Quick Ribs on the Smokin-It #3

[UWFSAE]

With the start of the NFL season, today was hectic with all my fantasy teams, a bit of paperwork for the upcoming week, laundry ... well, you get the drift.  So, I had a rack of spares that I picked up a couple of days ago and was debating on freezing or using ... using won out.

Threw on a spicy/sweet homemade rub with molasses and Crystal hot sauce used as the binding agent and let it sit refrigerated for about six hours.  Only need 3.5 oz of hickory for the Smokin-It so they went into the cold smoker with a cup of apple juice in the Flavor Savor and a quick drizzle of Sweet Baby Ray's Brown Sugar BBQ Sauce and there they shall smoke at 225 uninterrupted for 5.75 hours.  Since I have to run into the office for a couple of hours I elected to sauce up front rather than later since the Cowboys game is going to have my full attention once I'm back from campus.

Finished pics to come, of course ...

 

[BIG BOB]

mmmmmmmmmmm, looks great. I was wondering what you teach and where?  I am a high school Psych and U.S. History teacher here in Indiana.

 

[UWFSAE]

I teach and coach competitive debate at a college just outside Houston, Bob ...  usually a laid back job but we're hosting a tournament next weekend so I'm in triage mode.

 

[Smokster]

Joe,

I'm looking forward to the pics of the finished product. I've never seen a straight uninterrupted smoke of ribs, all videos I have seen consisted of a 321 method.  I'm curious to see how they turn out.

I have smoked ribs twice with the 2nd attempt turning out much better than the first and both times using the 321 (for side ribs) and 221 (for back ribs), which I haven't been able to achieve the fall off the bone results I have been hoping for.  Any suggestions to get the meat to fall off the bone? 

Before I got my #3 I would season and foil the rack, then bake in the oven for 2 hours at 300 degrees, then finish on the BBQ to sauce them up and the ribs were tender and fall off the bone. I want to achieve the same results with the smoker. It is trial and error until I figure it out.

 

[UWFSAE]

And, after 5.75 hours ... done.  So far, the Cowboys are frustrating me but the ribs turned out well.  No foiling and since the game is on I decided on no extra sauce.  Just enough bite but plenty tender and VERY juicy.

Smokester, you can see that the ribs turn out really nice with a robust bark after an unfoiled cook.  The smoke flavor is spot on, the fat rendered very well, and they're still plenty moist ... to me, the fewer moving parts in a machine the better.   

 

[Smokster]

Joe,

That is a nice rack of ribs.  It definitely looks tender and juicy with a nice bark. For my next rack of ribs, I will try your method of set and forget approach.

I prefer to smoker back ribs which I believe takes less time than side ribs.  What would be the recommended time for back ribs if I set it to 225?

 

[UWFSAE]

Well, whether foiled or not the cooking times are about the same ... so, a rack of baby backs would be a five hour smoke.  Let me know how this method works for you once you've done it.

 

[Jerz]

We need a drooling smiley... those look GOOD!