*****Official BBQ Thread - Suns out, Buns out!*****

[Street]

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.

1. 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?​

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

They look good!

I'd keep the unwrapped time the same and maybe up the wrapped time depending on how much meat is on them and use a bit less wood. If you've got big chunks, it's worth splitting them down into smaller pieces. My last lot were about 3-400g each so I split them into three. One smaller piece usually gives me about an hours worth of smoke, so I use two for most cooks. Also, if the smoker is still going at the end, close the vents down and save the fuel for next time!

 

[ganesh]

For everyone wrapping their ribs I have a suggestion, leave the foil in the kitchen. The bark and flavour is far superior, and I always find it’s very easy to overcook in foil and have them come out falling apart and mushy, especially if you try to use 3-2-1 on skinny UK ribs. I smoke fairly meaty racks at 135c for 4 hours, and they usually come out perfect with no soggy bark (a pet hate of mine).

 

[Street]

I'm a heathen and love ribs that fall off the bone though!

 

[tlrBeta]

Thanks all for the replies, they were tasty still - which is good

I've tried to come back on the points you raised

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.

You haven't mentioned what temp your BBQ was at, I'm assuming somewhere in the 230-280F range?

So I agree, next attempt - shorten cooking time a little.

I say 3 large chunks, they are most likely max 150g each (it's the bag I mentioned the other day). However, 3 was too much - again live and learn I would like to try St Louis ribs, I hope to be able to ask the butcher when I go shortly (hopefully for this weekend).

In terms of temps, I started at about 105-110, the max it got up to was around 125c, so about 260F - so that was the correct range by the sounds of it.

They look good!

I'd keep the unwrapped time the same and maybe up the wrapped time depending on how much meat is on them and use a bit less wood. If you've got big chunks, it's worth splitting them down into smaller pieces. My last lot were about 3-400g each so I split them into three. One smaller piece usually gives me about an hours worth of smoke, so I use two for most cooks. Also, if the smoker is still going at the end, close the vents down and save the fuel for next time!

Thanks, they were tasty / better then before, so positive

I'm thinking, unwrapped 1 hour, wrapped 1 hour, check temp and finish with sauce for 30 min - Should I add some sort of juice for when they're wrapped?

As I thought it was going to rain, I was convinced I had to put it out and get the cover on. So I opened the vents to burn it off, it just took too long. In the end, I did spray a little water in to help it out - by that point most of the coal had gone. Maybe next time, I can just close the vents and let it cool down

For everyone wrapping their ribs I have a suggestion, leave the foil in the kitchen. The bark and flavour is far superior, and I always find it’s very easy to overcook in foil and have them come out falling apart and mushy, especially if you try to use 3-2-1 on skinny UK ribs. I smoke fairly meaty racks at 135c for 4 hours, and they usually come out perfect with no soggy bark (a pet hate of mine).

I'm a heathen and love ribs that fall off the bone though!

I must admit, I like that fall of the bone covered in sauce. I don't mind the bite, just want it to easily fall away.

Sounds like I need to adjust my times

Next step, more ribs and a big pork shoulder for pulled pork, with all this Memphis rub I now have!

Thanks again all, any homemade sticky BBQ sauces?

 

[chroniclard]

What does everyone have planned for the bank holiday?

Ribs mostly. Wont be smoked, just slow cooked with a rub and sauce.

 

[GSVBagpuss]

Tomorrow is a whole duck Basted with maple syrup and gentle bit of apple smoke. Then a Hawaiian Huli-Huli spatchcock chicken on Monday

 

[Slam]

Managed to get a new charcoal barbecue in time for the bank holiday weekend. Planning to use it in Sunday but just saw that some people say you need to break it in first. This can be anything from wash it down to light the coals and leave to cool or wipe the grill and inside with oil.
What do people think?

 

[a1ex2001]

Managed to get a new charcoal barbecue in time for the bank holiday weekend. Planning to use it in Sunday but just saw that some people say you need to break it in first. This can be anything from wash it down to light the coals and leave to cool or wipe the grill and inside with oil.
What do people think?

Load of old tosh

 

[Slam]

That's entirely the answer I was hoping for! Just wanna get on and cook some delicious food!!!

