smoking spare ribs

[LindellProStaf]

I have some spare ribs in the frig right now covered in a dry rub. With the warm weather I will be smoking this weekend. I have always used a pan of water hanging above my wood chips. From what I read in the archives using a water pan is not neccesary. Is that right? I have an old refrig I converted a couple of years ago. I use an electric hot plate. It works pretty good. Sometimes I have a hard time getting hot but I get good smoke and finish them off in the oven wrapped in foil so it works out pretty good. I am open to any suggestions. Thanks

[rattlereel]

I've always used the water pan also. Seems to work for me.

[McGurk]

I've never used one, but my setup doesn't necessarily need one per the instructions. It would be considered something like a Weber Smokey Mountain, but homebuilt using an upright 55 gallon drum. There's a qriteup about it. The Weber's recommend it, most other writeups recommend it, but I've heard it's more of a heat-sink/ drip pan/ diffuser than an actual water vapor delivery system.

[thirdeye]

I guess it all depends on what kind of smoker you use, some cookers benefit from a water pan, or a small can of water. Personally I don't use any water in a drip pan, but I do spray my ribs with a apple juice mixture.

And when I opt for a foil finish, I put some brown sugar, Parkay and a little sauce down, then the ribs go in meat down, the pouch is sealed up and cooks for about 45 minutes. This makes some great liquid for serving with the ribs, or to add to some sauce.

[reinhard1]

great ideas, cant wait to get started. good luck.

[McGurk]

I was hoping thirdeye would chime in, and I'd listen to every word he says. I also do some applejuice spritzing, along with vinegar and Dr Pepper mixed in sometimes. That foil wrapping mixture looks heavenly, but can regular butter be used instead of Parkay/ margarine?

In your situation with a fridge, you'd want to minimize the opening and closing. Maybe a water pan wouldn't be a bad idea. Can't hurt anything! What did you try, and most importantly; How'd they turn out?

[reinhard1]

APPLE BACON MOP AND SAUCE: 1/4 lb. [4 to 5 slices] bacon - 3/4cup apple juice - 5 tbs. apple cider vinegar - 1/2 cup ketchup - 2 tsp. worcestershire sauce - 1/2 tsp. ancho chile powder - 1/2 tsp. paprika - 1/4 tsp ground cumin - 1/4 tsp. celery seed - 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper. MAKE THE MOP AND SAUCE: cook the bacon in a medium skillet over medium-low heat until browned and crisp, 10 to 15 minutes, turning occasionally. drain the bacon on paper towels and eat it whenever you like. pour about one-half the bacon fat into a small saucepan and reserve the remaining fat in the skillet for the barbecue sauce. to the saucepan, add 1/2 cup of the apple juice and 2 tbs. of the cider vinegar. bring to a simmer over medium heat and then remove from the heat [this is the mop]. during the first hour [baby backs] or two hours [spare ribs] this is moped on to keep the ribs moist. then add the remaining 1/4 cup apple juice, 3 tbls cider vinegar, and the ketchup, worcestershire sauce, chile powder, paprika, cumin, celery seed and pepper to the bacon fat in the skillet. cook over medium-low heat, whisking until smooth. as soon as the sauce simmers, remove the skillet from the heat. this is the sauce part you mop on the ribs in the final moments of bbq time. this is what i use on ribs. i usualy double this according to how many ribs i make. good luck.

[LindellProStaf]

My ribs turned out great. I smoked them for about 6 hours at about 160 - 170 degrees. I have a electric hot plate that I use. I put an extra hot plate in this time and when it got windy and cooled down the frig smoker I just plugge in the extra hot plate for 1/2 hour and that really worked good. Then I took the ribs and put them in a pan covered with foil in the oven at 325 for an hour. They were a little fatty but the smoking part was great. I usually do baby back but am experimenting with spare ribs because they are 1/2 to 1/3 of the cost. Hey nice pics thirdeye....

[reinhard1]

the only thing that matters is that you are satisfied with your results. one week before memorial day super target has baby backs on sale super cheap. the last two years they had them for 1.49 per pound with a limit of 6 per person. i went every day. now this year who knows but they will have them cheap. and for labor day they had st. louis ribs for the same price with a limit of 6. so if you have a freezer whatch for the ad and mark it on your calender. good luck.

[McGurk]

Reinhard nailed it: get them while they're cheap and freeze them until you need them. Target and Rainbow are the 2 ads I watch, but you will be getting "enhanced" ribs at that price. Spares around $1.00 and BBs around $1.50 before Labor day, July 4th, and Memorial day. Also watch Home Depot around those times for CHEAP Kingsford Charcoal- 40 lbs (2-20 lbers) for less than $10! I got 8) 2-packs for the summer, and needed a place high and dry to stack them.

The only thing I see that I would comment on in your method is the low temp. I'd aim for 200 deg, or even 225 (what I shoot for) while smoking. It's still low n slow, but not quite as slow. You're still slowly breaking down the fat while giving smoke at those temps without rushing the process. I get a little nervous cooking under 200 degrees, but maybe it's just me. Spares do need more time than BBs, but I can get spares (St Louis cut) fully done in less than 6 hours, without an oven to finish. Also, don't forget to rest them a bit if you do finish them in the oven at a higher temp!

