Noob's first smoke...

goalieboy29 · June 27, 2005, 12:35:15 AM

Hey Gang,

New smoker finally arrived and I got to smoke some ribs. Meat came out very moist and tender but also really black in colour and slightly bitter. What a noob eh?

I used Wild Willy's Number One-derful rub from S&S (p.26). Smoked for 4 hours with hickory. Kept the temp around 220, had the vent open just a crack. Took 'em off whne food temp hit 190. FTC with 1/2 cup of apple juice for 3 more hours. Did not use a finishing sauce.

Any suggestions on how to turn out a more rounded, mellow flavour?
Do folks use a sauce with the Bradley? If so, how do you apply it without losing all your heat? Does your food come out really dark?

Welcome any suggestions. Smoker worked great, now I have to learn how to get my method right.

thanks,

goalieboy29

It's the wood that makes it good...

jaeger · June 27, 2005, 04:35:15 AM

goalieboy,
Congrats on your "virgin" smoke!
I usually only smoke for 2 hours. I only cook at about 200 degrees and I wouldn't let ribs get to 190 degrees (I.T.). I also "cheat" and put a few slices of bacon on the top rack to help keep the ribs moist during the cook. Total cook/smoke time of my last batch was 3 1/2 hours. The ends usually get pretty dark but they should not be totally black. If you had to much sugar in your rub it could have contributed to the dark color.

Doug

owrstrich · June 27, 2005, 06:04:23 AM

i bet the bitter taste has something to do with how much smoke used... changing the water in the bowl... bubba pucks... having the vent open just a crack...

not since my 1st smoke have i used more than 4hrs of smoke... or let my water bowl go dry... or had my vent less than 1/4 open... and i always use bubba pucks...

someone will show up here and ask all kinds of technical questions and then give you all kinds of technical responses... because they know you gotts to eat...

owrstrich

JJC · June 27, 2005, 10:57:16 AM

Doug and owstrich nailed it--nothing technical about it!

John
Newton MA

goalieboy29 · June 27, 2005, 12:40:48 PM

Thanks guys. Going to go with 2 hours of smoke next time. I was thinking of also scrapping the rub and just using a little salt and pepper.

So, is it important to change the water in the bowl during the smoke? I know I had plenty of water in there but it was, of course, filled with spent pucks.

Jaeger, what temp do you let your ribs get to? I picked 190 'cuz that's what I picked up on the forum. The rub I used had 1/4 cup of brown sugar.

Owrstrich, I did use bubba pucks but maybe I didn't have the vent open enough. Would you open it as much as, say, 1/2 way?

thanks again guys.

goalieboy29

It's the wood that makes it good...

whitetailfan · June 27, 2005, 04:53:10 PM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by goalieboy29
 Thanks guys. Going to go with 2 hours of smoke next time. I was thinking of also scrapping the rub and just using a little salt and pepper. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
If you didn't like the flavour, maybe try another rub...Kansas City perhaps? My personal pref is that S&P is too weak, I like more flavour.

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"> So, is it important to change the water in the bowl during the smoke? I know I had plenty of water in there but it was, of course, filled with spent pucks.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I do not "change" the water. Just make sure it is full enough to keep the pucks snuffed out. I don't think you need to consider changing until you have so much fat rendered that the bowl is covered and it poses a fire risk.

whitetailfan
"Nice Rack"
Lethbridge, AB

jaeger · June 27, 2005, 05:00:40 PM

goalieboy,
I just bumped a thread on ribs under the MEAT section. Check it out!!!

Doug

goalieboy29 · June 27, 2005, 05:02:25 PM

Thanks Whitetail. Any more details on your KC rub? I did find it weak. I prefer some heat and a little kick.

goalieboy29

It's the wood that makes it good...

whitetailfan · June 27, 2005, 05:12:51 PM

Goalie,
The KC rub is from Smoke and Spice, so if you have access to Willy's you have access to KC. I'm at work, so no chance of regurgitating it for you. I think KC is a little weaker than Willy so you may not like it. They are both heavy paprika based rubs. You may have to look elsewhere - sorry.

whitetailfan
"Nice Rack"
Lethbridge, AB

psdubl07 · June 27, 2005, 05:25:02 PM

You'll want to use Turbinado Sugar (e.g. Sugar In The Raw) if you can get it because it's unrefined and doesn't burn like regular brown or white sugar.
I use 4 hours of Hickory on my ribs and they turn out good every time. Generally you change the water after 4 hours to get rid of spent pucks/grease drippings, and refill with water. Other than that, keep that door closed!
Try some diff rubs, and you'll probably end up doing what myself and many others do which is taste it as you go and create your own just how you like it! [:)]

bsolomon · July 06, 2005, 10:51:27 PM

I concur. I always use 4 hours of smok on ribs, so I don't think that's the issue. I would:

1) Open you vent more
2) Cook at a lower temperature - 200 versus 220
3) Keep any brown sugar-rubbed meat well away from the heating element, see 2) above, and/or switch to turbinado sugar.

As whitetailfan says, you may have better luck initially with heavy-paprika rubs because this burning effect is far less of an issue than with sugar-based rubs.

As to the overall flavor, I would think that 4 hours of hickory will be a very strong flavor. For ribs, I like a maple/pecan mix better(alternate bisquettes). If you like the hickory, but want it less intense, go with 2 hours hickory and finish with 2 hours of maple, pecan, or oak for example. Finally, a lot of the perceived smokiness is on rather than in the meat initially. A good FTC is an excellent first step, but some people prefer the flavor of some of their smoked items better on the second day, after the smoke has had more time to be fully dispersed into the meat. This is an especially good tip for cold-smoking cheeses, but you might consider it for your ribs. You would need to be careful with your reheating so that you don't dry out the meat.

Phone Guy · July 06, 2005, 11:38:23 PM

I agree with the others here..
1. Turbinado sugar
2. Less smoke or milder wood
3. Bacon directly on the ribs or on top rack.
4. Try saucing after you pull the ribs. Place them in the oven for a few minutes after applying sauce.

BigSmoker · July 07, 2005, 02:12:28 AM

WW #1 rub is a dark rub. Use something else paprika based(red) and u will like it better. have fun and happy smokin'.

Jeff

Some say BBQ is in your blood, if thats true my blood must be BBQ sauce.

JJC · July 08, 2005, 03:58:10 AM

I think all of these suggestions are good, but in my experience, simply FTCing or even letting things rest for a couple of days --as bsolomon said-- is the best antidote to a bitter taste. Almost everything I've done that had a bitter taste innitially lost it after 24-72 hr in the fridge.

John
Newton MA