Ribs

[Cold Smoke]

I smoked up 3 racks of baby backs on the weekend after letting them get intimate with a rub overnite. I did not use any sauce or mop- as the Smoke and Spice folks did not seem to recommend using a mop with an electric smoker such as the Bradley. I did keep an eye on them and gave them the toothpick challenge to determine if they were done or not but found them a bit dry.[:(] I've heard that some folks keep a spray bottle full of apple juice close by and give them a blast every now and then to keep them moist. Anyone ever give this a try or any other method to add moisture? Or... did I just overcook them?

This was my first crack at smoking ribs in my defense (if I need one?)[?]

Cold Smoke

[Chez Bubba]

CS,

My favorite method is to lay cheap, fatty bacon on the top rack & let it drip down onto the ribs. That'll keep them moist & the twice-smoked bacon is a pretty good treat. When we cook for crowds, it doesn't make it to the serving table, it's reserved for those of us working![:D]

Single layer only & don't let it touch the sides or the fat will run down the sides of the smoker & out through the door. It is also important to check and maybe empty & refill the water bowl.

Your taste buds will love me, your cardiologist, well, I'm not gonna be on his "A" list!

Smoke On,

Kirk

http://www.chezbubba.com
Ya think next time I check into a hotel & they ask "Smoking or Non?" they would mind?

[trout]

When I did ribs on my old offset pit, I definitely mopped them.  Ribs usually have enough fat in them to keep moist if you don't keep the vent wide open in your Bradley, but I see no harm in mopping if you want.  Anything that runs off will just collect in the pan.  Just remember, it will take some time to clean the heat shield when youre done.[:)]

Let your trout go and smoke a salmon instead.

[Chez Bubba]

The biggest problem with mopping in a Bradley is the enormous heat loss. The electrical bulb has a much longer recovery period than a real fire and you're opening up the largest heat containment surface.

With those two factors, I suggest that the best way for a novice to get good is to overcook or ruin a batch or two and learn from it. Basting is a defense, but in the long-term, not a very solid one. (Unless you enjoy spending 8 hours to cook something that should have been done in 4.)

Kirk

http://www.chezbubba.com
Ya think next time I check into a hotel & they ask "Smoking or Non?" they would mind?

[trout]

Good point Kirk.  I didn't think of that as I have not mopped anything in my Bradley so far.  That is one thing that I like, I can close down the vent and it's almost like steaming your food inside.  Have not had the problems with drying things out that I had with a pit.[:D]

Let your trout go and smoke a salmon instead.

[MallardWacker]

Cold,

A few weeks ago I smoked 3 racks of pork loin ribs. They came out completely perfect. To me it was a minor miracle. There was dancing in the street and my wife was happy. All was well around the Mallard household. Heres what I did then. I thought I'd try two different rubs to experiment a little to see what taste the best. The two I used were both purchased from wally world. First one was from Lowery, it was a Ducks Unlimited beef rub, it looks a bit strange but by far it taste the best. The second was Corky's, a heavy paprika based rub that still yielded a great taste. I too rubbed them down the night before and rapped each one in plastic wrap. (I pull the membrane off) Preheated the smoker to 225 for a couple of hours. I smoked them with some mesquite pucks(4 hours of smoke) @ 200 for about 8 hours and I pulled them out when the internal temp came up to 187. I used only two BS racks in the center two slots. I only opened the door at four hours to check and stacked my last two pucks on the element. I did not rotate the racks. Could not believe the results. It was one of those days you were glad you bought the BS

As they say "pride goes before a fall"

This weekend I though  would get a bit cocky and smoke six full racks of pork loin ribs.  Used all four BS racks to accomidate them.  And basicly did the same except for the rub, first mistake.  I could not get to my local wally world so I stopped in at Kroger's and all they had was Emerald's Rib rub, forget the stuff, it sucks big time...No real flavor.  Although thats just the begining.  I had to leave the house and ended up coming back about 8 hours later.  During that time the temp did rise to about to 250 for a short and had my daughter turn the temp down to 200.  I didn't think to much happened but when I pulled them out they were DONE.  Way done. The bottom rack of meat looked like from a scene from the Pirates of the Carabean.  O' so bad.  However the upper 3 racks were at least edible.  Poor flavor and kind of dry.  It's strange how a smoker can humble you a little.

What I learned:
1.  Once you find something that works well, keep using it.  Save the experiments on smaller portions of meat.  It's a pain when you screw up $50.00 of meat.

2.  I am a big advocate of not opening the door.  Chez is right, the heat loss is great.  At least half way through the process, check and look. And I do agree you can't really mop anything on reoccuring basis.  I think with the right rub and temp you don't need to do this with ribs.

