Smokin-It User Forum!
Smokin-It Smokers => Model 2 & 2D - The Middle Kid => Topic started by: kujobie on April 07, 2013, 05:07:12 PM
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Just finished the maiden voyage on my Model #2, or as I call it, R2D2. Unbelieveable! Best ribs I've ever eaten. Wow. I don't know what else to say except that my charcoal smoker will be given away at the next garage sale.. The family was impressed. And I will repeat that one wood chunk is enough. Easy smoke, easy clean up. I love it!
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Sweet smell (taste) of success.
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Glad to see you're loving the new smoker! 8)
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Great to hear...taking my maiden voyage right now with 5 racks of ribs.
I put in 3 pieces of wood...hope it's not too much.
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lleone, it truly is a matter of taste ... while too much smoke will definitely produce a bitter flavor, I do prefer a heavier smoke than many; I'll typically add two chunks at the beginning of a rib smoke and may add a chunk during if the meat hasn't warmed to 140 or above for things like brisket or pork butt. I do tend to use only a single chunk for chicken and other fowl.
Best of luck with the ribs!
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Just finished the maiden voyage on my Model #2, or as I call it, R2D2. Unbelieveable! Best ribs I've ever eaten. Wow. I don't know what else to say except that my charcoal smoker will be given away at the next garage sale.. The family was impressed. And I will repeat that one wood chunk is enough. Easy smoke, easy clean up. I love it!
Did you use the blocks that came with...? Or what wood did you use?
-B
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I used the wood that came with it and bought more after reading the reviews. It came out awesome. Big bag of Hickory dowels. Will last us for a while.
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I did two racks this weekend. Three chunks of mesquite which I think was 1.) too much; 2.) too dry and might have smoked too quickly. Just seemed like too much smoke too soon. Wife thought it was too smokey. I have some peach wood on order.
They were in for almost 5 hours @ 225 and they were a little drier than I would have preferred. I rubbed th with olive oil before the rub went on. I used a pan filled with apple juice in the bottom. Texture was perfect, the bones picked clean.
Overall they were pretty good, going to focus on the moisture retention. Maybe a mop at the 3.5 hour mark? I hate to open the smoker once its going though.
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I did two racks this weekend. Three chunks of mesquite which I think was 1.) too much; 2.) too dry and might have smoked too quickly. Just seemed like too much smoke too soon. Wife thought it was too smokey. I have some peach wood on order.
They were in for almost 5 hours @ 225 and they were a little drier than I would have preferred. I rubbed th with olive oil before the rub went on. I used a pan filled with apple juice in the bottom. Texture was perfect, the bones picked clean.
Overall they were pretty good, going to focus on the moisture retention. Maybe a mop at the 3.5 hour mark? I hate to open the smoker once its going though.
I have the #3 and I agree the ribs are tender but do start to dry out more than I like also. I have been using an ounce and a half of apple wood, seems about right for my family. Was going to try foiling after 3 hours but I dont really want smothered ribs.
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I've smoked seven different sessions of ribs (about 20 racks total) and found very quickly that:
1. Yellow mustard schmear, dry rubbed, and plastic wrapped in fridge overnight is a solid system ... moist and tender every time.
2. Direct liquid (spritzing with apple juice) produces slightly better outcomes than a water pan.
3. Marinating the ribs produces a very different flavor profile and texture (due to the salt in the marinade).
The foiling method is outstanding for traditional smokers ... but I've found it to be unnecessary with the #3.
With regard to environmental factors, I do live in a humid area (Texas Gulf Coast) but I doubt that this plays a role; altitude, however, is a concern for some folks.
My two cents ... an overnight prep and held 12-24 hours in the fridge, followed by heavy spritzes of apple juice at the second and fourth hour mark is the easiest method for tender, juicy ribs.
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Thanks for the info, I have used mustard on butts but never thought about trying it on ribs. If it isnt raining all weekend I might give it a try. Thanks
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I've smoked seven different sessions of ribs (about 20 racks total) and found very quickly that:
1. Yellow mustard schmear, dry rubbed, and plastic wrapped in fridge overnight is a solid system ... moist and tender every time.
2. Direct liquid (spritzing with apple juice) produces slightly better outcomes than a water pan.
3. Marinating the ribs produces a very different flavor profile and texture (due to the salt in the marinade).
The foiling method is outstanding for traditional smokers ... but I've found it to be unnecessary with the #3.
With regard to environmental factors, I do live in a humid area (Texas Gulf Coast) but I doubt that this plays a role; altitude, however, is a concern for some folks.
My two cents ... an overnight prep and held 12-24 hours in the fridge, followed by heavy spritzes of apple juice at the second and fourth hour mark is the easiest method for tender, juicy ribs.
Thanks, I'll give this (these) tries next time.
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I generally thinly coat ribs with mustard to keep the rub on them. No issues for me with them drying out. For my own tastes three chunks of wood is waaaaaay too much! Typically I weigh out the wood on an electronic scale; for most purposes 2 oz is plenty. Much more than that and it's too smokey for me. I prefer a more subtle flavor.
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I have been using the 2-2-1 method for baby backs, and I add some BBQ on top for the final hour. In the middle period, I foil the ribs meat down and add some apple juice. I have not experienced dried out ribs with this method.
