First time...Baby Back and some country ribs

mfh · August 22, 2009, 06:23:14 AM

OK - I have been reading but now am doubting myself...I have three BBR slabs and a package of country ribs that are rubbed and ready for the Bradley - this will be my first time with the Bradley.

Plan is 3 hours hickory / oak @225, and then two hours foil at @225 and then an hour out of foil.

If they get done early and the sides are not ready...I will FTC them...am I looking to hit it our of the park? In my other smoker, I usually did 6-7 hours @225 with no foil about 2-3 hours smoke - wife liked them so I am wondering if they will come out as well in the Bradley...

Just looking for a confidence check!
Cheers,
Matt

Tenpoint5 · August 22, 2009, 06:29:23 AM

Sounds like a great plan Matt ! I would add to put a splash of juice in there when you foil the ribs. Also do everything the same to the CS ribs that you are doing to the baby backs. Watch for the ends to pull back from the bone and you will be fine.

mikecorn.1 · August 22, 2009, 06:30:11 AM

Welcome to the forum. I love my bradley, its easy and you dont have to babysit it. Now I do find that the smoke flavor to the meat is not as intense as I have tasted when its done, let say with an offset smoker. Thats the way I like it though. I like to taste the product first then the smoke. Im a carnivore, not a termite. ;D ;D ;D

mfh · August 22, 2009, 01:01:09 PM

OK - its been almost four hours and the temp is JUST getting to 225...clearly the electric element is not "oversized" That is gonna change my times a bit - four hours with smoke, two in foil and then one out...leas that is the plan now.

I remember reading about someone augmenting their unit to help recover the temp drop wafter adding the meat...will have to find that post and read up on it.

That said - talk about EASY. Makes my propane smoke look like a PITA...course, I still want to add an offset to my collection.

Cheers,
Matt

mikecorn.1 · August 22, 2009, 01:07:36 PM

Some folks around here wrap bricks in foil and place them next to the drip bowl at the bottom of the bradley. Another member went a purchased a round cast iron skillet and cut the handle off and put in in the bottom. Will try to find thread for you, or maybe someone else will find it b4 me.

I think i found it. check out this thread

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=10066.15

mfh · August 22, 2009, 01:16:31 PM

Thanks - I have been looking for the thread and have not found it yet...maybe I will try the bricks in the mean time. Have a couple laying around - will just boil them and wrap them - thanks.

squirtthecat · August 22, 2009, 01:17:12 PM

I use a slightly butchered Lodge skillet for my heat sink, works great.

Here is the thread with some pictures and temperature recovery stats:

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=10989.0

It in turn holds a 9x9 foil pan which gives added capacity. (doesn't run dry after 4 hours, more like 6)

mikecorn.1 · August 22, 2009, 01:20:01 PM

Quote from: squirtthecat on August 22, 2009, 01:17:12 PM
I use a slightly butchered Lodge skillet for my heat sink, works great.

Here is the thread with some pictures and temperature recovery stats:

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=10989.0

It in turn holds a 9x9 foil pan which gives added capacity. (doesn't run dry after 4 hours, more like 6)

There ya go, this was the one i was looking for. I remember u took the pics with your phone.

squirtthecat · August 22, 2009, 01:30:14 PM

Quote from: mikecorn.1 on August 22, 2009, 01:20:01 PM
There ya go, this was the one i was looking for. I remember u took the pics with your phone.

And I remember dropping that pan in the store, as it wasn't quite hooked all the way on the display rack..

You can't imagine the sound it made on that cement floor.

mikecorn.1 · August 23, 2009, 09:11:58 AM

Loud as all get out. Hows that pan working out. you think it works better than bricks.

squirtthecat · August 23, 2009, 09:57:39 AM

I think it works great... The only bricks I had were old, muddy, moldy and covered in paint - probably not a good idea to put in the cooker.

mikecorn.1 · August 23, 2009, 11:35:11 AM

Yep. I got lucky and found some bricks at work (in a customer's yard) fixing her phone line and I asked her if i could take a couple. They were clean as a whistle. Wrapped them up and the rest as they say, is history.

escrowdog · August 23, 2009, 02:49:23 PM

mfh, I'm new here too. And had the same thing happen on my first smoke.

First, preheat the unit. I just close the damper and let it bake full blast for a 1/2 hour (no pucks of course). Probably more important is let whatever meat you're using sit out for at least an hour if not longer and come up to room temp or there about. I also will take hot tap water in a big cup and microwave it for like 3 minutes and dump it in...vs. boiling in a pan. All of my ribs have turned out stellar! I smoke for two hours, foil for an hour or more. Sometimes I will thinly sauce them and back on without foil for an hour, sometimes we just munch em right from the foil. It's all good!

Doing my first brisket as I type. Resting in the cooler now.

mikecorn.1 · August 23, 2009, 03:49:28 PM

Make sure and post a pic of that there brisket. :D