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Post by riley513 on Apr 7, 2011 20:02:08 GMT -5
Hey, all. Just joined the forum and have tried makings baby back ribs with my new Smokenator on three occasions. Each time I've encountered the following two problems:
1. The ribs come out very dry and non-tender (good smoke ring, though). I haven't utilized the "Texas Crutch" yet, but I didn't think that was absolutely necessary
2. During the fourth hour, I haven't been able to keep the temperature over 220 degrees. I've been starting with 16 lit coals and was thinking of dropping down to 14 to see if that helps.
I'd appreciate hearing if anyone has experienced similar problems and how they suggest resolving it. Thanks!
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Post by ecripps on Apr 7, 2011 20:52:42 GMT -5
Hi riley513,
Are the temps at the grill or dome? Can you get the temp up to 250 at the dome earlier in the smoke?
I use the 3-2-1 method. 3 hours smoked with the water pan in. 2 hours foiled with no water in the pan. Dome temp about 325. 1 hour unfoiled w/o water in the pan @ 180. I use 12 starter coals and put them on white hot. I don't put water in the water pan or food on the grill until the dome temp is above 210. I use binder clips if I can't keep the temperature below 250 at the dome.
Hope this helps.
Ed
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Post by riley513 on Apr 7, 2011 21:09:21 GMT -5
Thanks for the quick reply! I measure my grill temps at the dome level like they say to do in the instructions. 2 follow-up questions:
1. Should I aim for 250 degrees at the dome level for the first three hours? 2. How often -- and, if so, how many -- do you add new hot coals??
Thanks for your help.
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Post by ecripps on Apr 8, 2011 23:03:35 GMT -5
If you are going to use the 3-2-1 method, I'd aim for 240-250 at the dome. I usually add more coals after the 3rd hour so I can get the temps higher. At this time, I also remove as much water as I can from the pan and let it run dry. I'll add 15 or so coals. Sometimes more when it is colder outside. The coals aren't hot. You only need to add hot coals when you start the smoke. I kind of know when the temps are going to drop and I add more coals before hand, comes from trial and error.
Hope this helps.
Ed
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Post by riley513 on Apr 9, 2011 14:28:07 GMT -5
Thanks again, Ed. I'm following your instructions this time around. Unlike last time, I've been using a digital thermometer at the grate along with the standard thermometer at the dome and am noticing a HUGE variance in temperatures -- around 50 degrees or so. Is that normal for a brand new Weber kettle grill? (I'm concerned I may be undercooking my ribs since the grate temperature is hovering only around 200 degrees.) And do you think I should aim for increasing the dome temperatures in light of this variance?
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Post by ecripps on Apr 9, 2011 22:09:21 GMT -5
In our testing we've seen about 30 degrees difference. Others have seen anywhere from 30-60 degrees. I'd try to get the temp up just a little, like to 270 at see what the grill temp is. Going above 250 at the dome will increase the rate at which the coals burn. Make sure the upper vent is on the opposite side of the Smokenator and try to keep the Weber out of the wind. You can also play around with lid placement and binder clips to stop air leaks. I find when I use binder clips, the grill temperature is lower than without them. I believe the binder clips reduce the amount of air that gets into the Weber causing the lower temperatures. I think you are off to a good start. You'll probably just need to play around with it a little more to find the settings that work best for you.
Ed
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Post by birddog on Jun 7, 2011 9:38:38 GMT -5
Hey guys,
I'm a new user and following discussion below with interest. Ed, you refer to "binder clips" in one of your posts. What do these look like and where can I buy them? Are they called that in stores?
Thanks for your help!
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Post by piggedy81 on Jun 7, 2011 19:46:22 GMT -5
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