Smoked some Baby Back ribs this weekend. Still fiddling with fuel amounts for shorter cooks.
This time put 50 briquettes in the baskets and 25 in the chimney.
10 minutes in the chimney, then dumped.
5 minutes with lid off.
10 minutes with lid on, fan damper at 1/3 set point at 240 F.
​
Came to temp quickly but had trouble with temps about halfway through.
With smaller amount of fuel - charcoal needs to pushed together. I had it spread out to much, so as what was lit burned out, new charcoal didn't get going.
​
Once I pushed it all to one side, I kept even temps.
​
​​​
Still, I got 7+ hrs at 240 ish with a total of 75 briquettes. Next time I'll probably reduce to 60.
Also normally I use 3 fist size chunks of hickory. This time I used half as much apple wood. Didn't get quite the smoke profile I wanted.
First time cutting racks in half.
Previous cooks I've had slightly over done ribs on one end and slightly under cooked at the other. This was more consistent though out, although I probably let them go 20-30 mins too long.
They were about halfway between "clean pull" and "fall off the bone". I know I'm splitting hairs....
​​​​​But I'm chasing that perfect racks of ribs......
Cut in half and dry brined over night.
Also these had extra loin meat so. Trimmed that off.
Covered in modified MMD. (replacing half the white sugar with coconut sugar bc I ran out - -the taste profile is good but the there is a difference in bark with the sugar substitution)
​
Single hooked since they were half racks.
2 hrs in, bark was starting to look good.
More even cooking top to bottom
Sauced 1 rack little after 3 hrs.
Let go 20 mins.
Sauced again and let go another 20 mins. Meat hadn't pulled back from bones as much as normal. Temps were in the 190s
Didn't get the normal smoke ring.
​​​​​Had on portions, not on all.
Meat was a smidge over done, but not mushy or fall off the bone.
Bones were spotted - not bleached white.
​​​​​​Had some trouble evaluating doneness without the bend test.
​​​
Over all - tasty ribs.
​​​​​​Getting closer on "right" amount of fuel for shorter cooks.
Had more consistent doneness through out rack.
​​​​​
Only smoking 1 meat was weird.
Couldn't handle it! Threw on a roll of spicy turkey breakfast sausage while the ribs cooked and then some corn, once the ribs came off.
This time put 50 briquettes in the baskets and 25 in the chimney.
10 minutes in the chimney, then dumped.
5 minutes with lid off.
10 minutes with lid on, fan damper at 1/3 set point at 240 F.
​
Came to temp quickly but had trouble with temps about halfway through.
With smaller amount of fuel - charcoal needs to pushed together. I had it spread out to much, so as what was lit burned out, new charcoal didn't get going.
​
Once I pushed it all to one side, I kept even temps.
​
​​​
Still, I got 7+ hrs at 240 ish with a total of 75 briquettes. Next time I'll probably reduce to 60.
Also normally I use 3 fist size chunks of hickory. This time I used half as much apple wood. Didn't get quite the smoke profile I wanted.
First time cutting racks in half.
Previous cooks I've had slightly over done ribs on one end and slightly under cooked at the other. This was more consistent though out, although I probably let them go 20-30 mins too long.
They were about halfway between "clean pull" and "fall off the bone". I know I'm splitting hairs....
​​​​​But I'm chasing that perfect racks of ribs......
Cut in half and dry brined over night.
Also these had extra loin meat so. Trimmed that off.
Covered in modified MMD. (replacing half the white sugar with coconut sugar bc I ran out - -the taste profile is good but the there is a difference in bark with the sugar substitution)
​
Single hooked since they were half racks.
2 hrs in, bark was starting to look good.
More even cooking top to bottom
Sauced 1 rack little after 3 hrs.
Let go 20 mins.
Sauced again and let go another 20 mins. Meat hadn't pulled back from bones as much as normal. Temps were in the 190s
Didn't get the normal smoke ring.
​​​​​Had on portions, not on all.
Meat was a smidge over done, but not mushy or fall off the bone.
Bones were spotted - not bleached white.
​​​​​​Had some trouble evaluating doneness without the bend test.
​​​
Over all - tasty ribs.
​​​​​​Getting closer on "right" amount of fuel for shorter cooks.
Had more consistent doneness through out rack.
​​​​​
Only smoking 1 meat was weird.
Couldn't handle it! Threw on a roll of spicy turkey breakfast sausage while the ribs cooked and then some corn, once the ribs came off.
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