First cook - ribs!!

Welcome aboard and enjoy the journey.  For ribs I use the "toothpick test" to determine when finished.  Insert a toothpick into the thickest meat and when there is no resistance, you are there.  Enjoy the eats.

Your plan sounds solid but there really is no need to brush with apple juice and cider or to have liquid in the drip pan.  The egg provides for a very moist cooking environment.  Opening the lid to brush will most likely increase your cook time and may also cause your temps to spike with the influx of air.  If you want to mop and use liquid in the drip pan, nothing wrong at all with doing so - just giving you my 2 cents.  When I first got my egg I tried about a hundred different ways to make ribs.  I would marinate them, brush them, foil with liquid, foil with no liquid, etc.....  and through much trial and error I now just put them on and let them go until done.  Might brush with some thinned downed sauce the last 30 minutes or so but that is it.  The consistency of my rib cooks has improved greatly and l like the end product a whole more too.  Good luck on the cook and let us know how she turns out!

LOOK at that clean white interior! Welcome, hang on and enjoy the ride.

A little late but check out the bend test too- it's a good way to check for them being done. welcome to the club!

They sure look good. I only use 4 or 5 fist sized chunks of hickory mixed in the lump.

Looks like a good job to me, well done for a first try:)  My observations.  I've tried using drip pans filled with various juices and consider it a waste of time.  Very little to no flavour infused from the pan.  I temporarily went back to water, and have now eliminated the pan altogether.  I put some foil on platesetter for easy clean up and have at it.  I will spritz with apple juice occasionally.  Gives the ribs a nice "shine" prior to saucing, maybe a wee bit of added flavour and may help marginally in keep outside of ribs moist.  As for amount of smoke that can boil down to personal preference.  I rarely smoke more than an hour or two tops.  I find not enough smoke is better than too much.  Next time only put in a chunk or two and cut back and compare your results.  And finally, falling off the bone to some is over done.  If you did not wrap them in foil it is even harder to achieve.  I personally like to have a bit of firmness or tug on the ribs.  Again personal preference.  For a first try I think you did an excellent job, and now you start fine tuning your cook to your preference.  Welcome aboard and enjoy the Egg ride:)

Monaarts said:

I got the temp about where I wanted it which took maybe 20-25 mins after lighting and then I put 8 wood chunks in (4 Apple and 4 cherry) and then waited another 15-20 mins. It looked like most of the initial smoke was burned off.

Your ribs did look good but I was just commenting on your comments of too much smoke.  The dealers always want to tell you how quick it is up to useable temperature, and it is true it heats up quick, but the charcoal may not be ready.  One good test is put your hand over the smoke and if it has a chemical type of smell give it another 15 minutes before you add wood and smoke.  The smoke should smell like the taste you want to add to the meat.  My first shoulder was like that, I was just in too big of a hurry to put the meat on.  This is generally not a problem on hot cooks and not a problem when you use the charcoal for a second cook.  You did put a lot of wood in so that may be part of the problem, I usually use a couple of chucks and a handful of chips.