Facebook is an abysmal platform for a "forum" but this group is arguably the most active in the UK: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CountryWoodSmoke
*****Official BBQ Thread - Suns out, Buns out!*****
- Thread starter Psymonkee
- Start date
Facebook is an abysmal platform for a "forum" but this group is arguably the most active in the UK: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CountryWoodSmoke
Permabanned
anyone used these guys for lumpwood ?http://mrbarbecue.co.uk/
Soldato
Got a pork shoulder on today, cook has been fine, went on at 10.30am and by 3pm I wrapped it at 155F. By 4.30pm it was 196F so ahead of schedule to serve at 6 so I thought I'd put it back on unwrapped for a bit to firm up the bark, as it had gone a tad mushy on the outside.
After 15 minutes unwrapped it dropped from 196F to 185F. I really didn't expect that, I thought it might dip a little but I didn't expect a constant drop. That was long enough for me to start worrying so I wrapped her back up, and in the 25 mins it's been rewrapped, it's dropped from 185F to 182F. Smoker has been pretty constant temp, currently at 256F so plenty hot enough. Really baffled, I'm going to leave it on and hope it gets back to 195F then rest? It didn't seem probe-soft when I unwrapped, but I thought a bit more cooking unwrapped and rest would be enough to soften it. Now I'm not so sure!
After 15 minutes unwrapped it dropped from 196F to 185F. I really didn't expect that, I thought it might dip a little but I didn't expect a constant drop. That was long enough for me to start worrying so I wrapped her back up, and in the 25 mins it's been rewrapped, it's dropped from 185F to 182F. Smoker has been pretty constant temp, currently at 256F so plenty hot enough. Really baffled, I'm going to leave it on and hope it gets back to 195F then rest? It didn't seem probe-soft when I unwrapped, but I thought a bit more cooking unwrapped and rest would be enough to soften it. Now I'm not so sure!
Soldato
Hi Street and others - just coming back on this
Ribs part deux going ahead tomorrow, benefits of working from home.
- Just to confirm, are you foil wrapping? If so, quite firmly wrapped?
- Just back to the WSM and water. If i dont use water, do i need to line the bowl with foil?
- Finally sorry, do you pre-salt your ribs as suggested in the Memphis receipe?
Thank you all in advance
Hi Street and others - just coming back on this
Ribs part deux going ahead tomorrow, benefits of working from home.
- Just to confirm, are you foil wrapping? If so, quite firmly wrapped?
- Just back to the WSM and water. If i dont use water, do i need to line the bowl with foil?
- Finally sorry, do you pre-salt your ribs as suggested in the Memphis receipe?
Thank you all in advance
Nice one, chosen good weather for it as well!
I use butchers paper now but if you haven't got any, foil will do the job. Two layers, quite tightly wrapped. I don't wrap my water bowl, but I do have a big terracotta saucer that fits inside of it so most of the mess goes in that and that just goes in the dishwasher. If you foil it, it'll save a bit of cleaning up at the end though. I pretty much just do the Amazing Ribs method, there isn't any salt in the rub so it doesn't make the ribs too salty if you presalt them. Get some pics up when you're done!
Soldato
Nice one, chosen good weather for it as well!
Thank you for the speedy reply - as always.
I will skip the salt this time, my other half will likely moan
Photos are planned, thanks.
Soldato
Just purchased an Inkbird IBT-4XS to do my first cook this weekend! Going to go for some Harissa Chicken Thighs, planning on cooking indirect with my Kamado at 300 degrees F, until internal temp of 165 degrees F!
A question about wood, i'm struggling to find somewhere local to get actual chunks of hardwood, can only see chips in B&Q and The Range and the like. Will probably just skip the wood this time around, but does anyone know any big chain type stores which stock wood chunks?
I assume chips will just burn up far too quickly?
A question about wood, i'm struggling to find somewhere local to get actual chunks of hardwood, can only see chips in B&Q and The Range and the like. Will probably just skip the wood this time around, but does anyone know any big chain type stores which stock wood chunks?
I assume chips will just burn up far too quickly?
Soldato
Been to the butchers and got myself some more meat for today's bbq. No ribs this time but made sure I got plenty of the minted lamb kebabs this time. Lemon and garlic chicken kebabs, burgers and sausages again.
Needs to be a quick bbq today as newborn doesn't sleep well especially in this heat indoors or outdoors.
Needs to be a quick bbq today as newborn doesn't sleep well especially in this heat indoors or outdoors.
