smoking brats & onions
- Thread starter cjr71244
- Start date
DivotMaker
New member
No need to soak chunks. It doesn't do anything except take the wood longer to dry enough to start smoking. People who use chips (I do not) recommend soaking them, but not chunks. You may not have had much smoke going with wet chunks for only an hour. I'd recommend starting with a dry chunk next time, and let the little brats go a little longer....they shouldn't come out gray.
cjr71244
New member
thanks DivotMaker, I read on here about using chunks and chips they might catch on fire so I thought I needed to soak. I'll try without.
When the ribs reach 165-170 is it ok to keep cooking them or should I take them out?
attached are some pics of the bb ribs I smoked yesterday. I followed the 2-2-1 method
* cut the full rack in half so it would fit in my model 1
* I rubbed them down with some bbq rub I got at winn dixie, left them wrapped in foil in fridge overnight
* set the smoker to 250 and put 3 chunks of smoked hickory in and a beer can full of water
* put the ribs on the center shelf and the brats on the top with half a red onion
* inserted my remote thermometer in the center of one of the half rack of ribs
* watched my temp for about 2 hours flipped the ribs half way through. I think the temp got to 165 at the highest that's when I moved the control down to 200 instead of 250
* after 2 hours wrapped the ribs in foil with a drizzle of 1 part olive oil and 3 parts apple cider vinegar on both sides of the ribs
* inserted my remote thermometer in the center of one of the half rack of ribs and watched the temperature for about an hour and half and got nervous when the temp got to 169 didn't want to over cook
* took the ribs out and dunked them in sticky fingers carolina classic sauce
put them back in for about 45 minutes
forgot to mention i took the onion & brats out after about an hour and then grilled them to try and crisp them up a bit. The onion looked real smokey, but didn't taste as smokey as I thought it would.
attached are my pics, thanks so much for the input thus far! next up on my plans is smoking a salmon with alder wood.
When the ribs reach 165-170 is it ok to keep cooking them or should I take them out?
attached are some pics of the bb ribs I smoked yesterday. I followed the 2-2-1 method
* cut the full rack in half so it would fit in my model 1
* I rubbed them down with some bbq rub I got at winn dixie, left them wrapped in foil in fridge overnight
* set the smoker to 250 and put 3 chunks of smoked hickory in and a beer can full of water
* put the ribs on the center shelf and the brats on the top with half a red onion
* inserted my remote thermometer in the center of one of the half rack of ribs
* watched my temp for about 2 hours flipped the ribs half way through. I think the temp got to 165 at the highest that's when I moved the control down to 200 instead of 250
* after 2 hours wrapped the ribs in foil with a drizzle of 1 part olive oil and 3 parts apple cider vinegar on both sides of the ribs
* inserted my remote thermometer in the center of one of the half rack of ribs and watched the temperature for about an hour and half and got nervous when the temp got to 169 didn't want to over cook
* took the ribs out and dunked them in sticky fingers carolina classic sauce
put them back in for about 45 minutes
forgot to mention i took the onion & brats out after about an hour and then grilled them to try and crisp them up a bit. The onion looked real smokey, but didn't taste as smokey as I thought it would.
attached are my pics, thanks so much for the input thus far! next up on my plans is smoking a salmon with alder wood.
Attachments
DivotMaker
New member
Hey CJ,
Lots of opinions on ribs around here...probably one of most cussed and discussed topics around!
Here's my 2-cents: Use the "no peeky" method and forget the foil!
Methods like the 2-2-1 were designed for stick burners and other "traditional" smokers, where the meat tends to dry out much faster. These smokers are much more efficient, and hold moisture better. Rub your ribs, wrap and rest in the fridge for at least 3-4 hours (overnight's better), put 2 - 2 1/2 oz of wood in the smoke box, put the ribs in @ 225 - 230, close the door and don't look at them again for at least 5 hours. I usually smoke 3 racks of baby backs in my #1 (cut in half, on 3 shelves), and it takes 5.75-6 hours for "fall off the bone" tender. If you foil your ribs in an electric, you'll never get a really good bark.
The other thing I recommend is try not to cook different foods at once that would require you to open the door at any time. If you're lookin,' you ain't cookin'! Keep that door closed. Also, temp probe in ribs really isn't necessary. It's tough to get an accurate reading due to the small about of meat, and closeness of the probe to the bones. Just go off of time and "feel." I good way to test for doneness is to use a wooden toothpick: Insert it between the meat and bone (next to the bone). If it goes in easily, and the meat can gently pull away from the bone (without breaking the toothpick), they're done! If not, smoke another 1/2 hour and try again.
Here's what I mean about the unwrapped bark:
http://smokinitforums.com/index.php?topic=1184.0
You really don't have to work hard at making great ribs in these smokers - that's the part folks have a hard time believing until they try!
Lots of opinions on ribs around here...probably one of most cussed and discussed topics around!
Here's my 2-cents: Use the "no peeky" method and forget the foil!
Methods like the 2-2-1 were designed for stick burners and other "traditional" smokers, where the meat tends to dry out much faster. These smokers are much more efficient, and hold moisture better. Rub your ribs, wrap and rest in the fridge for at least 3-4 hours (overnight's better), put 2 - 2 1/2 oz of wood in the smoke box, put the ribs in @ 225 - 230, close the door and don't look at them again for at least 5 hours. I usually smoke 3 racks of baby backs in my #1 (cut in half, on 3 shelves), and it takes 5.75-6 hours for "fall off the bone" tender. If you foil your ribs in an electric, you'll never get a really good bark.
The other thing I recommend is try not to cook different foods at once that would require you to open the door at any time. If you're lookin,' you ain't cookin'! Keep that door closed. Also, temp probe in ribs really isn't necessary. It's tough to get an accurate reading due to the small about of meat, and closeness of the probe to the bones. Just go off of time and "feel." I good way to test for doneness is to use a wooden toothpick: Insert it between the meat and bone (next to the bone). If it goes in easily, and the meat can gently pull away from the bone (without breaking the toothpick), they're done! If not, smoke another 1/2 hour and try again.
Here's what I mean about the unwrapped bark:
http://smokinitforums.com/index.php?topic=1184.0
You really don't have to work hard at making great ribs in these smokers - that's the part folks have a hard time believing until they try!
I converted to the "no peeky" method several months ago and have not looked back! The foil method is messy, and I have gotten better results with the no peek method. However, I do open the smoker at about 4 hours and baste the ribs with a BBQ sauce, and then put them back on for the last hour or so. That's the only time the door is opened.
As for a water pan, I have started using a pan for extra moisture and usually just fill it with apple juice...seems to be working out fine for me.
As for a water pan, I have started using a pan for extra moisture and usually just fill it with apple juice...seems to be working out fine for me.
Walt
New member
You can't go wrong listening to Tony or Steve. What they say above is correct. 5 to 5 1/2 hours for no peek. If you like to sauce, do so quickly & add 30 minutes to your cooking time (5 1/2 to 6 hrs). It is easy to overthink useing these. Get the prep right, brineing, rub, rest & then let the smoker do its thing.
DivotMaker
New member
CJ - apple juice or a good beer in the pan works great!
