Planning to try smoking ribs for 1st time, help?

[takirb]

I'm planning to try smoking some spare ribs for the first time Saturday. I'll be using a Weber OTS 18.5". I'm really new to grilling with charcoal, and the only things i've cooked using indirect heat were a few beer can chickens (which turned out decent IMO). I just wanted to run my game plan by ya'll in case i'm completely off on something.

I plan to use spare ribs and remove the skirt and membrane, but is it necessary to remove the tips? If so, how long should i grill/smoke them alongside the ribs? Smoke/grill the skirt too?

I'll be picking up some apple cidar or juice tomorrow afternoon, and possibly some chunks of mesquite or hickory if i can find them (all i've found around here are the chips so far, and i've already got a bag of mesquite and applewood from the other cooks)

Here's my game plan -

• Soak ribs in juice/cidar overnight. Dry the next morning, and apply some Memphis-style rub i already have in the cabinet. Possibly a bit of brown sugar as well, as i've seen posted on another thread here. Then let sit in the fridge for another 4-5hrs (until my daughter's nap time lol)

• Figure i'll use about 20 briquettes on each side of the grill, with about 6-7 of them lit on top of the unlit briquettes with wood chips/chunks mixed in. Add 6-7 more unlit briquettes if needed per hour, depending on current grill temp. Water pan in the center, filled about an inch full of water (??)

• When temp hits about 220, put the ribs on, and watch over the next hour for a consistent grill temp in the 200-230 range (??).

• Hour 2, take a peek to review the fuel situation, and add more fuel/wood if needed. Spray once with apple juice/cidar

• Hour 3, same as above, spray again

• Hour 4 - I don't exactly want "fall of the bone" tender, i'd like some pull, but if that's much harder to achieve then i'll just do the 3-2-1 method of placing the ribs in a foil pan with more apple juice/cidar, and cover the pan with foil. I'd kinda like to go all out on these and NOT use foil if possible. Any tips on what to change here if i don't use foil? Do i just cook straight through for 6hrs?

• Hour 5 - If not using foil do same as hours 2 and 3, if using foil just skip the spray and maintain fuel/temps

• Hour 6 - If using foil, remove from pan and place back on grill, checking tenderness with bend test until done. If not using foil, spray and check with bend test until done.

• When done, remove from grill and let them sit about 15 min or so before the feast begins

This sound about right? Please let me know if i'm missing something, doing it wrong, or just completely have my temps and times wrong? Like I said, i've never done ribs before so i'm just relying on the info i've read online.

Luckily my wife and daughter won't be waiting around on me to finish cooking before they eat their supper, so i'm not pressured here, but i'd like to impress myself of course :) Might send a bit to the in-laws if its "smack ya' mama" good, just to show off

 

[chef jimmyj]

Your plan sounds good for Straight up Smoking until done although try to stay 225-250*F for it to get done in about 6 hours. Use the Bend Test or a give them a poke with a fork. If the fork penetrates easily the should be Bite through Tender without falling apart...As far as the Tips and Skirt. Skirt will be done quickly, 2-3 hours tops. The Tips can frequently be thicker than the Bones and can take longer to cook, especially without Foiling. I would suggest removal, that way each section can be taken off the Grill when they are perfectly cooked or Foil the thick Rib Tips and cook the now St Louis Cut Ribs straight up should be done about the same time then...I like to hold the tips back for me ( Extra meaty!)...JJ

 

[takirb]

Thanks for the advice! I might use some of the scraps for some wicked beans, just found that recipe last night. Judging by the ingredients, i think my wife would actually like to try some of those. If not, if the tips are thicker, do i still cook them seperately unwrapped for 3, wrapped for 2, unwrapped again for 1?

 

[chef jimmyj]

Thanks for the advice! I might use some of the scraps for some wicked beans, just found that recipe last night. Judging by the ingredients, i think my wife would actually like to try some of those. If not, if the tips are thicker, do i still cook them seperately unwrapped for 3, wrapped for 2, unwrapped again for 1?

 If they are thick, I go long in Foil, 2.5-3, then 1/2 hour at the end out of foil. You want the meat to come away from the little pieces of Cartilage easily. Some people freaky about knawing on soft stuff...JJ

 

[takirb]

Well, they didn't turn out fantastic, but they weren't shoe leather and were definitely edible. My wife actually tasted some and enjoyed them too, which was a plus. I didn't have enough length in 18.5" Weber, so i cut the rack in half and tried to place them as far from the lit coals as i could. Both ends of the racks were slightly over/close to the direct heat from the coals unfortunately. I know to watch for that next time, and test fit them standing up or arrange my coals to suit the size of the meat. At least i know what I did wrong and how to fix it.

I had a little trouble keeping the temps down during the first half hour, they stayed 275-300 before i finally got it dialed in to stay between 240-250. Once that happened, the ol' grill just chugged right along for the rest of the smoking with very little adjustments to the vents. The recovery time from opening the lid and spraying wasn't bad either. I added a few small wood chips every hour for the first 4 hrs.

Since i had the rack halved, i decided to do one half with foil and the other without. Definitely a night/day difference in tenderness, the foiled half was certainly falling off the bone. To my surprise, the wife preferred the unfoiled side! The unfoiled side was a little more tender than i wanted/expected, so maybe I'll use a little less spray or less water in the pan, or just leave them on for another 15-20 min i guess (??). Both turned out good, but I know i can do better next time and I'm looking forward to trying again. Overall i'd give both sides a 6 or 7/10 in taste. Anywho, I'll attach some pics here of the process/outcome. Keep in mind, i've only owned a charcoal grill for about a month and this is the 3rd time i've ever "smoked" anything on a grill, so be gentle LOL

Ye' ol' Weber in action...

o4bA8htV

• takirb
• Aug 18, 2012

Almost dialed in (I've got an oven thermometer on the grate also to double-check temps)...

bGnKKHuR

• takirb
• Aug 18, 2012

Hour 4 after adding a foil "boat". I sprinkled a lil' brown sugar on top and a splash or 2 of apple juice to steam in. Not sure if you can see it, but note the placement of fuel underneath. Before the meat shrunk a bit, the ends were too close to the direct heat. Everytime i grill i want to smack myself for not buying the larger 22.5" Weber...

SG7SVK7d

• takirb
• Aug 18, 2012

All done a lil' over 6hrs later, let's just say I won't be winning any awards for looks that's for sure

Unfoiled is on the left, foiled rack on the right. The outside had a bit of crunch, but that's what my wife preferred so i guess that's a win. Next time i'll use a lil' less rub i think...

ERIOWKLA

• takirb
• Aug 18, 2012

Here's how they looked on the inside. Again, I've never cooked ribs before so i don't even know if i cut them correctly LOL I did realize if I flipped them over and started cutting from the bone side, the cuts were prettier. The foiled side on the right was too tender or my new knife was too dull, 'cause the meat just fell off the bone vs cutting easily...

CBUhwXYI

• takirb
• Aug 18, 2012

Despite the looks and crappy knifesmenship, they really didn't turn out too bad. A lil' crunch on the outside, between "tender" and "very tender" on the inside depending on the rack. But like i said before, i know what went wrong on some things, and i know i can do better. Thanks to this site for the info/support and thanks for viewing!

 

[kc jayhawk 78]

looks good