My First Rib cook (pic heavy..)

ChrisgrillsSTLMO · July 2015

So it was time...First, let me thank @TexanOfTheNorth and @Farbuck for their threads on how they cook ribs, they were my go-to source for technique and tips.

I pulled the membrane and seasoned with Bad Byron's Butt Rub on both sides.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/ql/t169q06dejhy.jpg

Attempted (more on that later) to get the Egg stabilized at 250° with no daisy wheel on the dome. This took about 30 minutes. I put some apple and hickory chips/chunks thrown in the lump and put on the ribs.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/ao/oikti0v5fmwm.jpg

The temp went down with the dome open but came up 10 minutes later and then was right at 250° for the first 20 minutes. No sooner had I dislocated my arm patting myself on the back for nailing the temperature, it started to climb. So I closed the bottom vent as much as I dared, still tried to climb. Ok, on goes the daisy wheel, close up the wheel, and monitor temperature. Sure enough, it went down...to 225°. Undislocated my arm cause now I need them both to play with the bottom vent and the daisy wheel, trying to find some combination that would hold close to 250°. To my credit (my only credit) I never opened the dome to look or let out heat. After about 2.5 hours I felt like I had it stable around but not at 250° probably closer to 260° or 270°. I let them cook another 40 minutes to account for the temp. variations and when I opened the dome I had this.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/yb/uln992zvkb3y.jpg

Wow, they look like actual ribs

So I wrapped in foil with some honey (not a lot) and spritzed with apple juice. Back on the Egg they went. Once again the temp shoots up because I left the dome up while I was foiling the ribs. Eventually it came back down to about the 250° mark. I cooked in the foil for 1 hour, never opening the dome but still fidgeting with the daisy wheel to keep it constant. Once out of the foil I cooked for another 55 minutes, spritzing with apple juice every 20 minutes.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/y7/cirxay37ursd.jpg

The tin foil zeppelins are the corn we had as a side. At this point I refoiled, wrapped in towels, and put in a cooler to rest while I finish the corn at a higher temperature. The final product:

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/we/8m7xuq067kr4.jpg

And my official taste tester (SWMBO) declared them a success and I was pleased as well. I used Stubb's Original Sauce and had a lovely 2011 Ferrari-Carano Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel to go with them. If I can get better at reaching and maintaining this low temp I will do these a lot more. Thanks for looking and if you have any suggestions comments about technique I would love to hear them. Have a great week!

Cheers,

gamason · July 2015

Looked good to me. Personally I do not foil or spritz,just let em cook till they pass the bend test. I need to cook some ribs this weekend now that I think about it.

jollygreenegg · July 2015

^ +1 agree with above... I never foil or spritz. If I do baste sauce, I do it at the end of the cook.

I always use both the daisy wheel and vent to control the temp. After doing several times, you'll figure out the approximate size openings that will get you close to the temp you're after, then you just dial it in.

dldawes1 · July 2015

I never use daisy wheel for temp control. Now I use a stainless top, but either way, DW or stainless, I always leave the vent openings 100% open entirely throughout all cooks. I only control with bottom damper.

Was this your first attempt a L&S temp control ?? There are many ways to achieve stable temps, I like using only one damper for simplicity. Find what is easiest for you.

For 250F dome temp, my top damper 100% open and the bottom damper open about 1/8 inch or less. Practice makes perfect, and it will come quickly, just don't give up too quickly !!!!

PNWQue · July 2015

as far as temp control....i've read so much about over shooting it scares me. my first cook (started tues and finished wed) was ribs. i was shooting for about 250. i started the lump and left the dome open for a few minutes until i was sure it was going. the closed lid, left bottom damper open about 1/8" and had the daisy open about halfway. took about 30 min to get up to about 220, i then closed the daisy wheel just a bit more and after a total of about an hour i was fluctuating between 245 and 250 and it stayed right on the money for about 4 hours until i shut it down for the night.

musta got lucky

TexanOfTheNorth · July 2015

Nice job!

ChrisgrillsSTLMO · July 2015

Thanks to everyone for the information and encouragement, it is greatly appreciated! Just like getting to Carnegie Hall, I need to practice, practice, practice. I will let everyone know how the next batch turns out, thanks again.

Cheers,

LKNEgg · July 2015

Looks great! Plan on doing ribs this weekend! Harris teeter has them bogo this weekend so I stocked up! Plan is wings and ribs Saturday night!

GATraveller · July 2015

Looks like a winner. Keep it up.

rmercier · July 2015

I like that you don't use a wet rub, I prefer a dry rack of ribs myself

IPASooner · July 2015

Looks really nice...doing some ribs myself this weekend...excited!

SmokeyPitt · July 2015

Great looking ribs! I see you are also using the spiral macaroni. I have done extensive research, and that is the best pasta for mac n cheese.

I think you already identified one thing with temp control- don't keep the dome open too long.

The other important thing is just don't sweat it too much. It doesn't make much difference if it is 250 or 275.

Ladeback69 · July 2015

Great looking ribs and welcome to the Eggdiction. Like what @SmokeyPitt said, don't leave the lid open very long when when dealing with the Egg if you want to keep your low temp.

I have found if I am going below 300 I need to use the daisy wheel along with the vent to control the temp. sounds like you did good on catching it on the way up it's just you had to much flow from the top being open. You are correct, practice, practice practice and that's the fun part about it.

I need to try mac n cheese on the Egg again. It was good last time, but I know I can make it better.

My First Rib cook (pic heavy..)

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