I haven't found a bricks and mortar store to buy from yet, thinking of trying online. Chunks are definitely the way to go.
Just doing some ribs today. Two racks from Costco, coated in French's mustard then Memphis dust, smoked with mesquite for a couple of hours at 225F then foiled for another 1-2hours. Finished off with dinner Kansas City BBQ sauce. Very popular
I think the trick is not to use too much for too long, two handfuls in separate foil packets send to do the job. Plus the "dust" plus the BBQ is quite strong so you're not getting much pork flavour through that lot! I'd definitely go for something more subtle on say a chicken.
What does everyone have planned for the bank holiday?
I’ve done my first Turner&George order and gone for their Black Burgers, Boston Butt, Baby Back Ribs and some pork belly.
Rotty - what did you do with your pork belly? I’m tempted with pork belly burnt ends but yours as a slab looks damn good!
tlrBeta - I followed the amazingribs.com recipe in the end, skipped the wrap and just used the bend test - worked out really well, but then again, maybe it could have been better wrapped...I think this is part of the challenge I face atm with BBQ, I’m always chasing the next technique or recipe rather than just enjoying what I’ve done before!
Has anyone found briquettes have shot up in price in the past month? Previously I was paying £6/kg for heat beads but they seem much more than that on the usual places?
I’ve done my first Turner&George order and gone for their Black Burgers, Boston Butt, Baby Back Ribs and some pork belly.
Rotty - what did you do with your pork belly? I’m tempted with pork belly burnt ends but yours as a slab looks damn good!
tlrBeta - I followed the amazingribs.com recipe in the end, skipped the wrap and just used the bend test - worked out really well, but then again, maybe it could have been better wrapped...I think this is part of the challenge I face atm with BBQ, I’m always chasing the next technique or recipe rather than just enjoying what I’ve done before!
Has anyone found briquettes have shot up in price in the past month? Previously I was paying £6/kg for heat beads but they seem much more than that on the usual places?
was bone in Belly (prob not important)
Rind removed
Rub
3/4 cup paprika 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup salt 1/4 cup ground black pepper 2 tbsp thyme 2 tbsp dry mustard 2 tbsp cumin 1 1/2 tbsp cayenne pepper 1 tbsp sage
5 hrs at 225f over apple (prob some orange and cherry too) spray with apple juice every 90 mins or so
at about 160f internal wrap in foil with about 1/2 cup of apple juice in
about 185-190f internal (2 more hours)
unwrap and mop with sauce, I used https://www.sauceshop.co/products/cherry-bourbon-bbq-sauce-1?variant=30934736011333
30-40 mins back in then rest a little and tuck in
Caporegime
Yes! I noticed this yesterday when shopping on Amazon for charcoal and briquettes.
Assuming it's classic supply / demand / covid related.
Going to try my hand at smoking this weekend. Is a smoker box essential or can you just moisten the wood and throw it straight on the coals? Or is largely dependent on what you'll be smoking (most likely will be short ribs and pork belly)?
Soldato
I use a smoker box with wood chips, if you use wood chunks then you won't need a smoker box as it'll burn slower.
If you have chips but no smoker box you can put them in a little tin foil pouch that will serve a similar purpose. Jury is out on whether soaking is a good idea or not, I don't personally.
If you have chips but no smoker box you can put them in a little tin foil pouch that will serve a similar purpose. Jury is out on whether soaking is a good idea or not, I don't personally.
Permabanned
try and get some chunks 2 bout the size of a fist will be more than enough
Soldato
Just to weigh in again, I still use chips as chunks I think are comparatively a rip off, I smoked a 2 kg pork shoulder yesterday for 7 hours, using 2 smoker boxes worth of chips (both in the first hour or so) and it had tonnes of smokey flavour.
All the youtubers and pros will try and convince you to get chunks but honestly unless you have access to cheap wood, I really don't think it's worth the extra money over chips. Just my opinion.
All the youtubers and pros will try and convince you to get chunks but honestly unless you have access to cheap wood, I really don't think it's worth the extra money over chips. Just my opinion.
Soldato
Hi All,
So update from my ribs attempt #2.
I followed the:
- 2 hours unwrapped and smoking
- 1 hour wrapped
- 20/30mins (at the most) unwrapped with sauce at the end for smaller ribs as quoted above.
Here are some photos:
Overall, happy with they came out. 2 hours smoking provided more then enough smoke flavour (probably too much) and the rub was not overpowering (probably didn't overcoat this time and more sugar based). The only side note is that they were a bit dry and not as tender as they appeared post wrapping.
