I just purchased an Oklahoma joe reverse flow offset smoker, seasoned it with a dry run and did my first cook with two racks of baby back ribs using charcoal and Cherry wood. Got the grill up to 300 degrees on the thermometer built in to the lid and had about 220 degrees at the cooking rack measured by an internal probe. Cooked with four smaller chunks of cherry for three hours, wrapped for 1.5 hours and finished out of the foil for an hour. Ribs were not tender and way too smoky. Any suggestions?
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Ribs are tricky because they are done when they are done. Probe thermometers don't work for them so you have to use a toothpick to check for tenderness. Another trick is if you slide a pair of tongs halfway up the rack and lift it up when it bends to the point where the meat cracks at the surface, it's done.
As for being too smokey...probably got some white smoke early or the dreaded black smoke. My guess is that your fire wasn't getting enough oxygen, at least early in the cook and thus you weren't getting good smoke. That will impart an overly smokey flavor every time. -
OK - you know that 4 chunks of wood gives way too much smoke flavor, so either don't add wood next time, or try one or two chunks.
How did you decide it was time to pull the ribs off the grill? Did you use time or some other method? Time will not always tell you when they are done, and 220* at grate level is a bit low. Some here cook ribs around 275*, so you can bump the temp up to speed the cook. A lot of people here use the bend test. Pick up a rack with your tongs from one end. If they do not crack across the rack, they are not done.
And welcome to The Pit.
Edit to add that I was typing when Jeff posted. His comments are spot on.Last edited by RonB; November 28, 2018, 08:48 AM.Comment
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My only observation from your description is you didn't cook the ribs long enough. Typically at that temp you would want to figure on 5-6 hours. Using the 3-2-1 method you'd smoke for 3, wrap for 2 then glaze and finish the final hour. I personally do a 4 hour smoke at 250*, wrap in paper for an additional hour then glaze for about 30 minutes or so. Others will chime in on their favorite swear by method but at 220* you just need more time regardless.
On your smokiness, that's a matter of taste. My family likes quite a bit of smoke so it's subjective. You might want to try to keep your fire small and hot in your fire box, pre-warm your splits so your fire maintains consistent temps and only use one or two chunks of fruit wood, if any at all.
Keep working at it, you'll get it, good luck !!!Comment
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Cooking with charcoal & wood chunks is different than cooking with all wood. With all wood, you need a high oxygen rip-roaring environment, which produces lots of thin desirable smoke. Cooking with charcoal and wood chunks is a slower burn, making the wood smolder more instead of outright burn, at least in most cases. Smoldering wood has a much more concentrating effect on the meat. Smoldering wood chunk smoke contains more components. It's easy to overdo the smoke that way. My advice is try using only 1 half-fist-sized chunk next time.
Regarding the too-tough ribs, they were just undercooked. Best way to tell when they're done is to grab the rack with tongs, about 1/3 of the way down the rack, and pick it up, give a gentle bonce. If the rack begins to crack the top meat, and feels like it will break in half, they're done. This is called the bend test. You simply cannot use a clock or trust the 3-2-1 method concretely.
Your timing seems darn close. My suspicion is you had some hefty baby backs, I would wager a guess around 3.5 lbs each? 5.5 hrs should be plenty of time, especially when 1.5 of that was wrapped, to finish most baby backs in the 2.5-3lb range. Although, if your cooking temp at grate-level was 220, that's on the low side. Next time shoot for 250 and you'll get 'em done a pinch quicker, or at least get the same sized ones done more in the same timeframe.
EDIT: I was typing when the other fellas posted their comments. I may have repeated some good advice from the pros above me.Comment
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#huskee see #22. You may have seen that when I smoke in a kettle, I put one big hickory chunk on the upper grate, above the KBB. I set a cookie sheet in to zone it. Maybe that one smouldering chunk that seems to last to ~ 160F, that I don't replace, is why I like my results so much. I run that cookie sheet up to the dome, and AT is ~ 240F outside the cold zone at grate level.Last edited by JGo37; December 1, 2018, 12:50 AM.
