1st smoke in my #2

[KyDog]

    Well the 1st smoke is under my belt and it was good, but not great . I had rubbed the ribs with a Memphis dust rub i made after i coated with mustard and let sit in frig over night. The ribs came out with a good bark i thought but there wasn't a great deal of favor from the rub, they did have a good smoke favor though not real strong. Next time i will try the Famous Dave's rub i found at Krogers on sale yesterday.
    The potatoes were real good, 1st time i've had smoked baked potatoes.
The beans were Ok, they caught too much drippings and the onions and green peppers were not done, laddled off some of the grease for ribs and finished in oven. they were good but a little strong on the tomato side from rendering down in oven.
I was having issues with temp not getting up during smoke with everything in the smoker. I set smoker at 235 to 240 and only saw temp reach 218, until i took beans and taters out at the 5 hiur mark  than temps climbed to 240, but at that point the ribs were approaching 5-1/2 hrs and getting dry but not real tender.
I would rate the ribs at a 7 out of 10 scale, next time it will be meat only and a different rub.
Thanks for the help and replies  Dave

 

[Pork Belly]

Dave,
A couple of points...
*Were the onions and peppers in the beans or whole?
*I put my beans on the top rack, so they don't block heat, Potatoes can also block heat so I put them around the  edge of the rack holding your ribs. If the potatoes are not done when the ribs are a quick trip through the microwave will finish them.
*Personally I love the Dust however I increase the salt and brown sugar to my personal taste. Try a heaver application.
* I have never had ribs go past 4.5 hours for my preference. I get good pull back on the meat and and clean bones. Depending on thickness they have finished as early as 3.5

 

[swthorpe]

When I do baked beans, I sautee the bacon, chopped onion, green pepper and minced garlic first, then add the beans, brown sugar and BBQ sauce.  I follow this recipe and keep the beans in the smoker for 2-3 hours:

http://smokinitforums.com/index.php?topic=1483.msg7883#msg7883

 

[tbcop-is-smokin]

Hey Dave,
Made up some Memphis rub yesterday. I have been waiting to try it. You didn't like the Memphis Dust???
I have been looking for a long time for a good rib rub and thought the Memphis Dust would be a good one.
Let me know if you use a different rub..
Thanks
Tony

 

[KyDog]

The peppers and onions were in the beans, as for the Memphis dust i used Meatheads recipe from Amazing ribs and it didn't call for any salt( i thought it could have used some salt). I coated the ribs pretty liberal but not extremely heavy. The ribs were fairly tender but not fall off the bone. AS you can see from pic's i was getting shrinkage on the bones, should this be more?
I'm thinking the beans and taters were blocking alot of the heat for the ribs and the probe was clipped to the top shelf behind ribs.
Also had 2 small loaf pans about half full of apple juice and it was gone at end of smoke.
Any pointers would be appreciated. Dave

 

[Pork Belly]

That recipe is his "updated" one. In our rubs and sauces section we have the one with salt. Next time saute your vegetables before they go in the beans. I don't like "fall off" tender. I want to pull the meat gently off as I bite but not have residual fibers sticking to the bone. The amount of shrink varies from pig to pig but generaly I would say .5 inch is normal.

 

[KyDog]

Thanks Pork Belly

 

[swthorpe]

Kydog...try the ribs again but with the taters above and not below and see what happens.  You have a nice pull back of the meat, but I usually get a bit more than this.  If the pork came off the bone the way you like, then it's a success!  I have has some ribs cooked to the point where the meat literally falls off and the bones a spotless...but this does not happen every time.

Another point:  I have never had a small loaf pan of apple juice go dry during a 5.5 hour smoke for ribs.  I use one pan and fill it about half way.    The only time I did get end up with an empty pan it turned out that the pan had a small leak...I knew something was fishy because of the all of the liquid in my drip pan under the smoker.  I would suggest checking your loaf pans if you plan to re-use them.

 

[KyDog]

These were small cake (loaf) pans, heavy aluminum not the foil type. They were empty and nothing in drip pan but grease. Pans were 3" x 6" x 2" dp.

 

[swthorpe]

Wow!  That's a new one for me...interesting! 

 

[KyDog]

Do you all put the loaf pans against the wood box or just close, these were touching the wood box.

 

[NDKoze]

Right up against the box for me.

My pan has never gone dry.

 

[Pork Belly]

I put mine all the way in the back touching the right side of the firebox. I never loose moisture I always gain from drippings.

 

[DivotMaker]

Dave, the ribs look great, despite your rating! ???

Next time, try doing ribs by themselves, and save the sides for the oven.  Also, try a deeper loaf pan for the liquid.  I used the disposable aluminums for a long time, but recently stole appropriated one of my wife's non-stick mini loaf pans (for the cause, of course)...heavier metal, so it absorbs the heat better, and easy to clean.

Let me know what you think of the Famous Dave's Rib Rub!  Don't be shy with it, and it'll treat you right.  Of all the different store-bought and homemade rubs I've tried, it's about my favorite.  Love it on ribs and butts!

 

[Smokster]

When adding moisture, I usually use an empty aluminum can next to the smoker box filled with liquid.  It makes for an easy clean up.

 

[DivotMaker]

When adding moisture, I usually use an empty aluminum can next to the smoker box filled with liquid.  It makes for an easy clean up.

Tony - try a mini loaf pan sometime.  The aluminum can method is great, but the advantage to a loaf pan is volume and surface area.  You can heat the larger volume just as quick, and the larger surface area give off more steam.  Plus, they tuck right in next to the smoke box handily!