Lessons learnt:
- Probably don't need 3 smoking wood chunks, 2 will do (in addition to less smoking time)
- Where I live, the wind does cause havoc on the smoker still - even yesterday with warm temps and minor wind. However, I knew how to resolve this and temps got to the desired point quickly.
- Use less fuel, still new to the game here, but the smoker was still producing heat at 9:30pm, about 6 hours after I started
- Use more sauce, potentially wrap with some juice (I like the fall off the bone). Views welcome here as above, I'm trying to replicate Big Phil's BBQ style Baby back ribs
Overall, pleased with 2nd effort, other half was happy - so all in all, a good result
So update from my ribs attempt #2.
I followed the:
- 2 hours unwrapped and smoking
- 1 hour wrapped
- 20/30mins (at the most) unwrapped with sauce at the end for smaller ribs as quoted above.
Here are some photos:
Overall, happy with they came out. 2 hours smoking provided more then enough smoke flavour (probably too much) and the rub was not overpowering (probably didn't overcoat this time and more sugar based). The only side note is that they were a bit dry and not as tender as they appeared post wrapping.
- Should I do a shorter smoking time and more wrapped with juice/sauce time? Views welcome on this.
Post wrapping I believe the temp was around 89c. When I popped them back on with sauce for the last 20, they didn't seem to get to the same heat (was that a mistake?
2. Am I cooking too long for the size of the baby back rib racks I have?
2. Am I cooking too long for the size of the baby back rib racks I have?
Lessons learnt:
- Probably don't need 3 smoking wood chunks, 2 will do (in addition to less smoking time)
- Where I live, the wind does cause havoc on the smoker still - even yesterday with warm temps and minor wind. However, I knew how to resolve this and temps got to the desired point quickly.
- Use less fuel, still new to the game here, but the smoker was still producing heat at 9:30pm, about 6 hours after I started
- Use more sauce, potentially wrap with some juice (I like the fall off the bone). Views welcome here as above, I'm trying to replicate Big Phil's BBQ style Baby back ribs
Overall, pleased with 2nd effort, other half was happy - so all in all, a good result
Soldato
They look great, good job.
The general rule for ribs is, 3-2-1 is plenty for a large set of spare/st louis cut ribs, and anything down to as little as half of that for a small set of baby backs.
I think your split of timings is good, I don't think you need less time unwrapped, but like you say I think less wood is a good idea. 3 large chunks is definitely a lot for pork ribs, that is a lot of surface area to gobble up the smoke so it's going to be pretty powerful!
The tenderness is going to be mostly achieved while wrapped imo, as this raises the temp quite a lot, so you ideally want to test for doneness before unwrapping, and have it just short of tender enough before you unwrap for the last, slathered part of the cook. That's something you need to learn with experience.
At the end of point 1 you mention not getting back to wrapped temp, that's funny as I cook a pork shoulder on Wednesday and had a similar thing happen (see my last post on this thread), which makes me think that is standard, and I don't think it's really an issue. The wrapping really does trap the heat in. I think 89c is plenty, you don't normally cook to a temperature on ribs like you do on bigger joints though, as it's hard to get an accurate and representative reading, it's more about how the rack bends when you hold it from one end.
You haven't mentioned what temp your BBQ was at, I'm assuming somewhere in the 230-280F range?
The general rule for ribs is, 3-2-1 is plenty for a large set of spare/st louis cut ribs, and anything down to as little as half of that for a small set of baby backs.
I think your split of timings is good, I don't think you need less time unwrapped, but like you say I think less wood is a good idea. 3 large chunks is definitely a lot for pork ribs, that is a lot of surface area to gobble up the smoke so it's going to be pretty powerful!
The tenderness is going to be mostly achieved while wrapped imo, as this raises the temp quite a lot, so you ideally want to test for doneness before unwrapping, and have it just short of tender enough before you unwrap for the last, slathered part of the cook. That's something you need to learn with experience.
At the end of point 1 you mention not getting back to wrapped temp, that's funny as I cook a pork shoulder on Wednesday and had a similar thing happen (see my last post on this thread), which makes me think that is standard, and I don't think it's really an issue. The wrapping really does trap the heat in. I think 89c is plenty, you don't normally cook to a temperature on ribs like you do on bigger joints though, as it's hard to get an accurate and representative reading, it's more about how the rack bends when you hold it from one end.
You haven't mentioned what temp your BBQ was at, I'm assuming somewhere in the 230-280F range?