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I can't say as I have ever had ribs that were "too smokey" from my offset, using either straight wood, or charcoal and wood chunks. As others have said, you must have had some sooty or white smoke. And I agree with everyone else - at 220 grate level temp, those ribs just were not done when you pulled them off. If we are talking loin back ribs from Costco or Sam's, those tend to be extra thick and meaty, and cook about the same length of time as spare ribs. Even when I used to do the 3-2-1 method, I imagine my grate temp on the offset ran closer to 250.Comment
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All good advice above. Only other thing to add ,is did you have the stack partly closed? Leave it wide open on an offset when cooking.Comment
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I'll add to @Huskee's excellent advice - whether running with all wood or charcoal/wood chunks you want the fire itself to be as hot as possible. This means you are controlling temps by controlling the size of the fire. Essentially you want a small/hot fire to produce the best smoke. For non low/slow I've become very light-handed with wood. Oftentimes I just cook with charcoal only - I'm talking about for stuff like steaks, burgers, chicken breasts, etc.Comment
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Just to expand on the advice above about pre-heating your splits. I got that advice here and, along with the concept of controlling heat by the fire size, it was a serious game changer for me. I run an offset using all wood. Ahumadora and Henrik advised that I keep the next few chunks inside the firebox, but far enough away from the fire that they don't burn. Then when you actually add them to the fire they ready to go and light right up. In a hot fire this will give you maybe a minute of white smoke, if at all, before it starts running clean. Game. Changer.
Here's the thread (Not sure how to link it): https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/fo...513426-airflow
Last edited by ClayJones; November 28, 2018, 11:39 AM.Comment
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Don't get discouraged by your first try! The first time I tried smoking ribs on an offset was a complete, terrible, emotionally scarring disaster. I had about 15 people over and cooked 5 racks of St. Louis ribs, and had no idea how to really use an offset (and had never found this awesome site, either). I used way to much wood (and crappy, uncured cedar wood) with way too much white smoke. I kept trying to control the temperature (not grate level, cause I had no idea what I was doing), by closing all vents. Took them off too early, and they were really, really horribly smokey, just not eatable. And oh so tough. People tried to be nice, but I knew they were faking it and out of the 5 racks, maybe 1 was eaten. After this I was so discouraged by the results on my crappy old Brinkmann smoker, I didn't try smoking ANYTHING for more than 5 years. Then I found this site and all the amazing information and advice its helpful members have poured into it. Just so much useful knowledge, it's a real treat.
I got the courage to get back into using an offset in March, and what others has said is true:
Burn a small but efficient fire using dry, seasoned wood, burning cleanly and try to have the vents fully open so you get as much airflow into the fire as you can. This creates good, tasty smoke. Also, the tip about pre-heating your wood by placing it on top of the firebox (or inside if there's space) was a game changer for my smoking technique. They just light up so quickly and efficiently, you get very little acrid smoke. And learn the bend test to know when your ribs are done. All that info is here, take advantage of it!
Like others have said, ribs are one of the most difficult cuts to cook. Personally, it is the one I have most trouble getting just right, as the windows for perfect are just so small. But it doesn't mean you can't get there through practice and learning from your mistakes.
Give it another go and let us know how they turn out once you apply these changes! Don't take 5 years, like I did!Comment
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jfmorris I really think ribs are harder. They're tough before they're done, and dry after. And that tiny window when they're perfect has a steep learning curve!
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Thanks for all the replies and info. I was running the stack 1/3 open. I also had to add charcoal several times as I didn't have enough to burn for the whole cook. When I added the coals to the hot fire, I did get some white smoke a couple times. I guess I need a tutorial on fire management and whether to cook with all wood or not. lComment
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My first smoker was a consumer grade off-set and I learned to only add charcoal that was already lit in a chimney. A typical charcoal chimney of white charcoal would do about an hour's worth of heat for me in a 225 to 250 F cook. I added wood chunks on top to make smoke. Knock the ash off part way through to get your temps back up. But yes, stick with it and learn to control it! -
I also learned to cook with a box fan near the fire box if I needed temps higher than 225 F. Angle the fan away from the air intake to lower the temp. I could get temps in any range with this set up. Just burned a lot of fuel in the process! -
+1 for Aaron Franklin’s book. If all you read are the sections on wood and fire you’ll be an exponentially better pit master!
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Y'all are making me want to smoke some ribs this weekend!Comment
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you can adjust smoke flavor by when you wrap. Wrap earlier in the cook for less, later in the cook for more. Works for color too. Just make sure bark is set. use bend test to tell when done.Comment
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I think a safe bet is keep that exhaust mostly opened and if you need to choke it back, move it 1/4 to 1/2 but not much under. I don't want to beat a dead horse since it's already mentioned, but do dry runs and experiment with temp control. Typically you can plan on keeping your intake all the way opened, and use the exhaust between 1/2 and full to regulate your overall temps. Now obviously this varies on your particular cooker and other factors.
Regarding cooking with all wood (should you venture there) keep the fire small, only large enough to get the heat you need, but keep what fire you do have HOT. You may find a smaller stickburner only needs a couple logs barely bigger than beer cans. It's really a fun hobby and each time you fire it up and take notes you learn skills you'll never forget and can pass on to others. Enjoy the ride!Comment
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