[reinhard1]

hey thanks for the tip on the charcoal! dont look at that add much but will now. thanks. good luck.

[McGurk]

I'm drooling for ribs with all of this talk, now. I was able to grill some t-bones and garlic bread last night for the wifey for v-tines day. It was heavenly! 45 deg and meat over charcoal, doesn't get much better for this time of year, unless you're on the ice at the time!

[reinhard1]

thanks, just gave me the menu for tonight. good luck.

[LindellProStaf]

I wondered if I should do the spare ribs at a higher temp to get rid of more fat. I will shoot for 200 or so the next time. I will check sales too for BB ribs. Then I will stock up on them. I want to try smoking a corned beef to make pastrami too. I love corned beef and stock up on them whenever they are on sale around St. Pats day... Have you guys ever done that??

[LindellProStaf]

I don't put my corned beef in with the cabbage and onions and carrots all day in the crockpot anymore. It gets too mushy and is not as good for ruebens the next day. I cook the corned beef on a rack in the oven. Then an hour before I want to eat we put the cabbage, onions, carrots etc in a pot of water and just cook on the stove. Turns out great!! Then the corned beef is meatier and better for ruebens the next day too.. I should have started a new thread with this I suppose..

[Deitz Dittrich]

Not a whole lot I can add.. Just will say that I too shoot for 200-210ish when smoking ribs.. I get quite a few compliments on mine.. I usually do a dry rub and spray with apple juice during the smoke... Finish with BBQ on the grill quick.

[archerystud]

I'm an engineer and started smoking ribs a number of years ago. I got one of my co-workers into it and he turned it into a science. I'll add a little bit of what I learned through him.

From his research the water pan (in the bullet type smokers) is used as a heat sink so that the ribs don't cook at too high of a temp. When using a charcoal smoker the charcoal will run at a hotter temp than necessary. I prefer to run my smoker at 225 if possible. I also vary the amount of water based on what I am smoking. For instance if I have a brisket and a pork shoulder on at the same time then there will be about 15 lbs of solid meat compared to smoking about 8 lbs of ribs.

I don't mop mine I only use a dry rub. I serve BBQ sauce on the side as some people like it.

[McGurk]

Also, I've heard of people using plain, clean sand covered by tinfoil in their "water pan" so they don't need to add to it during the cook. This is for, as stated, bullet type smokers.

The smoker I made and use (Ugly Drum Smoker) maintains a longer distance between the heat and the meat, so I don't use a waterpan/heat sink/diffuser. Some people have added one in their designs, but I for one like the added bonus from the fat drippings hitting the hot coals and giving off a smell and flavor you won't get otherwise.

Here's my UDS (in the back), along with a redwood and stainless table I built to give me some room to work on. Plus, it got my Weber at a better woking height with a better ash pan!

Man, am I in the mood for RIBS now!!!

[thirdeye]

I was hoping thirdeye would chime in, and I'd listen to every word he says. I also do some applejuice spritzing, along with vinegar and Dr Pepper mixed in sometimes. That foil wrapping mixture looks heavenly, but can regular butter be used instead of Parkay/ margarine?

In your situation with a fridge, you'd want to minimize the opening and closing. Maybe a water pan wouldn't be a bad idea. Can't hurt anything! What did you try, and most importantly; How'd they turn out?

Oh I'm sure you can use other margarine's but for some reason Parkay brand works the best, it delivers moisture and flavor without being able to tell it's margarine. Many of the comp guys swear by it.

[Tom Buckles]

Thirdeye, your ribs look excellent!! How often do you guys spray on your apple juice mixture? I am always hesitant to do it too often, because I let all the heat out of my smoker.

[thirdeye]

I wondered if I should do the spare ribs at a higher temp to get rid of more fat. I will shoot for 200 or so the next time. I will check sales too for BB ribs. Then I will stock up on them. I want to try smoking a corned beef to make pastrami too. I love corned beef and stock up on them whenever they are on sale around St. Pats day... Have you guys ever done that??

I get the corned brisket flats from Sam's Club for my pastrami. It's Grobbel's brand and excellent quality for store bought corned brisket. I've never seen it on sale, but it's a year round item and a good value. It's a long process: a soak out, a seasoned overnight rest, 5 or 6 hours of smoking, then a finishing step (which can be steaming, braising or pressure finish) but well worth it. You will never buy corned beef at the grocery again.

[thirdeye]

Thirdeye, your ribs look excellent!! How often do you guys spray on your apple juice mixture? I am always hesitant to do it too often, because I let all the heat out of my smoker.

Tom, I cook my belly ribs closer to 250° and my baby backs closer to 275°, and at those temps I wait for the fats to rise before spraying. There will be a little shine on the surface to let you know they are ready for a spray.... This is usually about an hour into the smoke.

Then I spray them once an hour. I like the spray because it doesen't take much time and it gives you a good even coating of liquid, you don't want to wash off those good surface fats.

[Tom Buckles]

Thirdeye, thanks for. I am going to try it out on some spareribs this weekend. I will let you know how it turns out.