My First Smoke - Model #1 / Pork Back Ribs

[jaybob]

Long time lurker... first time poster.

First off, I want to thank everyone on this forum for your altruistic nature.

The Smoke

Meat: 3.27 lbs of Pork Back Ribs

Removed membrane, rubbed lightly with yellow mustard and heavy on the Jack Stack BBQ Meat & Poultry rub. Wrapped in foil and let sit over night.

Put in Model #1 the next day around 1:00 pm with 2oz of Hickory dowel (split with flat side down) at 225.

I went ahead and stuck a probe (Maverick 732) in a thick part of the meat just to be geeky on my first smoke and let the other probe hang down the middle between the ribs and under the rack.

I was a little concerned about using a store bought rub, although my wife and I (living in Kansas City) love Jack Stack BBQ and their steaks, ribs, and rubs (although we prefer Gates BBQ for their sliced ham and turkey), but I put the rub on pretty heavy and was concerned it might turn out too salty.

We like our ribs dry and just dipping in BBQ so I didn't open the smoker at all until I was ready to pull them out.

The meat probe read 145 right at 2.5 hours. Left in until 4 hours and temperature on probe read 173... I think. Was so excited not sure I recall exactly. But pulled them out right at 4 hours.

Overall my wife and thought they were amazing! They weren't "fall off the bone" but that's not always been my qualifier anyway. My wife is a huge rib fan and she said they were the best she's ever had. (and of course she's always right :0).

Loved the strong hickory flavor and the rub didn't turn out too salty at all. Although they didn't fall off the bone, they were really juicy!

Honestly I can't imagine getting a better flavor from a gas or charcoal smoker. Or at least I don't have anything to compare it to. I just stay that because a couple friends are competition Q'ers and razzed me a little for getting an electric smoker. But man, for the flavor, juiciness, I'm a believer! Plus, I opened the smoker twice; to put them in and pull them out.

Next on my list is a whole chicken and then some pork loin. I also have a few chunks of Apple wood I purchased from a local BBQ store so might try that on some poultry, but I'll likely try everything with hickory first for comparison.

Thanks to everyone on this forum who's posted your experience, I used a little bit of everyone's advice for this first outing.

• Tweet
• 

[DivotMaker]

Glad you're out of the shadows, Jaybob!  Welcome to the club!  Looks like you've definitely been paying attention!  First smoke looks great! On baby backs, I don't go with internal temp (like on bigger cuts of meat), just time.  My test is a toothpick between the meat and bone at 5+ hours.  If the meat is tender, and easily pulls away from the bone, they're done!  My only recommendation, on your first smoke, would be to have kept them in at least another hour.  They wouldn't have lost any moisture, but would have pulled away from the bone a little more.

Glad to have you on board!

[jaybob]

Thanks Tony! I'll try 5+ hours next time and the toothpick test. Great stuff!

[DivotMaker]

Hey Jared, hope you had a good Thanksgiving!  Nice to have another neighbor on here!  Didn't notice in your first post - did you use a water pan on your first smoke?  Especially with "no peek" ribs, the water pan does make a difference.  I like to use disposable aluminum mini-loaf pans with apple juice, sitting on the floor of the smoker next to the wood box.  This adds some moisture to the meat, and helps stabilize the smoker temp swings (it's a heat sink).  Just wondering....

[jaybob]

Ah yes, I left that part out. I did use a mini-loaf pan (thanks to reading your suggestion on here already) and filled half-full of Apple juice.

Hope you had a happy Thanksgiving as well.  Even though we have a LOT of turkey left over, I just thawed out a brisket and am going to smoke that this weekend. I know it's one of the more difficult things to smoke, but what a fun way to learn. :-)

[DivotMaker]

Awesome, Jared!  You gonna inject it?  I recommend that - I've done them both injected and not injected, and am now a convert to injecting brisket.  Good rub, wood, temp to 225 and - just like the ribs - no peeky until it hits 195 IT!  It's really not as hard as the "other" smoker owners make it out to be to have killer brisket.    No need for foiling and all that - just let it work its way through the stall, and you'll have great brisket!

[jaybob]

Awesome, and yes I'm going to inject it. Actually, thought I had an injector but couldn't find it so just made a mad dash to Walmart and the Black Friday crowd to get an injector.

I have some Johnny's Au Jus concentrate sauce I'm wanting to try. So I'm going to inject with that, the same rub I used for our ribs (Jack Stack Meat & Poultry rub) and let sit over night.

The brisket is only 4.25 lbs, figure I'll throw it on around 7:00 a.m. with maybe 3-4 oz of hickory.

[DivotMaker]

Wally World on black Friday for an injector??? Now THAT'S Q dedication!  Sounds like something I would do!  Good luck with the briskie!

[swthorpe]

Hi Jaybob...excellent first smoke with the ribs.  When the wife is happy, everybody is happy!  I love doing ribs and they always turn out great, but I have to confess that for babybacks, I have converted to the 5 hour method (not 2-2-1) uncovered (thanks Divot), with some added BBQ sauce in the last hour.   I love the bark on the ribs, and if it looks like the meat is not falling off the bone, just add another 1/2 hour!

Chicken on the smoker is another great treat, whether whole chicken or parts, or even try some chicken thighs for pulled chicken.  You can't go wrong.  Then, when you really want to let it go, try the pulled pork for a good 10+ hour smoke (but add a little extra wood).

Cheers!

[jaybob]

Great suggestions, thanks Steve.