Grilling and smoking thread

[BigVMan23]

Low and slow, between 225-250, lots of mopping/basting to keep them moist. Also is a must to strip the membrane off the back side of the ribs, it can be kind of hard to do but they just won't be near as tender if you don't.

[JDEaston]

Low and slow, between 225-250, lots of mopping/basting to keep them moist. Also is a must to strip the membrane off the back side of the ribs, it can be kind of hard to do but they just won't be near as tender if you don't.

 

I've found that a paper towel helps a lot to get the membrane off. Once you get a small piece peeled up use a paper towel to help grab it and pull it slowly. I've tried pliers and about everything else you could think of but a simple paper towel works best.

 

I'm not a big fall of the bone guy but several ppl in my family are so I always make a separate rack for them. I pretty much follow what you said but I don't mop, mainly because I don't want to open the lid anymore than I have to.

 

For baby backs I just go with a temp of 250 or lower for around two hours, then around an hour wrapped in foil with some apple juice and a squirt of butter in the bottom of the foil. Then remove from the foil and spritz with apple juice, sauce as needed for the last 30-60 minutes.

 

@PurplePride92, I would get cooking the ribs the way you like them down before doing a brisket, it can be a real pain in the rear. I only cook them when someone asks me to and while everyone always says they're great, I feel like I only nail the cook about 30% of the time. The last one I did took around 18 hours at 200-225 hah.

[BigVMan23]

I've found that a paper towel helps a lot to get the membrane off. Once you get a small piece peeled up use a paper towel to help grab it and pull it slowly. I've tried pliers and about everything else you could think of but a simple paper towel works best.

 

I'm not a big fall of the bone guy but several ppl in my family are so I always make a separate rack for them. I pretty much follow what you said but I don't mop, mainly because I don't want to open the lid anymore than I have to.

 

For baby backs I just go with a temp of 250 or lower for around two hours, then around an hour wrapped in foil with some apple juice and a squirt of butter in the bottom of the foil. Then remove from the foil and spritz with apple juice, sauce as needed for the last 30-60 minutes.

 

@PurplePride92, I would get cooking the ribs the way you like them down before doing a brisket, it can be a real pain in the rear. I only cook them when someone asks me to and while everyone always says they're great, I feel like I only nail the cook about 30% of the time. The last one I did took around 18 hours at 200-225 hah.

 

Yep I don't like fall off the bone either, I prefer a "snap" in my rib with a little chew to it. I generally don't wrap my ribs, but it's definitely an option.

 

Oh, and for brisket, you are cooking that WAY too low. I'm surprised you get the meat anywhere near 200-205 cooking it that low.

[PurplePride92]

I've found that a paper towel helps a lot to get the membrane off. Once you get a small piece peeled up use a paper towel to help grab it and pull it slowly. I've tried pliers and about everything else you could think of but a simple paper towel works best.

 

I'm not a big fall of the bone guy but several ppl in my family are so I always make a separate rack for them. I pretty much follow what you said but I don't mop, mainly because I don't want to open the lid anymore than I have to.

 

For baby backs I just go with a temp of 250 or lower for around two hours, then around an hour wrapped in foil with some apple juice and a squirt of butter in the bottom of the foil. Then remove from the foil and spritz with apple juice, sauce as needed for the last 30-60 minutes.

 

@PurplePride92, I would get cooking the ribs the way you like them down before doing a brisket, it can be a real pain in the rear. I only cook them when someone asks me to and while everyone always says they're great, I feel like I only nail the cook about 30% of the time. The last one I did took around 18 hours at 200-225 hah.

 

What kind of smoker do you have? I am still using a beginner’s/primitive propane smoker. One of the cheap, less than 100 dollar ones.

 

Same question for you @BigVMan23

[BigVMan23]

What kind of smoker do you have? I am still using a beginner’s/primitive propane smoker. One of the cheap, less than 100 dollar ones.

 

Same question for you @BigVMan23

 

I have 2 smokers...a Masterbuilt XL propane that I got a steal on at Walmart the end of the fall last year, and a Smokehollow electric that I got a couple of years ago. I prefer the propane but it's on a concrete pad in the back yard and wet weather like we have now makes it messy to go back and forth to use. Electric is on my front porch which is covered so use it in weather like we are having now. Thinking of getting a pellet smoker but don't want to spend the money right now. I like the convenience of propane, and any thing I have had off of a big green egg and similar charcoal smokers always lack a good smoke flavor, at least to me.

[NEERFAN]

Just started smoking meats in the last year or so. Smoked a ham this past weekend for the family for Easter.

