Preparing for 1st Rib Cook, ?'s

SRGAU93 · August 2009

Novice egger (large) and wanting to try some ribs (baby back or pork spare, haven't decided, yet). I've searched and read many topics/threads and have some ideas, but a few questions also. Most seem to favor the 3-1-1 method (smoke, foil, sauce - correct?), but I've never cooked anything that required smoking for 3 hours. How much wood do I have to apply to smoke for 3 hours? I will have to most likely use wood chips (apple, cherry, or other fruit) because I do not have wood chunks (other than mesquite) locally. So I'm assuming with chips, they must be soaked or put into a foil packet, but how much to use initially (couple hand fulls?) and do you have to add additional wood during the 3 hours. I'm planning on using my plate setter & inverted rib rack, but curious as to how many racks can fit, assuming some will have to be trimmed. Thanks for your help & advise!

The Naked Whiz · August 2009

You could try adding a couple of big handfuls of chips to the charcoal, mixing it in so that the smoke will last throughout the cook. I recall that DrBBQ uses chips mixed in with the charcoal for overnight cooks. If you find you want more smoke, add more chips next time, I reckon. Good luck on your cook!

Gregg The Egg · August 2009

Me again.

For ribs, I do like the 3-1-1 method as well. Smoke, foil, and sauce is correct. As for smoking, if you must use wood chips instead of a chunk, I'd recommend soaking them for at least 4 hours. Then check your DVD that you got with your egg for the "spiral pattern" in which to lay out the wood chips. For the maximum smoke making capability without overdoing it, I would think that the heavy side of 1# dry woodchips (before soaking) should be enough to get you a good smoke flavor if you let the ribs smoke for at least the first 90 minutes without raising the lid...although raising the lid is very tempting isn't it?

I wouldn't add any additional wood during the 3 hour smoke and just keep the lid closed to keep all that yummy flavor inside of the egg and seeping into your ribs.

As for the plate setter and rib rack, I usually do 3 racks at a time, cutting each rack in half fills the rack quite nicely and gives you nice even portions as well. Excellent questions, I hope that helps and happy egging!

Gregg The Egg · August 2009

Naked Whiz, you rock! :woohoo:

Misippi Egger · August 2009

Look at Carwash Mike's Rib Class at the following link:

"CWM Rib Class"

He cooks at 225* initially. Fill your firebox to the top with fresh lump. Mix dry wood chips (apple, or cherry) into the lump so it is scattered throughout the lump. That way new chips will burn as time passes.

NOTE: You do not need to soak wood chips (or chunks) with the BGE, like you do with other smokers.

CWM's technique will take from 5-6.5 hours, but you will get the most tender, fall-off-the bone ribs you can imagine.

One change in his technique is to increase your temp to 275* instead of 250* (per phone conversation). That will help break down the collagen more and give you more tender ribs.

Good luck.

FearlessGrill · August 2009

Hi,

I do spares on my large all the time. I don't bother with the 3-1-1 method, as I find I get nice tender ribs with a 'normal' low and slow cook for 5-6 hours. I cook at 250 dome until the meat has receded from the bone visibly, and the racks easily bend when touched. I then sauce, and leave them in for another 45-60 minutes till we're ready to eat.

In terms of your questions:

1) The 1st phase of the cook (smoking) generally means that you'll be cooking over indirect heat for the specified amount of time, with the addition of some smoke. It doesn't mean that you need to have huge quantities of smoke shooting forth from your Egg for that entire time. At a 250 degree temp, the chips won't immediately burn up, and should provide steady smoke throughout the cook if you spread them out across your coals. People differ on whether to soak or not. It won't hurt, but may not be 100% necessary. You don't need to put in a packet. As you said, spread a few handfuls (I use apple for pork ribs) over the lump.

2) I've been able to fit 6 full, untrimmed racks from Costco into my large at once, using my rib rack. It was tight, but worked fine. I rotated once, as the back seemed to be cooking faster than the front. I took them out and laid them flat to sauce, then put them back in the rack, as I obviously didn't have enough grid space to lay them flat.

Hope this helps.

