New BGE XL - St. Louis Rib Cook

phoenix007

Hey everyone - I just got an XL egg for my birthday. It's amazing, especially after rigging a weber kettle for smoking these past few years. I feel like it ups my game across the board.

Wanted to share my notes from making ribs this weekend - enjoy! By the way, really considering getting a DigiQ.

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BBQ: 3/23/13 Notes (St. Louis Style Ribs)

Prep: Apple City rub w/ spanish paprika and a pinch of dried chipotle, Canola Oil (wrapped for one hour), membrane removed, fat trimmed from top.

Crutch: No.

Weight: 3.3 lbs

Apple Juice Spray: No.

Fire Management: Grill lit 50 minutes before cook time. Interesting, wood produces white smoke for the first 30 minutes and then thin blue smoke after 30 minutes. Theory is that is gets up to temperature and complete combustion results in thin blue smoke. White smoke smells bad, gets in clothes, thin blue smoke smells sweet. Egg is deceiving; takes 10 minutes to heat ceramic plate setter, temp rises slowly during this time, then when the plate setter is warm temp rises rapidly. Dampened the fire at 200 degrees and let it slowly rise to 225. Bottom damper: one inch open, top damper (daisy wheel): 75% open.

DOME LEFT CLOSED UNTIL 6 HOURS COOKING TIME.

Weather: 46 degrees, very windy

Wood: Hickory (2 chunks)

Temp: 225-250

Tried mustard/vinegar slather last time, most championship cooks use oil to hold the rub on - they say that spices dissolve in oil and oil carries spice further into the meat. This time, rubbed lightly with canola (neutral) oil to hold rub on. We'll see.

Do not plan to crutch these ribs, or spray with apple juice. Want to see how long it takes to get the ribs tender, and if they dry out without the crutch / apple juice spray.

Check-ins: At 6 hours, internal temperature 177 degrees at thickest part. Bark developing, but still too tough. Partial bone exposure. Will check again at 7 hours.

At 7 hours, internal temperature 186 degrees at thickest part. Much more tender, bark more defined. Not done yet.

On the Smoker: 3:15pm

Off the Smoker: 11:00pm

Total Cooking Time: 7 hrs 45 mins

Overall Review:

Excellent ribs - the best I've ever made. Taken off the egg at 192-195 degrees. Well defined bark, very tender.  Did not dry out, actually the opposite, very juicy. Fat rendered down to taste like bacon. Deep smoke ring, but not over-smoked. Overall excellent. Will not use mustard slather again, neutral oil produces better results. 

TonyA

225 dome is only giving you 175 to 200 degrees at the grate, assuming it is calibrated. I typically run my dome thermometer 275 to 300.

phoenix007

Thanks Tony - that's good to know. Still getting a feel for it.

Sookie

Just bought  DQ and used it for the first time weekend before last.  LOVED IT.  We did ribs first, then smoked a Boston Butt overnight.  We slept and it cooked!  Unfortunately yesterday we got 12 inches of snow LOL.  Can't wait to use again.