My ribs.
- Thread starter Fpaschke
- Start date
Fpaschke
New member
Here's my question, has people double checked the actual inside temp of these(3D). I see a lot of people smoking at 235-240. I've always smoked at 220-225. These took 7 hrs 45 min. I'm thinking my inside temp has to be off. A rack has never taken me over 5 1/2 hrs. Thanks for the compliments. They were very good. I even had a chuck of wood in the wood tray that didn't even turn black. Seemed very odd. But I'm learning this smoker.
DivotMaker
New member
First off, great-looking ribs - congrats! 8)
I think the difference you are seeing in temp vs. time is due to the SI being much tighter, and moisture-retaining, than other"traditional" smokers. I'm not familiar with what a CMG is, but assume it's charcoal, propane or wood-fired? Those heat sources are going to dry, and cook faster. Now, I've smoked lots of back ribs at 225 (before moving to 235), and still had them done in the 5.5-6 hour range. 235 doesn't cut much time, but makes the bark a little better, imo. Not sure why yours took almost 8 hours...that's out of the "norm."
To add your name, just put it in the Forum Profile signature line (where you put your other cookers). To tell us about yourself, just start a new topic in the Introductions board and lay it on us!
I think the difference you are seeing in temp vs. time is due to the SI being much tighter, and moisture-retaining, than other"traditional" smokers. I'm not familiar with what a CMG is, but assume it's charcoal, propane or wood-fired? Those heat sources are going to dry, and cook faster. Now, I've smoked lots of back ribs at 225 (before moving to 235), and still had them done in the 5.5-6 hour range. 235 doesn't cut much time, but makes the bark a little better, imo. Not sure why yours took almost 8 hours...that's out of the "norm."
To add your name, just put it in the Forum Profile signature line (where you put your other cookers). To tell us about yourself, just start a new topic in the Introductions board and lay it on us!
I smoked this rack over last weekend on my 3D. I think you need to rethink your temp and time when cooking ribs. I have my own process that has taken 5 years to prefect but I get the exact same result every single time. Try some of the tried and true processes out there and then work off of those till you get it how you want it.
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EFGM said:
The temp issue was related to the amount of meat I was cooking, Which the smoker should have been able to handle but I believe flare ups were causing the fluctuation in temps. and I cook everything at 275. Through years of experimenting 275 seems to be that temp that I can always use for everything and it comes out the same as if it was cooked low and slow... or hot and fast.
SconnieQ
New member
DivotMaker said:To add your name, just put it in the Forum Profile signature line (where you put your other cookers). To tell us about yourself, just start a new topic in the Introductions board and lay it on us!
FrankieQ! Welcome from a fellow Wisconsinite, and thank you for adding the info!
Fpaschke
New member
Hi, SconnieQ. That's for the welcome everyone. gunman9 the results is what I was looking for. My question is why they took so long and if people ever double checked the actual temp inside the smoker vs set temp? If you don't don't double check that temp, who's to say setting it to 275 is actually 225 inside? My propane,pellet, and stick burner has never taken that long for ribs. My next smoke I will be double checking actual temp vs set temp on the smoker.
SconnieQ
New member
FrankieQ's said:
7 hours 45 minutes IS a long time for ribs. Unless they are full spares, which could take that long at 220. Baby backs should take in the 4.5 to 5.5 hour range. St Louis spares about 5 to 6.5 hours. I always do my ribs at 225, and they are done in that range. If you have an accurate thermometer, drop it down the hole in the top for your next smoke, and see what the temp reads. If it is not matching what your 3D is telling you, then another "D" model owner here can help you with that. I just have the low tech model (but I love it just the same). ;D
Fpaschke
New member
I may for S & G's start it this morning(empty) throw a couple oven thermometers in there and see how close it actually is to set temp. I have had pellet grills for the last few years so this is nothing new for me. Hard to believe but my GMG(both of them) were off 100 degrees side to side on the grates, and that's not counting set temp vs actual grate temp. For the extra 200.00 for that PID I'd sure hope it works correctly. I just see people cooking at higher temps on these(at least ones with the PID's) so it makes me wonder if the temps off. That's all.
DivotMaker
New member
Frank, the box temp displayed on your controller will be very close to actual box temp. You can test your probe with ice water to see if you get 32, and can even set an offset in the controller, if it's off. It will never be 25-50 degrees off. These controller boards are made by Auber, which is a big player in scientific-grade temperature management. The most I've ever seen one off is 2°. If you find it's off, let me know.
SconnieQ
New member
FrankieQ's said:
I might not be totally understanding this, but I don't think Tony was suggesting you test the probe inside the SI. I think he meant to test an external probe that you will be dropping down the top hole (like a Maverick, etc.) to compare your reading on the external probe to the box temp your controller says. You want to make sure your external probe is accurate. In addition to the ice water test for 32, I like to also put it in a pot of boiling water to see if it registers 212.
Same storm rolling through here!
DivotMaker
New member
I actually was suggesting to test the probe in the box, as well as the meat probe. It's long enough that you can tip a glass of ice water (about half-full) over the probe to check the reading. You don't remove the probe (it's plugged into the controller circuit board). You could also put some ice in a wash cloth and hold it around the probe. However you do it, the goal is to see if the box probe reads 32 on the controller's left window.
