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Who Needs Sides?

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    Who Needs Sides?

    It was the first nice weekend in Chicagoland since February. Wait what? Yeah, we randomly had a week of 70s in February, then the grey 30s and 40s retuned like they always do. No complaints from me though. We've had a super mild couple of winters but this weekend sealed the deal that spring is here! This is me up late the night before tearing up the kitchen after Caitlin had gone to bed. That's the only time I can get away with things like this.

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    Bought St. Louis Ribs and Chicken from Costco. I didn't look at the package and I thought I was buying chicken quarters but I accidentally bought leg and thigh meat with bone and skin removed. Where's the fun of chicken with no skin or bone for barbecue? Initially I was mad., but sometimes you gotta learn and the only person to be mad at is yourself.

    Ribs turned out great, passed the bend test and toothpick test but I think they could have gone another 30 min to an hour more because they weren't to my liking tenderness-wise. Had a little too much pull from the bone and didn't come clean off. I'd rather have the amazing bark and a little tough than tender with weak bark. So I never ever wrap...maybe some of you can convince me otherwise. Almost had to eat these Memphis style looking at em at first...But again, where's the fun in that?

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    But alas we must sauce.

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    Hey, what's more annoying than putting your ribs on the top rack of a WSM and your chicken on the bottom rack when it's time to put it on later? Not much. Can't do the opposite because the raw chicken juice will drop in the pork and contaminate it. Oh well. WSMs are darn near perfect and in my mind's eye and one of, if not the best smoker for your money you can buy at that price point. It's a design flaw that can be overlooked.

    So I decided to fire up the kettle separately because I wanted to have more access to the chicken and just leave the ribs alone. With me, chicken can go from great to crappy in a hurry. Forgot to take pictures of chicken pre cook and on the grill, but I had a few beers by then and the effort needed to get out of the lawn chair wasn't worth the picture taking at that time.

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    Question though, if I did put the chicken at the bottom rack at a later time than the ribs and started to throw wood on the charcoal again would it over smoke the ribs if they've already had their smoke for the first hour of cooking?

    At any rate, I had an amazing time barbecueing that day. So much so that I forgot to make our collard greens and mashed taters we had planned. Oh well, who needs sides? I barbecued all winter, but man, I'm really happy warm weather is here. Here's my finished product. I had the meat sweats with a sunburn on my neck, and had every intention of doing some yard work. But nah, it can wait. I do yard work like I barbecue, low and slow.

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    ​
    Cheers!

    #2
    That's a great lookin' cook.

    Comment


      #3
      I tell you what, wrap for a couple of hours with butter, molasses, and just a *touch* of maple syrup then use the drippings to make one kick ass sauce/glaze for the last 15 - 30min or so. I add vinegar and whatever I have on hand and reduce to make the sauce/glaze. The standard 3-2-1 technique works well for this.

      Comment


      • HJS
        HJS commented
        Editing a comment
        Nice idea! Will try it next time Sensei! Would have never thought to use the juice that runs out of the meat when you wrap it for the glaze at the end

      • boftx
        boftx commented
        Editing a comment
        Let your imagine run wild with that. Sweet, sour, both, jellies (can you say apple?), all kinds of potential there. Adds a whole other layer of flavor.

      • Spinaker
        Spinaker commented
        Editing a comment
        Ghost pepper Jelly! That is going down this weekend!

      #4
      Great write up. Thanks for taking us along for the ride! I feel ya on the temps brother. It was such a great weekend here too. (Minneapolis) However, its snowing here right now. We already have three inches......it was 73 F and sunny yesterday afternoon. As you said, "First nice weekend since February."
      I never cook chicken above anything in my cookers. You nailed it as to why I don't. I don't recommend people do it either. But I have seen Meathead recommend it to a few WSM users, "If they HAVE too cook them in the same cooker." (I think this is more so the bird sits high in the dome, where the heat is) But I think you went the correct route. Plus I like to cook chicken at a much higher temp, closer to 400 F. However, your kettle is the perfect vehicle for transporting your chicken to something not even the Colonel could dream up. A little butter under the skin with Simon and Garfunkel Rub on a hot smoker rollin' some of that sweet oak smoke.....take me Crispy-Smoked Chicken Nirvana.
      As for adding more wood to the cook, if you would have put the chicken on the bottom rack of the WSM; bad move. I would think cooking a chicken on the bottom rack of a WSM would produce some soggy results, especially if your using that water pan and cooking at rib temps. Not to mention, by this point, the ribs have all the smoke they need. At this stage in the cook all they need is heat. Smoke is most important in the first couple hours, thats it. The smoke would most likely be, thick and bitter because your throwing relatively cold wood on a fire. So it will take a little time for it to burn hot enough to emit clean smoke. Adding wood at the end of cooks on a bullet style cooker is not necessary, even if your adding food.
      Next time, cooking your chicken hot and fast. Say 350 F to 375 F I think you will be happy with it.
      Awesome pictures and thanks for sharing! Say hi to Chitown for me. Love that city!

      Comment


        #5
        Beautiful!

        Comment


          #6
          Looks great!

          Comment


            #7
            GOODNESS GRACIOUS!! No sides or plates needed. I just around the cutting board and go to town

            Comment


              #8
              Serious nice looking cook!!

              Comment


                #9
                That is some Delicious lookin' food ya' got there!!!
                I mighta not had any room fer sides, truth be told!

                Comment

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