Asking for some help/thoughts

[richinlbrg]

My son loves BBQ, but the apartment he is in does not allow grills. He has been doing some pulled pork in his crock-pot.

Why couldn't he use one of our rubs (or any rub), elevate a shoulder or butt in a rack over a water pan with some liquid smoke and bake at 225ish. Would this give an approximate smoking effect?

Has anyone tried anything like this?

[Dr ROK]

The guys at chefsteps.com developed an apartment ribs recipe. It calls for "sous videing" the ribs first, but you can do that with a ziplock bag, a pot of water on the stove or a cooler filled with water at the temp you want. Here's the link if he's interested:

http://www.chefsteps.com/activities/apartment-ribs

[richinlbrg]

Thank you, Dr. ROK!!

Going to check that out for sure!

[mgaretz]

You don't even need the water pan. Just put the liquid smoke directly onto the meat along with the rub and cook in the oven at 225f until done. Pulled pork can be done in a crock pot. Ribs can too, and I used to cook them that way.

[richinlbrg]

mgaretz how did you do your ribs in a crock pot? Would you be willing to share your technique - something my son specifically mentioned?

[mgaretz]

It was pretty simple. I used baby backs, precut into 3-4 rib lengths. Back then I didn't rub, just put small amount of BBQ sauce on them, along with some liquid smoke and arranged them in the pot so the arc of the bones kept space between them. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. I would then apply more sauce and firm up on the gas grill for 30 minutes, but with no grill sub the oven at 250 or so.

Now I would try rubbing them with Memphis Dust, toss a little liquid smoke in the pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Sauce then firm up on the grill or oven.

Note that no other liquid is added to the pot. The ribs will generate plenty of liquid.

Note than you can do a butt the same way, just needs about 10 hours.

[richinlbrg]

THANK YOU, mgaretz

I'm gong to try it!

[Dr ROK]

a water pan with some liquid smoke and bake at 225ish. Would this give an approximate smoking effect?

This would not give you a smoked flavor on the meat. Like mgaretz said, paint/rub the meat with liquid smoke prior to cooking.

[GCassman]

You can also smoke foods in your oven without creating a ton of smoke in the apartment. There are several websites with suggestions on this, but I have tried smoking ribs in a hotel style pan in the oven as an experiment.

I spread out my pre-soaked wood chips on the bottom, about a hand full. Then I placed a grate over the wood chips. The ribs went on the grate and I covered the pan with aluminum foil, making sure to seal it tightly. I cooked them at 225 for 3 hours, before removing them for foiling. When I took the foil off, I did it outside and poured the chips in to a container of water to keep them from continuing to smoke. I finished the ribs using the 3-2-1 method.

The ribs turned out fantastic and had a nice smokey flavor. I'm sure using the right container, perhaps a deep dutch oven or stock pan, you could do this with pulled pork. At least you'd get some authentic smoke flavor.

[ontheranch]

rich, would they allow a Cobb?? totally enclosed and except for lid is cool to touch. MUST be used outside ONLY since it's charcoal.

[Ernest]

Use a dutch oven, place one or two silicon muffin thingies, filled with water and a dash of liquid smoke, inside the dutch oven. Season the butt as you would, place in the dutch oven, cover and cook in a 200 degrees oven (at 200 the oven will cycle between 190-220).

[Huskee]

Rule #1- NEVER move to an area that wont let you have a grill! (Lol)
Rule #2- Don't try an open water pan with liquid smoke in your indoor oven. See this article (not only for the reason why but a good indoor recipe idea) I've been in a similar situation myself. Unless you deem the risks not applicable in your/his situation

Option- Used smoke paprika or smoked salt on the meat, or use a really smokey sauce, or add some extra liq smoke to your sauce. Liq smoke is very bitter so adding it to sauce is safe since there's so much sugar and other deliciousness in it that you don't risk overpowering it too bad.

[richinlbrg]

WOW!

Thank you all! Some really good stuff here. I think the Cobb would not be allowed, but he'd have to check.

Huskee - THANK YOU! I never give him something I haven't tried, so you may have saved me the cost of having ServPro come out and decontaminate OUR house! LOL

The smoked spices make so much sense....DOH

I'm going to try some of these ideas and then pass them on to him. He and his gf are coming in June - might have to try a taste test with the oven variety and my smoked, which he says are the best he's ever tasted (poor kid is deprived).

Thank you all so much, again. What a place, this AR!!!! MOST APPRECIATIVE!

[Mosca]

I've done a couple "winter butts" as I call them. Rub the butt, put it in the crock pot with about a pint of chicken broth and 1/4 bottle of liquid smoke. Set it on high or low, doesn't matter. Come back when it's tender. Dump the liquid, pull the pork, add sauce (if you like sauce) and maybe some more rub. There's no bark, but it has a nice even smoky flavor. Any excess liquid smoke gets dumped with the leftover broth. Some people have used the broth to mix into the pork; I dunno. Maybe a little bit? Mine was fine without it. I didn't paint the butt with the liquid smoke, I just dumped it into the chicken broth and walked away.

Pork butts and crock pots go together like cold beer and hot summer days.

[Steve Retherford]

While I understand the reasoning here. I can't help myself this thread makes me a little sad.

[richinlbrg]

But he is working on it to the best of his ability, and he'll be ready soon.

I look at it very positively. He is pursuing what he enjoys, and having fun.

[Steve Retherford]

I'm sure he will do great BBQ, and soon you will have the same problem as I do, trying to get the tongs away from him on the weekends.

[richinlbrg]

Buy more tongs and pit mitts! LOL

I look forward to that day!

[richinlbrg]

OK, all this was a GREAT help!

And now I'm trying it out. I dry brined a rack of BB for 24 hours Saran wrapped in the fridge. Then pulled them out and slathered with prepared mustard with hickory liquid smoke mixed in. (I tasted the mix......I remember why I never tried liquid smoke more than once, but we'll see). Sprinkled on my rub, just like I would if smoking them. Cut three sets of a couple ribs and placed in the crock pot on low. Placed the balance of the rack in the oven @225.

mgaretz, slightly different than you did, but I think fairly similar - thoughts/observations/recommendations at this early stage would be appreciated.

Early pic of both sets.....followed by a pic of a round my son figured out on his own - man, they look pretty dang good!

[richinlbrg]

OK, just to close this out, #1 really wound up liking the ribs I did in the oven. Will have to re-do that one and see how it goes.

Got the recipe my son used, and they REALLY liked them - I've not tested it, but it sounds pretty good and I will test them:

http://www.food.com/recipe/beths-melt-in-your-mouth-barbecue-ribs-oven-107786

[smarkley]

Rule #1- NEVER move to an area that wont let you have a grill! (Lol)
....

Wow... I totally agree with Huskee's rule number one... that is almost un-American not to allow a grill! I wonder why he couldnt at least use one of those electric grills??

[richinlbrg]

OK, the judging is in. VERY different. I overcooked the crock pot version a bit. The smoke didn't come through that well, but for me leaves an aftertaste. Below is a really poor quality pic, sorry bout that. We both liked the baked a bit better than the crock pot version. So far, does not compare to smoked, but #1 would definitely like a repeat the baked version (she is not too big on heavy smoke). Next time I think I'll add sauce while cooking. Thanks to all who helped (and yes, I need to find out if ANY grill, like an electric, would be allowed).