with no issues.

Now just remember to remove the silver membrane off the ribs prior to cooking unless you plan to heat up a grill and do it as Al does. Personally I just take off the membrane.

Another point i'm not sure if any one has brought up or not is <or if you read it here> don't put water in the waterpan of the MES. The MES is very..very well insulated, you don't need it, trust me from experience. <I stalled out a brisket just collecting the drippings in a foil pan under it that I put a tad bit of water in so it didn't bake on the pan.>

And this is just mentioned some where; I forgot whose thread but some one uses the foil juice package as the glaze. I haven't done this yet, but hey its an option. Also I rarely have my vent open all the way, normally half or less. Don't be afraid to experiment with finding the perfect way to roll Thin Blue Smoke :) If you got any other questions fire away and Bear's step by steps etc are amazing. He's taught me alot.

 

[SmokinAl]

All I have to add is good luck!!
Al

 

[petehalsted]

There are a ton of MES owners on this site, myself included. Head on down to the Social group area and go through the MES group messages and you will see all kinds of info, mods, suggestions, etc.

I think everyone has you covered on your ribs, so I won't confuse you with yet more info on them.

But I would say, definitely check out Amazen Pellet smokers (Tod is a sponsor here), you will see them called AMNPS on the here. By using the Pellet tray to generate the smoke, instead of the chips. You separate out the 2 processes of heat and smoke, and can control each separately. The combination of an AMNPS and a MES can give you about as close as you can get to a "set it and forget it" 12 hour smoker.

Good luck and be sure to come back and let use see those ribs when done.

 

[SmokerNovice]

Man, I can't tell you all how much I appreciate all the help! This is by far the most helpful forum I have ever been a part of. I sincerely appreciate everyone's advice! I'll be sure to post up some pix of the finished product!

 

[banderson7474]

The only advice I can give that hasn't been said is we all love to see pics and especially being your first smoke, telling us how it is going with pics of prep, smoke and finished product. I think we all understand if you don't take pics of during b/c it loses heat but you know what I mean. good luck!

 

[jted]

Welcome, Over the pat 5 years I have learned how to run a MES 30 and my point and shoot camera. Pictures of your work are appreciated and almost expected. If there is one thing we like are nice pictures of your results.
You have received a lot of opinions. Just ask and you will receive more. Jted

 

[SmokerNovice]

^ Sounds good! The one thing I read a few times about this particular smoker, is some people have a hard time getting good smoke.. is this true? If so, how do I correct that? Thanks!

 

[TomKnollRFV]

^ Sounds good! The one thing I read a few times about this particular smoker, is some people have a hard time getting good smoke.. is this true? If so, how do I correct that? Thanks!

I just hit with chips when I stop seeing smoke, which averages 30-45 mins a load. That said, you want to get the Amazen 5x8 pellet tray if you intend to do smokes that can go overnight. I generally bust out my Amazen pellet Tray if the smoke will take more then 6 hours.

http://www.amazenproducts.com/product_p/amnps5x8.htm

You'll see alot of people mention the AMNPS ...well this is what they mean. You start it with a blowtorch or the like, and once it's going you slip it into the bottom of your MES after blowing out the flames. Alot of people mention the mailbox box mod but I do fine by having my top vent open about halfway. I take the side chip loader out completely and I can get 8-10 hours of smoke from the load of pellets then.

I believe the early MES models were ..alot worse then what we can buy now. I mean my thermal probe is even fairly accurate on mine and I expected that to be junk! Thank god for those early users sorting things out for us!

**REMEMBER**
You don't want thick smoke, you want thin blue smoke. If it's where you gotta squint in the sun to even see it..thats what you want. I go by 'Does it look like a smoldering cigarette's smoke from the days I smoked alot?' That is to me ideal.

I'll shut up now because I'm going to go on forever with useless tidbits otherwise. I pretty much read these forums every day or ask really weird stuff!

 

[Nutshell]

Lots of MES owners here. This group helps everyone. I haven’t seen anyone “look down” on anyone else here. The MES guys are great. We share experiences and we love modding our smokers to get the best possible result. Sit back, grab a beverage and read away. Lots of great info here along with the guys to ask for assistance when needed.