QVIEW - Babyback Ribs with my Cajun Bandit Extender

[slingerland]

A couple of weeks back, I bought an extender from Cajun Bandit and modified it to be a low-budget smoker: http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/128162/cajun-bandits-bbq-stacker   Today is the big day... I finally get to try her out!

First, rub the babybacks with my custom rub.  It's based on Myron Mixon's chicken rub.

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• slingerland
• Oct 13, 2012

Next, build the Minion pile and light it.  One chunk of apple wood for flavor.

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• slingerland
• Oct 13, 2012

Once burning, assemble the CB extender.  There is an aluminum heat deflector and I parked a pan of water over it.

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• slingerland
• Oct 13, 2012

I modified teh extender to accept temp probes.

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• slingerland
• Oct 13, 2012

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• slingerland
• Oct 13, 2012

And we're off to the races! 

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• slingerland
• Oct 13, 2012

More to come...

 

[slingerland]

Update: having a problem keeping the temp low.  The smoker is wanting to run at 280 degrees, not 225.  I've closed the lower air intake completely, and reduced the upper exhaust to 25% open.  This is a Weber OTG, so it's not as airtight as the real Weber Smokey Mountain. 

But now I need to adjust my cooking times.  I was planning a 2-2-1, but I think I'll cut the first stage back 30 minutes.  The wife doesn't like heavy smoke flavor anyway.

 

[slingerland]

Not quite two hours, wrapped for the next stage.  I was able to get the temp back down to 260, but the Weber is having serious temp swings.  I think that next time I'll go back to my "Minion Ring" instead of a "Minion Pile" and see if I can control the temp better.

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• slingerland
• Oct 13, 2012

 

[slingerland]

Still having temperature problems.  When I opened the grill to wrap, the oxygen exposure cranked up the charcoal.  Even with all the vents closed, the temp soared to 300!  I'm planning on just 90 minutes of wrap time now.

The water pan had boiled down low, so I added another half gallon of room-temp water to it.  That's brought the temp down to 275.  Still too flaming hot (pun intended.)

It looks like piling up the charcoal like it's a "true" WSM is the wrong approach.  The ribs on the bottom of the OTG are not air tight, and enough air is getting in to keep the temp up too high.

 

[s2k9k]

Keep the top vent open all the way, that will let more heat escape and the bottom vents closed.

 

[slingerland]

Keep the top vent open all the way, that will let more heat escape and the bottom vents closed.

I tried it... within 5 minutes the temp was up 10 degrees.  I think the updraft of hot air was pulling oxygen-rich cold air throught the bottom, around the ash-removal blades.

Justa reminder, this is not a Weber Smokey Mountain.  It's a OTG with aspirations

.  The bottom isn't airtight.

 

[slingerland]

Can't foget the veggies...

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• slingerland
• Oct 13, 2012

And the finished product:

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• slingerland
• Oct 13, 2012

As can be seen in the photos, the temp swings caused the ribs to overcook... the meat literally falls off the bone.  However... and this is very important... my wife LOVES them!  And when the wife is happy, everybody is happy.

Tech stuff: when I started breaking down the smoker I saw the charcoal pile was still half-burned and the burn pattern was spreading from the slots for the ash removal thingy.  So my suspicion is correct, the blades are not air tight like a true WSM would be.  C'est la vie... lesson learned... don't do a big Minion method "pile" of charcoal.  Since I'm using an extender, I need to go back to my "Minion ring" method of burning charcoal.  I only get six hours or so of burn time, but I can keep the temps down.

 

[scarbelly]

This is the best part of playing and learning - we get to eat our "mistakes"