mar52
Senior Cook
Thank you to everyone who helped me through my first WSM experience. I've read and asked questions for maybe a year and Memorial day I finally did it! I really don't think I would have tackled this without you. THANKS!
3-2-1 My Very First Smoke!
Stopped at Pavilions, the store across the street (kind of) from my condo on my way home from work Saturday. They must have been expecting huge Memorial Day sales because as I was looking at the selection of baby back ribs, they rolled out a cart loaded with them. I had the pick of the litter! I chose large racks that looked like they had plenty of meat on them.
I gave them a light sprinkling of a rub, wrapped them up and put them in the frig for Monday’s smoke. Then I did some more reading on the How to’s of smoking, got them out of the frig and rinsed off the rub. I don’t want my ribs tasting like ham!
Being in the barbecue biz you’d think I’ve done smoking by now. Well actually I have but when I gave my electric Cookshack to my brother, I lost it. Do you think I have enough junk? Looks like I need to do some sweeping. Not my job! I loaded the fuel ring half full with Kingsford briquettes, added a couple of chunks of cherry and found that I was out of hickory chunks. No problem as I added hickory chips.
I have a lot of smoking woods, chips and pellets. This is how I keep them. Chunks in the blue bins and chips in the red, coffee containers.
I reapplied the rub when I got up. The ribs didn’t fit flat on my 18 inch WSM so I rolled them. Fifteen lit briquettes poured on top and I was ready to go. At 10AM they were ready for the WSM. At 10AM they were ready for the WSM.
Because this was my first attempt at smoking I was very concerned with the temps. The new WSM’s have thermometers built in to their lids. Not knowing if it was correct I put another in to one of the top vents. Then I didn’t know if either was correct. There was a 25 to 50 degree difference between the two. I brought the mobile thermometer in to the house and stuck it in to boiling water. Looking at it and holding it over the hot water I thought…. What temp am I looking for? DUH! I guessed at 100 C and after Googling I found that I was right! It just never reached 100C. Hmmm. It was the hottest reading thermometer and it wasn’t right. Maybe. Oh well, I’ll trust the Weber thermometer which registers lower.
Three hours after smoking, they were ready for their foil wrapping. I also spritzed them with apple juice. But are they where they are supposed to be? Never having done it before, I was worried. Was I going to kill my guests?
3-2-1 and they are done!!! I did the toothpick (wooden skewer) test and it went through as if they were butter. They’re done! This is after their last hour with very little sauce. My thought is that if you want sauce, add it yourself!
Here we go!
We had coleslaw and potato salad along with the doctored up baked beans. If you haven’t tried it, Tobasco now makes a sweet and hot sauce and it’s terrific in beans with some brown sugar added for more calories.
Look at that, my very first smoke ring. I did good! They were moist, tender and not fatty at all.
So, what do I make next?
3-2-1 My Very First Smoke!
Stopped at Pavilions, the store across the street (kind of) from my condo on my way home from work Saturday. They must have been expecting huge Memorial Day sales because as I was looking at the selection of baby back ribs, they rolled out a cart loaded with them. I had the pick of the litter! I chose large racks that looked like they had plenty of meat on them.
I gave them a light sprinkling of a rub, wrapped them up and put them in the frig for Monday’s smoke. Then I did some more reading on the How to’s of smoking, got them out of the frig and rinsed off the rub. I don’t want my ribs tasting like ham!
Being in the barbecue biz you’d think I’ve done smoking by now. Well actually I have but when I gave my electric Cookshack to my brother, I lost it. Do you think I have enough junk? Looks like I need to do some sweeping. Not my job! I loaded the fuel ring half full with Kingsford briquettes, added a couple of chunks of cherry and found that I was out of hickory chunks. No problem as I added hickory chips.
I have a lot of smoking woods, chips and pellets. This is how I keep them. Chunks in the blue bins and chips in the red, coffee containers.
I reapplied the rub when I got up. The ribs didn’t fit flat on my 18 inch WSM so I rolled them. Fifteen lit briquettes poured on top and I was ready to go. At 10AM they were ready for the WSM. At 10AM they were ready for the WSM.
Because this was my first attempt at smoking I was very concerned with the temps. The new WSM’s have thermometers built in to their lids. Not knowing if it was correct I put another in to one of the top vents. Then I didn’t know if either was correct. There was a 25 to 50 degree difference between the two. I brought the mobile thermometer in to the house and stuck it in to boiling water. Looking at it and holding it over the hot water I thought…. What temp am I looking for? DUH! I guessed at 100 C and after Googling I found that I was right! It just never reached 100C. Hmmm. It was the hottest reading thermometer and it wasn’t right. Maybe. Oh well, I’ll trust the Weber thermometer which registers lower.
Three hours after smoking, they were ready for their foil wrapping. I also spritzed them with apple juice. But are they where they are supposed to be? Never having done it before, I was worried. Was I going to kill my guests?
3-2-1 and they are done!!! I did the toothpick (wooden skewer) test and it went through as if they were butter. They’re done! This is after their last hour with very little sauce. My thought is that if you want sauce, add it yourself!
Here we go!
We had coleslaw and potato salad along with the doctored up baked beans. If you haven’t tried it, Tobasco now makes a sweet and hot sauce and it’s terrific in beans with some brown sugar added for more calories.
Look at that, my very first smoke ring. I did good! They were moist, tender and not fatty at all.
So, what do I make next?