 

I’ve smoked the basics: turkey, ham, chicken, chicken wings, ribs, pork loin and even burgers. I haven’t done any Boston Butts or brisket yet but will likely try a brisket this summer. I’m not too big on pulled pork so unless it is for a family reunion or something I likely won’t do one.

 

Everything I have smoked turned out great except for one thing. Ribs. I need some help/tips on smoking ribs. I want them juicy and falling off the bone.

 

Help a brother out.

 

Thanks.

 

3/2/1 method worked well for me. 225 degrees, three hours, then sauce and foil for 2. Then unwrap for the final hour.

[JDEaston]

Yep I don't like fall off the bone either, I prefer a "snap" in my rib with a little chew to it. I generally don't wrap my ribs, but it's definitely an option.

 

Oh, and for brisket, you are cooking that WAY too low. I'm surprised you get the meat anywhere near 200-205 cooking it that low.

 

It does take forever hah. I wasn't completely clear though, I run that temp until its near the stall around 160 degrees or so. At that point I wrap it in pink butchers paper and let the grill come up to the 275 range to finish it off. I've tried cooking the entire time in the 250-275 range and was never able to get one as tender as I felt like it should be.

[JDEaston]

What kind of smoker do you have? I am still using a beginner’s/primitive propane smoker. One of the cheap, less than 100 dollar ones.

 

Same question for you @BigVMan23

 

My first smoker was a Chargriller Smokin' Pro with a side firebox for indirect cooking. It produces good food but takes a lot of effort to do so. A few years ago when my gas grill needed replaced I decided I wanted a charcoal grill for burgers and such and ended up getting the Chargriller Akorn, a Kamado style grill. I absolutely love that thing, I can throw on a pork shoulder that takes about 12 hours to cook before bed and not have to worry about baby sitting the thing all night, it'll hold within 25 degrees of my target temp throughout the cook and only use about a half firebox full of lump charcoal. I have only used my other smoker a couple of times since getting the Akorn.

[JDEaston]

3/2/1 method worked well for me. 225 degrees, three hours, then sauce and foil for 2. Then unwrap for the final hour.

 

That'll all depend on the type of ribs you're cooking. Six hours with two of them being foiled with baby back ribs you'll likely end up with mush.

[PurplePride92]

My first smoker was a Chargriller Smokin' Pro with a side firebox for indirect cooking. It produces good food but takes a lot of effort to do so. A few years ago when my gas grill needed replaced I decided I wanted a charcoal grill for burgers and such and ended up getting the Chargriller Akorn, a Kamado style grill. I absolutely love that thing, I can throw on a pork shoulder that takes about 12 hours to cook before bed and not have to worry about baby sitting the thing all night, it'll hold within 25 degrees of my target temp throughout the cook and only use about a half firebox full of lump charcoal. I have only used my other smoker a couple of times since getting the Akorn.

 

So you smoke with charcoal and not wood chips/chunks?

[JDEaston]

So you smoke with charcoal and not wood chips/chunks?

 

I use Royal Oak Lump charcoal, it's not like briquettes, it's actually chunks of oak that has been super heated and deprived of oxygen to turn it into natural hardwood charcoal. Briquettes are wood byproduct that is essentially sawdust that's held together with binders and then turned into charcoal. Lump will burn a bit hotter than briquettes as well as much cleaner, it produces very little ash.

 

I still add some chunks of apple or cherry wood to go with it for most cooks that involve pork products, more chunks for longer cooks. For brisket I'll usually go with pecan if I can find it, if not oak, maple or hickory. I typically don't add wood for poultry products or burgers/steaks, etc because they don't need much smoke and the Royal Oak lump provides enough oak wood flavor itself to give those a hint of smoke. I ruined about three spatchcock chickens on my offset smoker by using Royal Oak with chunks of hickory, chicken absorbs smoke more than most meats and it was literally overwhelming.

[BigVMan23]

Grilled a bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin Monday night. Was going to smoke it but didn't think I'd get it done in time for the championship game so decided to grill it. It was wonderfully delicious. I have hit on a mustard concoction that I really like as a base for my spice dry rub, that consists of two types of mustard, creamy horseradish, a Kroger brand basting sauce and turbinado sugar all mixed together. My gosh is it delicious.

[TheDeuce]

Can anyone recommend a good steak or chicken marinade? We have gas grills at our new apartment and I want to take full advantage. Thanks in advance!

[plantmanky]

Can anyone recommend a good steak or chicken marinade? We have gas grills at our new apartment and I want to take full advantage. Thanks in advance!

 

I use a Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, salt, light pepper mix.

[BigVMan23]

Can anyone recommend a good steak or chicken marinade? We have gas grills at our new apartment and I want to take full advantage. Thanks in advance!

 

Purriad pineapple with juice, Worcestershire (low sodium), chopped garlic, kosher salt.