-John

Bacchus · August 2009

I agree, forget the Tin Foil for now. Not to knock the 311 crowd, but it's not necessary. Put those bad boys on at 250-275, and leave the dome shut for at least 4.5 hours and then only to apply sauce.

gdenby · August 2009

If its your first rib cook I'd suggest not doing as many as possible. Packing the slabs in makes for a more complex air flow, and some places may be a little cooler than others. Means more fuss moving pieces around, which in turn messes with the temperature.

Also, among my cooks, the best have always been done with the slabs flat. Makes it a lot easier to sauce at the end if you are doing wet ribs.

Baby backs get done a bit faster than even a nice St. Louis style trim of spares.

SRGAU93 · August 2009

"Gregg" I vaguely remember the spiral wood technique, but can't remember if the soaked chips are added when the lump is lit (i.e. starter cube), once the lump is burning (starter cube gone, beginning to stabilize temp.) or once the dome temp. is stabilized and meat is ready to go on?? Thanks!

Bacchus · August 2009

Wood chunks/chips arent a necessity either. hardwood lump charcoal is just that, hardwood. Smoking BBQ on the BGE can be done with just lump. Adding wood does affect the flavor for sure, but even without it, your ribs will be better than most you will get in a restaurant.
In other words, there is no wrong way to arrange your wood chunks/chips.

Gregg The Egg · August 2009

Hi SRGAU93,

:woohoo: EXCELLENT :woohoo: question! The short and simple answer is when the meat is ready to go on.

When using wood chips, they do burn up faster, so you want to have them in there when they can do the most good, which is as you're putting the meat on. I also highly recommend, once again, to keep the dome closed for the full 3 hours of smoking so that the smoke can do its job instead of just "going up in smoke".

I've had to used wood chips before and that is how I got my best effect and heat. Please don't hesitate to keep asking questions and, as always, happy egging!

SRGAU93 · August 2009

Couple more ?'s:
1) Baby back or spareribs (St. Louis style)?
2) How much lump (relative to the fire ring)?
3) How to know when done? (It's going to be at least 5 hours regardless of rib type/quantity?) Only when the meat has receded from the bone? Thermopen temperature? Some have suggested that baby back cook faster. This seems to be the most challenging part (having never done it before) because I don't what to end up with dried out/overdone ribs, especially after spending 5-6 hours!
4) Personal favorites for sauce?
5) Do you apply anything (apple cider vinegar/honey/brown sugar) before/during the foil phase?

Sorry so many ?'s. Thanks to all for your help & advise!!

Gregg The Egg · August 2009

Hi SRGAU93,

I'll put your questions first and what my answers would be underneath:

1) Baby back or spareribs (St. Louis style)?
I like spare ribs better, so I'd go for the spare ribs, but this is a personal preference

2) How much lump (relative to the fire ring)?
I always fill to the top of the fire ring

3) How to know when done? (It's going to be at least 5 hours regardless of rib type/quantity?) Only when the meat has receded from the bone? Thermopen temperature? Some have suggested that baby back cook faster. This seems to be the most challenging part (having never done it before) because I don't what to end up with dried out/overdone ribs, especially after spending 5-6 hours!

Excellent questions, I almost always cook "low and slow", and use a regular meat thermometer at the very end. If you follow your recipe times and temps, you'll be good to go. That one of the many awesome characteristics of the egg, the way that you are egging is very much like cooking in a regular oven. So once again, I'd follow the recipe and use your thermopen or other thermometer at the end to make sure that the meat temperature is high enough to have killed all the bacteria.

4) Personal favorites for sauce?
I make my own = I use no sugar in mine and a tomato sauce base (some will want to hang me for using tomato anything in my sauce, but hey, I like it)...from there, the sky is the limit! I started making my own mostly because I don't like the liquid smoke taste in the BBQ sauces. My best advice is to take a look at what flavor you're going for, such as sweet, tomato, no tomato, extra salty, hot, etc. and grab what looks/smells/tastes best. A lot of specialty shops (like where you got your egg) may even let you have a taste of the BBQ sauce before you buy!

5) Do you apply anything (apple cider vinegar/honey/brown sugar) before/during the foil phase?

DURING the foil phase, I add straight no sugar added apple juice to help make the ribs fall of the bone. But even without, they are still awesome...I mean, can the egg really do anything wrong?

I hope that helped. Once again, all of your questions are excellent!

Keep on egging!

Preparing for 1st Rib Cook, ?'s

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