3.  I think from this failure, you have to rotate the racks if you have the BS full.  I thought I knew better and didn't need to do that, I must agree now with everyone else on this forum you need to do this.

Humbly submitted.

SmokeOn,

mski
Perryville, Akansas
Wooo-Pig-Soooie

If a man says he knows anything at all, he knows nothing what he aught to know.  But...

[Sheriff]

Rubs...  Try Willinghams sprice rub from Memphis, Tn.  This rub is hard to find, I have to order from factory.  Approx. $7.00 a bottle.  It is great on BB ribs and Chicken.  I came by this rub at a BBQ natl. cookoff at Southfork Ranch in my County several years ago, where it won several prizes.. (somebody got to judge this stuff).  And my two cents, it was hard for me to learn.. Keep the door closed!

Sheriff

[Fuzzybear]

Yeah, keep the door closed - I like to take a strong flashlight and shine it thru the vent openining to eyeball the color of the meat...and I turn off the smoke generator when the last Bubba puck goes thru...maybe you can leave it on and keep some additional heat but usually by then, the smoker is heated to pretty much where it's gonna go.

Plus, I'm not at all confident that the advancer doesn't keep running - I've not had the patience to stand there and listen to it after the last Bubba puck went thru.

Anyone know if it keeps running?

"A mans got to know his limitations"
Glendora, CA - USA!

[Cold Smoke]

Sheriff- Thanks. I found this on the web. Does it look like it might be the recipe for the rub you mention? I realize you bought the stuff already pre-made but was wondering if the ingredients listed are the same. I've emailed Willingham's to see if they would deliver to Canada. I've run into a few companies that could ship me their products however the cost of shipping to Canada is more than the order itself. One time I ordered something for $30 and UPS wanted another $30 upon delivery to my door for a brokerage fee. So if you think it's similar -I'll mix up a batch myself.

Quote:

 <div align="left"></div id="left"><div align="left"></div id="left"> John Willingham's World Champion BBQCategory: Sauce & MarinadeIngredients:<div align="left"></div id="left">4 tablespoons cumin<div align="left"></div id="left">4 tablespoons thyme<div align="left"></div id="left">4 tablespoons garlic powder<div align="left"></div id="left">4 tablespoons black pepper, freshly ground<div align="left"></div id="left">2 tablespoons cayenne pepper<div align="left"></div id="left">2 tablespoons salt<div align="left"></div id="left">2 tablespoons curry<div align="left"></div id="left"> powder<div align="left"></div id="left">1 tablespoon onion powder<div align="left"></div id="left">1 tablespoon MSG or other flavor enhancer<div align="left"></div id="left"> (optional)<div align="left"></div id="left">Instructions:In a small bowl or glass jar with a lid, combine all the ingredients. Stir or shake to mix. Use immediately or store in a cool, dark place for several months. This rub is pretty strong and so I do not recommend it for thin cuts (like ribs). Bit it is swell on heavier cuts of meat such as beef round, prime rib, pork shoulders, and even the whole hog. With this recipes, you have enough for five shoulders or four hams. Best if you let the meat marinate, loosely covered, in the refrigerator for a good twenty-four to forty-eight hours after being rubbed.

The site I got this from is http://www.sweetbabymedia.com/recipes/allbynumber4/015973.shtml







Cold Smoke

[Chez Bubba]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Fuzzybear</i>
<br />Anyone know if it keeps running?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">Every 20 minutes.

http://www.chezbubba.com
Ya think next time I check into a hotel & they ask "Smoking or Non?" they would mind?

[Fuzzybear]

Thanks Kirk...that's kind of what I thought - once you hit the advancer button, it keeps running...

"A mans got to know his limitations"
Glendora, CA - USA!

[Sheriff]

Cold Smoke,

   go to www.willinghams.com and go to the link for rubs.  They do not put a list of spices on the bottle.  I use the mild, never tried the other..?  I order a case at a time and split down with some of my buds..

Sheriff

[Cold Smoke]

Thanks all for your input- I will put to good use.

Cold Smoke

[Chez Bubba]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Fuzzybear</i>
<br />Thanks Kirk...that's kind of what I thought - once you hit the advancer button, it keeps running...

"A mans got to know his limitations"
Glendora, CA - USA!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">Once you plug it in, it will keep running. The advancer button is only there to get your first bisquette onto the burner faster.

Kirk

http://www.chezbubba.com
Ya think next time I check into a hotel & they ask "Smoking or Non?" they would mind?

[snapper39]

Sorry a bit of a junior question here. Can someone explain how and why the buba pucks are used..
Snapper