Ribs blind test

[fpmich]

Been watching thread, and waiting for results. 

Thank you for your tests, explanations, and results Wade.   We appreciate  the effort and thought put into this test.

I too, can't tell much diff between foiled and un-foiled, cooked "until done" on a good day, other than more bark on un-foiled.

On a bad day?  Well........  I have them too.

Anyway, I gave up on 3-2-1, even thought it does work great.  It's just another step to goodness.   I now, still foil only at end of smoking, if necessary, for tenderness, and finish in oven, @ 230* to texture I like.  Most of my siblings and friends have very few natural teeth, or none,  to appreciate too much bark.  I now smoke for 4 or 5 hours for a full slab, and finish in oven.

Smoke ring is still all the way to the bone on ribs, and the smoky flavor is still there too..

Most of my ribs are eaten a day, or week, after smoking,  I send them to various people.  I just tell them to heat uncovered in 275*-300*

(Correction) in a 250* to 275* oven for 30-45 minutes, & apply sauce if they want, and heat them a few minutes longer at higher heat (or broiler).

I don't think it matters much, as long as you get 4 to 5 hours of good smoke pentration between 220*-275*.

As long as you get the smoke all the way through, it's good!

Competition good?  Doubt it.  But good enough for 99% of the world.  LOL  Right?

 

[wade]

Thanks Frank

This test did expose just how great the temperature gradients are even within a relatively small Weber. That is one of the risks when playing with new toys - LOL. I am now planning some more tests in my various smokers to temperature profile their cooking areas with different charcoal configurations. I will work on this over the next few weeks and post the results as I have them. If they are consistent then this should help to know the cooking temperature of different parts of the meat at any time from taking the temperature at a single point in the cooking chamber.

My immediate thoughts on different test scenarios include:

• Snake briquette method
• Weber single and dual charcoal grates
• IQ-110 controlled
• With and without water tray
• With and without meat
• Charcoal vs cheap briquettes vs best quality briquettes

Happy to include other scenarios too if anyone would like to suggest any I have missed.

Cheers

Wade

 

[fpmich]

Very interesting and informative information for new comers, as well as old hands, Wade.

We're never too old to learn, and never too young to start.

You're going to have a very busy few weeks conducting all these test.

But when your done, it should be made a sticky thread.

 

[welshrarebit]

I've been following this since you started. I tried to do something similar but life got in the way...

Great smoke! I bet they were all awesome!!!

Does anyone else get annoyed at the term "smoked chipotle chilli?" Really??? A chipotle is a smoked jalapeno!!!! That's like saying a "garlic aioli!" An aioli is a garlic mayonnaise!!! Sorry, rant off!!!

Wade, I'm looking forward to your further posts...

 

[wade]

Thanks Frank and Welshrarebit

 

[smokin monkey]

Thanks Frank

This test did expose just how great the temperature gradients are even within a relatively small Weber. That is one of the risks when playing with new toys - LOL. I am now planning some more tests in my various smokers to temperature profile their cooking areas with different charcoal configurations. I will work on this over the next few weeks and post the results as I have them. If they are consistent then this should help to know the cooking temperature of different parts of the meat at any time from taking the temperature at a single point in the cooking chamber.

My immediate thoughts on different test scenarios include:

• Snake briquette method
• Weber single and dual charcoal grates
• IQ-110 controlled
• With and without water tray
• With and without meat
• Charcoal vs cheap briquettes vs best quality briquettes

Happy to include other scenarios too if anyone would like to suggest any I have missed.

Cheers

Wade

Wade how about GMG Pellets Smoker, different positions for baffle plates etc, well you did say any scenarios!

Smokin Monkey

 

[wade]

Wade how about GMG Pellets Smoker, different positions for baffle plates etc, well you did say any scenarios!

Smokin Monkey

Bring it over and I will test it 

 

 

[cliffcarter]

I don't think it matters much where you monitor pit temps as long as you are consistent.

I have used the probe in vent method and now have installed a therm at grate level( these pics were taken a couple of years apart).

I have used both to monitor butt cooking temps, by keeping the temps in the 300°F-320°F(150°C-160°C), no matter which method was being used, and my butts have always cooked to an average of 45-55 minutes per pound.

I always keep the vent opposite the fire, therefore both therms are always as far from the fire as possible. YMMV.

DSC03239.JPG

• cliffcarter
• Oct 23, 2014

Thighs (3).JPG

• cliffcarter
• Apr 26, 2014

 

[wade]

 
I don't think it matters much where you monitor pit temps as long as you are consistent.

I have used the probe in vent method and now have installed a therm at grate level( these pics were taken a couple of years apart).

I have used both to monitor butt cooking temps, by keeping the temps in the 300°F-320°F(150°C-160°C), no matter which method was being used, and my butts have always cooked to an average of 45-55 minutes per pound.

I always keep the vent opposite the fire, therefore both therms are always as far from the fire as possible. YMMV.

I kind of agree with you Cliff and kind of don't too. I agree that consistency of where you put your probe is important however it is important (especially for beginners or people first starting out on a different smoker) to know the temperature around the meat in relation to the probe. The graph earlier in this post clearly shows a 30-40 C (55-72 F) degree difference between the top of the smoker and at the cooking grate level behind the meat. This begins to narrow towards the end but even after 6 hours there was a 20 C (35 F) Degree difference.

If you are going by the bottom probe (which is what I have done up to now) then even though you are not exactly where you think you are everything is still OK. The probe says 110 C (230 F) but the top of the meat could actually be approaching 140 C (285 F). The meat will just cook hotter/faster than expected.

However if you are measuring the temperature at the top we are in a very different situation. When the top probe says 110 C (230 F) the temperature at the bottom of the meat would spend most of the smoking time at ~ 80 C (176 F) which for larger pieces of meat may result in it not even getting up to safe internal temperature.

Maybe this is a possible explanation as to why some people appear to experience a temperature stall when they are cooking large chunks of meat - even though they have a temperature probe in the top of the smoker telling them they are where they expect to be, the actual cooking temperature around the meat is lower than they think. Pure conjecture but a possibility.

With your examples of keeping the lid temperatures at ~150 C (300 F), with the 30 C degree drop from lid to grate, you would still be seeing ~120 C (250 F) around the meat at the grate which is right around the temperature I am also looking for.

 

[wade]

I was also using a 26" Weber - The temperature gradient may be less on the 22"