 

[flea.rider]

Managed to get a new charcoal barbecue in time for the bank holiday weekend. Planning to use it in Sunday but just saw that some people say you need to break it in first. This can be anything from wash it down to light the coals and leave to cool or wipe the grill and inside with oil.
What do people think?

bbq grill no .. just wipe down the grates and off you go ... offset smoker then yes .. spray insides with oil light her up and run for 2 hrs ..

 

[Skidder]

Did chicken shawarma on the rotisserie yesterday with thighs and some home made pitas. Kebab shop without the dysentery roulette.

 

[SoliD]

Bah, heat deflector has broken already on my Aldi Kamado, no idea how or when but between my last cook and yesterday it's broken into two pieces!

 

[jpaul]

that's a pity was looking over some of the complimentry reviews - following remarks here.
wondering how hot folks had taken them, since I'd like a combined pizza option, per earlier discussion , and didn't want to pay >£500
http://www.love2bbq.co.uk/2020/05/09/aldi-kamado-review/

the section i was going to post had mentioned plate

Our ALDI Kamado arrived on Thursday. Never used one before so not comparing to other more costly ones;
+ve's Cooks brilliantly, not drying things out and pretty easy to control temps even tho we are newbies.
-ve's Either the springs on the lid are not quite strong enough or the angle it goes back to is not big enough and as a result it doesn't really hold itself open properly. Sending back is at your own cost so unfortunately I think I'll be taking an angle grinder to the hinge bracket to widen the opening angle a bit. In fact it rests on only one of the two brackets which I think is the problem.
Next is the deflector plate - It seems too small - Is it really meant to sit directly on the coals? I can't see how it can be used in any other way as the diameter is smaller than the top ring diameter. After the first use with it sitting on the coals I could already see a hairline fracture in it. I suspect it won't last another few before it cracks.
In summary the quality of build of the main body is great, but attention to detail on some of the smaller bits could be better.
Can anyone shed more light about whether the deflector should in fact be sitting directly on the coals and if not what's the solution?

No, the deflector hangs from the prongs underneath the triangular grill supporter thing.

Sorry for all the technical jargon... It took us a few goes to figure it out.

it's guarantee time then. ...

 

[Megahurtz400]

that's a pity was looking over some of the complimentry reviews - following remarks here.
wondering how hot folks had taken them, since I'd like a combined pizza option, per earlier discussion , and didn't want to pay >£500
http://www.love2bbq.co.uk/2020/05/09/aldi-kamado-review/

the section i was going to post had mentioned plate


it's guarantee time then. ...

Was your deflector sitting right on the coals or on the prongs like mentioned in that comment out of intrest?

Don't want to run mine too hot when I eventually do Pizzas and crack mine!

 

[SoliD]

Mine was sitting on the prongs, will be trying to get a new one out of them.

 

[Street]

Bank holiday ribs on the WSM today. I was in Morrisons the other week and spotted them on offer for about £3 for the pair so thought they'd do to stick in the freezer. I wasn't expecting much but they were actually really good racks with plenty of meat on them, I'll definitely be checking to see if they have any more next time I'm in there. I trimmed a fair bit off to neaten them up as well so had enough for dinner as well! I did them for 2/1.5/20 and they came out really well.

 

[mOdO]

Bank holiday ribs on the WSM today. I was in Morrisons the other week and spotted them on offer for about £3 for the pair so thought they'd do to stick in the freezer. I wasn't expecting much but they were actually really good racks with plenty of meat on them, I'll definitely be checking to see if they have any more next time I'm in there. I trimmed a fair bit off to neaten them up as well so had enough for dinner as well! I did them for 2/1.5/20 and they came out really well.

Nice, what temp?

 

[DrToffnar]

First time smoking today on the new broiler style. Pork butt went on about half 10 and temp is slowly creeping up. Think I’m nearing the fabled stall now... Been sitting at around 145 for about 2 hours now. Would you guys recommend wrapping at this point? Barks starting to form and a little worried it wont get all the way there if I wrap it.

 

[Street]

If you're not in a rush for it, you can leave it, it'll just take a lot longer. Although if it's a smaller piece, it might dry out a bit more.

Nice, what temp?

About 115C.

 

[DrToffnar]

If you're not in a rush for it, you can leave it, it'll just take a lot longer. Although if it's a smaller piece, it might dry out a bit more.



About 115C.

Tbf the pics quite deceptive (looks more like a roast chicken for one...) It was near 6 pounds before I trimmed a bit of the fat off and 5.2 when it went on.