Put A Cork In It (And Smoke Some Short Ribs)

[mikebarish]

After reading about people using wine corks to plug the rebar holes, I decided to give it a try. I can usually maintain the PBC at around 275 or so, but it often starts hot and sometimes spikes over 300. I was ready for some experimenting, and I am so glad I tried corks.

These days, I only keep the charcoal in the chimney for 8-9 minutes to start it up, which helps keep the PBC under 300 for me. With corks in two holes (and a rod through the other two) I was in the 225-265 range for all seven hours of the cook. When it dipped below 225, I'd remove one cork to ensure that I didn't choke the coals. When it went back towards 270, I'd add the second cork back.

The hickory and blue bag Kingsford made for some amazing short ribs. Tender, smoky, moist, and honestly some of the best food to come out of my PBC. Threw a Simon and Garfunkel chicken in at the end for giggles.

Going to keep experimenting but excited to be dialing the PBC in!

Oh, and my almost two year old son enjoyed his first short ribs and demanded "more meat!" Imagine my pride!

[RonB]

You are raising da kid up right. Great looking ribs too.

[fuzzydaddy]

I don't have a PBC but those are some awesome looking beef short ribs. Great photos as well! Good to see your son enjoying his.

[Nuke em]

Was wondering. I do not have a ovc but what if you plugged the hole with a cork then drilled a small hole in it till you get the right temp? Then ya wouldn't have to plug then unplug then plug. Sorta like a mini air vent. Just thinking to hard again

[mikebarish]

Guest, I have considered that. Going to be part of my continued experimentation. I've reserved a few corks and am going to play around with small holes in them to see how they affect temp. Thanks for sharing the idea. Always fun to brainstorm with folks here!

[Nuke em]

Dang auto spell. Meant pbc

[fuzzydaddy]

When I saw ovc I thought, well there's another tla (three letter acronym I've got to ask about)!

[Nuke em]

That's what it is all about. ya spin around and do the hokie pokie....I mean chicken dance...er brisket dance...er rib dance....I mean the cook dance

[Nuke em]

O.....over
v......venting
c......cooker

yeah that's it

[Spinaker]

DAMN, those ribs look great!!! That picture is priceless. You gotta hang that one.

[DWCowles]

Beautiful!

[MBMorgan]

Very nice job with those ribs! FWIW here's a recent discussion about a very clever PBC mod that should give you much better control than holes in corks: https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/fo...nother-pbc-mod

[mikebarish]

Thanks, Guest! I'm constantly impressed by Jerod Broussard and his mods and cooks! He's way better at metal work than I will ever be, so I'm happy to tinker with simpler solutions!

[Jerod Broussard]

mikebarish I got a dremel (4000 I think) tool from wolly world. Just make sure and get the quick disconnect system, the reinforced blades for it work waaay better than the other crap. And the reason you are impressed is you haven't watched me in person.

[ecowper]

That pic needs to go on the "Show us your rib face" thread!

[fzxdoc]

Agreed!

[mikebarish]

ecowper and fzxdoc, is that a real thread?! How have I never seen it before?! Ha!

Update: Found the thread, uploaded the pic, and can't stop smiling. Thanks!

[ecowper]

Awesome! And it's a great rib face, too mikebarish

[Doc Hazard]

Instead of drilling holes in the corks, consider buying a few magnets. I, and others, hve used the plastic "business card" type with success, but I prefer about a 1/4" thick round magnet available at many hardware places. They latch onto the PBC and you can completely cover the rod hole, or push it aside to partially cover. Since conditions are always different, even the meat composition changes things, you need to have adjustment. You'd need too many corks with varying hole sizes. Or, what seems to work amazingly well for many, don't bother and let the PBC do it's thing. But if you have consistently high temps, check the lid seal. I always give mine a few taps with a soft hammer to be sure it's set tight.

[mikebarish]

Doc Hazard Magnets are my next experiment. Read quite a bit about them on here. I always use a rubber mallet to tap down the lid and get a good seal. I tend to see smoke leaking out of the lid early in cooks and then the seal improves. Thanks!

[GadjetGriller]

mikebarish Where did you find those short Ribs!?!? they look amazing! But really where did you get them? here in the lower panhandle of Texas they are de-boned and very small I want some like yours!!

[GadjetGriller]

I ask the Butcher on Duty if they had any short ribs that weren't cut up? he said yeah want some? He sold me about 4 ribs worth!! They are no where as nice as they ones you had but its a start!!

[PappyBBQ]

I've found Costco Business Centers to be an excellent source for these ribs. Not the general Costco stores, only the Business Centers. When I walked into the meat dept and saw whole hanging pig carcasses I KNEW i was in the right place. YMMV as I'm in Los Angeles.

[GadjetGriller]

Lol Guest yeah little west Tx doesn't have anything like that (heck I lived in Dallas and didn't see any thing as cool) as that very jealous.

[MarkinJHawkland]

How long did you cook those great looking ribs?! I'm planning on cooking some of those myself this weekend.

Mark N