Fine day for some Prime chuck ribs.

[DaveD]

After a rainy Friday, it's a much nicer day today, very seasonable - currently 41F/5C and very breezy thus far, although the forecast is for the wind to start waning right about now. Tomorrow is forecast to be rainy again, and the forecasts have been spot on (not surprisingly, here in the immediate surroundings of the nation's capital, wx sensors out the ying yang), so my plan to smoke up a rack of Prime chuck ribs from Creekstone is right on track.

Doing this in a combo of the SnS kettle for the first ~6 hours, well into the stall, then I'll deploy the foil boat and move it over to the Pit Boss p-smoker for the rest of the way. I've done this 7 times thus far and the results have been outstanding, and the hands-free final hours make my side dish life a whole lot simpler. Kettle fuel is B&B charcoal with a few chunks of mesquite, and the PB has Cookin' Pellets "apple mash" loaded in, but by that time the meat will have taken up all the smoke it's gonna.

Needed some trimmage before dry brining overnight.


Hit it with a healthy coating of Hank's Bona Fide before going on the kettle this morning.


Everything is nominal as all getout. SnS holding nice and steady between 240-250F/115-120C. That B&B is the shiz.



About 2 hours in.


At 3 and 4 hours:



Temp profile thus far clearly shows that we are in beautiful downtown Stallsville. IT right around 170F/77C. Probably be boatin' it up and moving over to the Pit Boss in another hour or so.




More later!

[texastweeter]

Lookin great.

[Skip]

Yum Yum!

[DaveD]

Alrighty, just as expected, the SnS started to struggle to maintain temp as the fuel ran low, so I boated it up and moved it into the Pit Boss, where it'll remain the rest of the way. Once it's probe tender, I'll just dial it back to 150F/65C, its lowest setting above "smoke", and let it rest in there, covering the top with foil for that step. That will allow temps to slowly fall but keep it well out of the danger zone. Here's the latest:

Onto the boat, before I bunched up the foil around the ribs. Dig that pullback!


When I did, however, I tore through the foil with one of those bony ends, so I put another couple layers underneath to catch the drips.



You can see how the temp in the SnS kettle was drifting down despite my efforts to keep opening vents to compensate. Even fully open it was declining, and that's my cue to switch cookers. Yes, I know I could work on adding coals to keep it going etc. but this is sooooo much easier. Dot marks the spot of transition, if it isn't already obvious...

[gboss]

There's always that one bone that wants to go its own way!

[DaveD]

It can call it another lonely day.

[drobinson]

Good job---looks wonderful.

[Dewesq55]

IMHO, it's always a good day for those prime beef ribs from CF. They look delicious.

[DaveD]

They're probing super tender now, just about at target temp in most spots. So I backed off the set point on the Pit boss to 150F/65C and covered the ribs with foil. Will rest about 90 min and then serve. After-action next!

[DaveD]

After-action: Superb result. Wonderful smoky flavor, bark with just the right bite, juicy and tender. As expected, I could very easily tug the bones out of the meat, they just slid right out like Arthur's sword from the stone. Had sides of steamed asparagus and "Them Taters", as we call the wonderful Jess Pryles roasted potato recipe. Y'all really need to try this, it's so simple and so freaking good. (See below)







For the taters, use russets or something similarly "fluffy", not a waxy potato. Peel and chunk 'em up, then par-boil in cold, salted water for 8-9 min to get the outer layer tender (probe it). Drain into a metal colander and swirl around to rough up the surfaces. Then load onto a foil-lined baking pan with some beef tallow, salt again and bake at 450F/230C for 45 min, turning once at 25 min in. Just stupendous, a toothsome, crunchy exterior and a creamy interior.

[bbqLuv]

I enjoyed following your cooking of these beef ribs. Good looking ribs.
Nice time-stamped graphics. How did we ever cook without electronic gadgets?
Well done if I say so myself.

[Whiskeyman53]

Fantastic, great work.

[Clawbear57]

Excellent.

[Sid P]

Great result and write up, Dave! It looks amazing, and the potatoes are on the "must try" list.

[Steve B]

Fine work Dave. That is one delicious looking meal.