First rack of ribs in the egg!!!

Unknown

Bought an egg a couple weeks ago based on a friends recommendation! (He doesn't have one yet but has heard great things!). Cooked a couple chickens last week that were pretty good for a first timer. Cooking some ribs tonight at 250 for 3.5-4 hours. They are smelling great and will come off the grill in about an hour! This Egg Rocks!

Char-Woody

Smokin' Scott, Way to go! If direct over fire, baste em good with sauce this last hour. Let us know what kind of ribs and sauce. I had beef ribs last night that were the best yet in my trials..
Cheerio..C~W[p]

Unknown

Smokin' Scott,
Me too, buddy.
Did my first baby backs tonight. A little mild rub (we like to taste the meat and smoke more than the spices) and about an hour at 300 degrees, with some hickory chips. I can't believe the way this thing cooks.
I gotta get some patience. Moving from the quick fire of a gas grill to the BGE is a change for me and once those ribs start smelling, it's harder than heck not to lift the lid and have a look.[p]One thing, guys, tell me about getting the temperature lower...say 200-250? Am I just not patient enough?

Char-Woody

Scott the Rookie Egger, yes, your running a bit high altho 250 to 275 is not unheard of. [p]Tell us more about your set up and if on the grill or indirect. My favorite is indirect and usually takes 5 hours. [p]I am a bit unconventional as I run 225 to 250 indirect without turning the ribs. No sauce, no flipping. Just rubs or marinates. Or mustard and rubs. At the end of 4 hours they come off the grill, get wrapped tightly in foil with a squirt of sauce, and back on the grill for another 45 minutes to a hour. [p]At this point I can shut the grill down and just let em coast in there as the temp drops to 200 degrees over then next hour. [p]Remember tho, I am using firebricks and they retain the heat for quite a while so you can still cook at resting.[p]I use baby back's primarily, but if I can find some ultra spares, they are great also.[p]No better eating in the world..:-)
Cheers..C~W[p]

Unknown

Scott the Rookie Egger, and I totally overlooked your question. Just don't let the temps get out of control as its hard to bring em back down. Your better off to put your ribs in at 150 degrees after the smoke turns to white, and let the BGE warm up to its task gradually to the 220 mark.
Good luck on the next one.
C~W[p]

Cat

Scott the Rookie Egger,[p]To C~W's point about putting the meat on when the Egg is at 150 or so - that gradual warm-up will also help you get more smoke into the meat.[p]I cook ribs a little hotter than most here - a grill temp of 230, which translates roughly to a dome temp of 260. There are lots of paths to success![p]Welcome to the BGE family. Start thinking up a new handle, since you won't be a rookie for long.[p]Cathy[p]

Nature Boy

Scott the Rookie Egger,
"One thing, guys, tell me about getting the temperature lower...say 200-250? Am I just not patient enough?"[p]It does take a little time to get a good steady low/slo fire going, but is not difficult. Get a small fire going near the top of your lump. I open the bottom vent all the way, and once my firestarter goes out, and a small group of coals are burning well, I close humpty, and shut the bottom vent to about 1/2 inch or so, and put daisy on wide open. Like C~W and Cat mentioned, it is a good time to start some wood a smokin, and chuck on the meat. [p]If I am going for 250, I will wait until it gets to 225 or so, and tap the vents closed a bit more, and it'll slowly cruise up to 250, with only minor adjustments needed after that. [p]Just some thoughts
Nature Boy

sprinter

Nature Boy,[p]I'm always amazed by you guys who have your bottom vent open so far. On a low and slow 200 cook I have my bottom vent opened up NO MORE than a sliver. Less than 1/8th of an inch certainly, probably less than 1/16th. The top is just a firebrick set on top, with about 1/8th of an inch opening. I start the fire wide open with a starter stick on top of the lump and I start wratcheting things closed about 150 degrees on a low/slow cook, creeps to 200 after about an hour when all the ceramic gets hot and the meat is in. Strange how the different setups all produce the same results i.e. top/bottom combinations.[p]Troy

Dr. Chicken

Troy,
Your method is what works for me too! If I have my bottom vent opened that wide, I've got an uncontroled burn! I use the daisy wheel (not the combo) but it is open about 1/3 of the way. Very different than some of the others! "Different strokes for different folks" I guess![p]Dr. C

Nature Boy

sprinter,
Most of the time for 225 the bottom vent is just a sliver. I hope I wasn't misleading with the .5 inch start, then tapping it down as you approach your target temp. The final opening you end up with seems to vary greatly with conditions.[p]NB