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Well, I should have opened this up two hours ago. For reasons I cannot explain I feel I am doomed to repeat history. At least I have them in foil this time at the hour point. Aside from that, well, I pretty much through everything else out the window. We'll see what happens when the time is up.
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Look at it this way, Muttley ... Thomas Edison failed over 9,000 times before he finally succeeded in finding a filament that would work. Thomas Edison couldn't eat his near-miss mistakes ... but you and your family can. ;D
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I went 1 for two, which I don't really understand. They both were good, but one was definitely better. First rack had a nice texture, juicy, good flavor, and I thought a little too much smoke. The second rack (pictured), perfect in almost every aspect, markedly different. My buddy who was my critic said he'd pay money for the second rack, it's what he'd expect from a menu, although I thought they were falling off the bone too willing. Truly the second rack was better, in fact it was as though they were two different recipes. It had a different texture, taste, and the smoke content seemed way less. . They were equal in every aspect with regards to prep, rub, cooking etc. I did them 2-1-1. By no means were they failures, but given the parity, I don't know where they came out being so much different.
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Mutt, this is one of the greatest frustrations of smoking and is experienced by all smokers regardless of equipment or experience.
Meat plays a large role ... while buying from a butcher who sources exclusively from a specific farm or ranch would be ideal, most of us shop at big box retailers who receive their meats and poultry from a variety of producers. Feed and care of the animal will affect the meat, as will the handling both prior to slaughter and after, the skill of the butcher, the care of the packaged product while in the store ... the list goes on and on.
Then you throw in our prep methods. While a good process and an adherence to said process will be huge, if we have to make a new batch of rub between cuts, or the proximity to the smoke box or top vent, or even slight differences in the resting cycle can individually or cumulatively affect the quality of the finished barbecue.
More than likely, you're seeing a combo of meat quality and proximity to the heating element/smoker box. Next time, stick to a replicable process (rub prep, immediate refrigeration under ideal temps, and then a 3-2-1 method for spares or a 2-2-1 for babybacks and you'll be good to go.
If you're still wanting to do a little Scooby Doo work, perhaps take a single rack of ribs and cut it in half prior to your prep and then deduce whether placement in the smoker resulted in the outcome you observed. Nonetheless, congrats on a good meal to close out the weekend!
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Those look pretty darn good to me, Mutt! I'd say "job well-done!" Joe has some really good points about replicating the process. If we want (close to) the same results, we have to be able to repeat all the steps; then we can tell where the "variables" play a factor. Overall, I'd say it looks like a success! Any time you have a buddy tell you they'd pay for your Q, you have a winner! That should tell you how good meat can turn out in a Smokin-It, as opposed to some of the commercial restaurants! It's amazing how conditioned people are to "so-so" bbq! BTW, ain't nothin' wrong with "falling off the bone," unless you're in a competition! I, personally, find that style much easier on the pallet!
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All right, getting ready to start the rub...and I read the mustard thread this time. Just for the Pepsi Challenge affect, I'm going to do one with mustard, one without. I'm stubborn and I want to see the difference side-by-side.
It's go time... 8)
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Good luck with that. I've been toying with molasses as a binding agent recently ... since you're sitting on a box of peach wood you might want to use peach preserves or apricot jelly as a binding agent for your spice rub; I think it could really bring something to the table and create a very consistent taste to match your wood choice.
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Good thread,,,
I have had good luck using honey as a binder if you like your ribs sweet,,,
I was also thinking about all the talk about the "weight" of the wood being "to much" or "not enough", would it not depend on the type of wood you are using as to how much to use,,, some woods like oak, hickory,mesquite, are naturally heavier tasting smoke then the fruit woods???
Good luck with the smoke...
PJ
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Good thread,,,
I have had good luck using honey as a binder if you like your ribs sweet,,,
I was also thinking about all the talk about the "weight" of the wood being "to much" or "not enough", would it not depend on the type of wood you are using as to how much to use,,, some woods like oak, hickory,mesquite, are naturally heavier tasting smoke then the fruit woods???
Good luck with the smoke...
PJ
It went well, I posted up the results in the Pork forum. ((that sounds funny-->Pork forum))
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After you spend a few months obsessing over your meat and posting pics of it for everyone to see ... well, it'll still be funny I'm sad to say. ;D
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Hehe....you said Pork Forum. ;D
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Apricot jam! what a great idea...
I always loved to eat apricot preserves as a child with PORK products....
could even mix the 2.... mustard, jam...
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Yup ... the flavor of your binding agent will be mild no matter what you choose; I've even used Sriracha and the heat was muted during the smoking process.
I think mustard and peach go well together so I don't see a lack of harmony between mustard and apricot; I say go for it on a small pork butt to see if it holds up to a long smoke and then unleash hell on some ribs. ;D
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Joe, I did a mix of mustard and apricot jam. I also smoked the PP with apricot wood.
was one of the best PP I ever made. The apricot wood had a really nice addictive aroma throughout the smoke..
I think I will be using that in many of my future smokes. And the small apricot pieces added a hint of delicate sweetness. Yeah a definite success with this mix.... I had 10 people that couldn't stop eating....
I got one comment from someone whose opinion "matters": 'you hit another one out of the ballpark'
All it needed was a 2.75 oz chunk. And yeah the chunks seem to be higher quality than the chips I had been using.
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Glad the apricot worked for you Spresso ... I may have to do a comparison between the peach wood I typically use and apricot wood. :)