First Attempt at Spare Ribs with the Smokenator

[rangerone]

Hello Everyone,

After having a good dry run and smoking a whole chicken with very good results, I decided to have a go at some spare ribs and a couple of russet potatoes. This was my setup:

• Kingsford Blue Bag Briquettes (60 in total, 15 lit)
• 1 chunk of cherry wood
• Water pan empty
• Top an bottom vents open full.
• After 15 minutes, the grill temperature was 230F
• Put on the ribs, potatoes, and filled the water pan with hot water.
• Left bottom vent open full, closed top vent 50%.
• Poked ash and topped off water every hour.
• Temperature started to drop off at the 1.5 hour mark. Opened top vent 100%, and temperature came back to 225F.
• Temperature started to drop off at the 3 hour mark. Added 12 briquettes to each round hole. Temperature climbed quickly. Adjusted top vent to 50% closed within 20 minutes.
• Temperature started to drop off at the 5 hour mark. Added 4 briquettes to each round hole. Temperature climbed back up for 30-40 minutes, then began to drop again.
• Pulled ribs and potatoes off at 5 hours 45 minutes.

The results were awesome. The ribs were moist, tender, and full of flavour. The meat did not fall off the bone, but it did pull clean off the bone with each bite. I have attempted to smoke ribs before with a COS, and they NEVER turned out this good.
The potatoes also came out very good. The only complaint I have is that the skin was not crispy. 

First picture: Ribs and Potatoes first on the grill. Mine are on the left with a rub. My wife's are on the right with no rub.

Second picture: Ribs and potatoes 5 hours and 45 minutes later. Mmmmmmm good. 

Third picture: Ribs on the plate!! They did not last long. Not much of a smoke ring, but my wife does not like a strong smoke flavour. Hence, only 1 chunk of cherry wood used.

The Smokenator is a real winner in my book.

Attachments:

[bigpernz]

Nicely done!

[ncsmoker]

Very nicely done. Championship ribs are never fall off the bone but are easily pulled off the bone with some bite like yours. Sounds like you got it just right. The moisture from the SN will keep your potatoes from having a crisp skin. For more of a smoke ring you need to add more smoke. At least 4hrs. for ribs I even do 6 hrs. with fruit woods as they are light smokes. Or try an hour with hickory and then a couple hours with your cherry.

You did well, I salute for your second smoke.

NC

[rangerone]

Jul 5, 2014 12:34:07 GMT -5 bigpernz said:

Nicely done!

Thanx bigpernz. I hope you are having good results with your smokenator as well.

[rangerone]

Jul 6, 2014 23:01:19 GMT -5 ncsmoker said:

Very nicely done. Championship ribs are never fall off the bone but are easily pulled off the bone with some bite like yours. Sounds like you got it just right. The moisture from the SN will keep your potatoes from having a crisp skin. For more of a smoke ring you need to add more smoke. At least 4hrs. for ribs I even do 6 hrs. with fruit woods as they are light smokes. Or try an hour with hickory and then a couple hours with your cherry.

You did well, I salute for your second smoke.

NC

Thank you NC. I am thrilled with how easy it is to use the smokenator. Yes, it does require some work, but that is what makes it fun. Looking forward to trying many new smokes in the coming weeks.

[kenny]

You may not really want ribs to fall off the bone. I have read that ribs that do were boiled before smoking. Apparently some restaurants boil first to cut down on smoking time. Kind of a precooking. But boiling has to carry away flavor. I have heard that BBQ competition judges mark down ribs without some "chew".

[ncsmoker]

You're exactly right Kenny. The meat should pull off the bone cleanly with some chew, but not fall off the bone. Never, ever boil your ribs. YUK!! I would suggest that if anyone is seriously wanting to learn how to smoke the different types of meat that they go to a local BBQ championship. These are normally associated with the KC or Memphis championships and winners are automatically entered in those two prestigous events, My closest one is 80 miles away and the guys are real congenial when talking to them, and no they won't give you there recipes, LOL.

NC