Noob and questions abound!

[vayank5150]

OK...I got a Master Forge charcoal smoker for Christmas and after reading much on Jeff's webpage decided to try it out yesterday.  I picked up two racks of spare ribs from my local Costco and prepared them as Jeff recommended.  I noted that per Jeff's webpage, he anticipated that smoking time should be between 6-7 hours.  I first encountered problems with not being able to get my smoker up to temperature once the water, wood chips and meat were in the smoker.  For the first hour or so, the temperature on the lid gauge read somewhere around 100-130 degrees.  I continued to add hot charcoal, but also noted that at the 1.5 hour mark, my internal meat temperature had already risen to 160 deg.  Finally, after my third batch of red hot charcoal was added, I got my smoker's provided temperature gauge to read above 200 deg.  However, by this time, the internal temperature on my ribs was at 170, and so I chose to pull them off.  They were done, and tasted OK, but I will need to address my rub moving forward.  Two questions...

1) Should spare ribs have been done in 2 hours, versus the 6-7 hours that Jeff's webpage stated was "typical"?  If not, where did I go wrong?

2) Did I actually smoke the meat, or did I simply cook it?  I never saw the water in my pan boil, so I am guessing there never was any steam.  This too, I assume is a critical part in the smokinng process?

Any help you all can provide would be greatly appreciated.  I bought some pork shoulder while I was at Costco as well, and would like to attempt that next weekend if I can figure out what I did wrong on the ribs!

Thanks in advance,

Mike

 

[s2k9k]

Hi Mike, I think you were cooking a lot hotter than you thought you were. If your smoker temp was only 130* for the first hour then there is no way the ribs got to 160* in 1.5 hours and if they were at 170* and tender and done in 2 hours then you had to be cooking pretty hot. 

Factory smoker therms are notorious for being inaccurate. What were you using the check the meat temp? Do you know if it is accurate?

Most people here use the 3-2-1 method to smoke ribs and go by time and never check the temp of the meat but keep an accurate eye on the smoker temp.

If you had wood burning in the smoker and smoke was present then yes you smoked it. Using the 3-2-1 we usually only give smoke for the first 3 hours anyway. Steam is not a critical part of the process, it is only there to add humidity to the air in the smoker which aides in smoke penetration. Water in the pan is there also as a thermal mass to help control temps. 

I personally do not use water, my pan is filled with sand. I get much more stable temps with sand. One reason is, water will not go above 212* and if I'm smoking at 230* then the water is just fighting my temp and as it evaporates your thermal mass changes in size. I am a firm believer of the "dry smoke chamber" method that I learned here: http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/...dry-smoke-chamber-q-view-finished#post_855699

If you think you are serious about smoking then you should consider getting a good accurate therm. One very popular one is the Maverick ET-732, it is digital with 2 probes, 1 for smoker temp and 1 for meat temp. It also has a remote so you can monitor temps from inside your house. A forum sponsor has them on sale right now with free shipping and the best customer service in the world: http://www.amazenproducts.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=MAVET-732

I hope this helps a little!

 

[vayank5150]

Thanks for the inofrmative response.  I bought an electronic meat thermometer from Sur La Table and that is what I was using to monitor the temperature of the meat.  It came recommended, so I hope it was a good purchase?  I used the "Stubbs" brand charcoal that my wife bought with the smoker and then added "Cowboy" brand Applewood chips directly onto the coals every 25-30 minutes.  I saw constant smoke leaking from around the lid, so I know I had some smoke, but just not sure if I did everything right.  I noticed there are no vent holes in the lid of my Master Forge smoker and have already seen on this site where some folks modify theirs to add better temperature controls.  Do you recommend this?

 

[s2k9k]

I'm not real familiar with that smoker but I would be looking around for mods that people have done to it and what worked good. I think a top vent is necessary for good airflow and to let the smoke pass through the smoker. I don't think the smoke should just be sitting stagnant inside the smoker. 

 

[pwillie]

S2K9K has given you good advice.  I agree with what he has said.  The therms mounted in the lid of grills, no matter what you pay for them, are worth the powder to blow them to "you know where"!  I am not familiar with the one that you purchased to guage the meat temp but it is my guess that it is certainly more accurate than the one mounted in your grill.  You could take your meat therm and stick it through a potatoe and lay it on top of the grill grates and it should give you a pretty close reading on the chamber temp.  That will give you a comparison and a good idea about the hood mounted therm which is mounted above the point at which your are usually cooking anyway.

 

[vayank5150]

So...a small consensus is to not bother replacing the lid mounted thermometer with a higher qualilty one and use one similar to the one mentioned by S2K9K?  I want to do this right and am already investigating some mods that others have done to the MF smokers.  I have many other questions about charcoal and such, but enjoy the process very much and dont want to risk messing up perfectly good meat by not following good advice!

 

[zahlgren]

My smoking life changed when I got the Maverick, my guess is you'll be amazed at how far of the built in therm was.  It is a wise and useful investment.

 

[zahlgren]

**off**

 

[pwillie]

You can get by with something less, but if you are serious about smoking and grilling I would get a Maverick 732 and then later you will find that an instant read like a Thermopen from Thermoworks will be something else that you will get excellent mileage out of.  One thing at a time!

 

[vayank5150]

Since A-Maze-N Products supports this site, I ordered my Maverick from them this morning.  Thanks for your tips.  I have seen a massive mod to the Brinkman smoker and it looks VERY smiliar to my Master Forge.  Do any of you know if this mod would work on my MF smoker to help with temperature control and air flow?