The Ultimate BBQ Thread

[yooper]

Lump charcoal and hickory chunks. I almost ran out; the store where I usually buy charcoal only had briquets last week, which is why I bought the hickory chunks.

I welded up a charcoal basket out of perforated steel that fits my side fire box really well and I think this saved a lot of fuel for me. I probably used half as much as I would have without the basket. I'm going to build another basket so when it's time to add fuel I can just swap in a whole basket full of fuel already burning. I used the minion method (layers of charcoal and hickory in the basket) which seemed to work well.

[Trollhole]

Forks work well.

Glad to see it turned out good. Now on to ribs and brisket.

[yooper]

Here's a pic of the beast.

I got a remote thermometer with separate smoker and meat probes. I learned that the built in thermometer in the smoker is almost useless. You can see the smoker probe clipped onto the grate behind the meat.

You can see where I had to snag a snack from the end with my BBQ tongs.

[yooper]

Ribs are not for me. They kinda gross me out, and my wife too. Not worth all the effort.

Brisket however will be coming soon, maybe this weekend...

[NorCalDoug]

Originally Posted by yooper

Ribs are not for me. They kinda gross me out, and my wife too. Not worth all the effort.

Brisket however will be coming soon, maybe this weekend...

ribs a bit too primal for you guys?

there's nothing better than tearing into some nice bones

mmmmmmmmm....ribs...mmmmmmmmmmmm

[yooper]

Originally Posted by NorCalDoug

ribs a bit too primal for you guys?

there's nothing better than tearing into some nice bones

mmmmmmmmm....ribs...mmmmmmmmmmmm

Oh we are definitely carnivores and don't mind tearing into some bones.

With ribs we enjoy them while we're eating them, but then when we're done we both feel like we've been dipped in a grease pit. I can only eat ribs about once a year because it takes me that long to forget how grossed out I was after the last time. Oooph.

[Trollhole]

Originally Posted by NorCalDoug

ribs a bit too primal for you guys?

there's nothing better than tearing into some nice bones

mmmmmmmmm....ribs...mmmmmmmmmmmm

X2

[NorCalDoug]

Originally Posted by yooper

Oh we are definitely carnivores and don't mind tearing into some bones.

With ribs we enjoy them while we're eating them, but then when we're done we both feel like we've been dipped in a grease pit. I can only eat ribs about once a year because it takes me that long to forget how grossed out I was after the last time. Oooph.

what about baby-backs?

[yooper]

Originally Posted by NorCalDoug

what about baby-backs?

Um

I guess I am a rib newb. I thought that was what we were talking about. Spare ribs are even fattier, correct?

[yooper]

How hot (meat temp) should I BBQ brisket?

[Deep South Cruisers]

160-185

[NorCalDoug]

Originally Posted by yooper

Um

I guess I am a rib newb. I thought that was what we were talking about. Spare ribs are even fattier, correct?

Unless specified, when I hear "ribs" I think spare ribs. Baby backs ribs, IMO, are different. They take much less time to cook and the flavor is a little different...to me anyhow.

Babyback ribs tend to be leaner than spare ribs because they come from the back/loin area. If you get a pork rib chop (the piggy version of a ribeye steak), that bone is essentially a single baby back rib.

the following pic shows a bone-in pork rib chop:


here's a pic of the pork loin with the baby back rib rack removed


here's the same cut with the rib rack attached. if this were a cow, you'd be looking at a prime rib roast.



In this diagram, you can s ee that the loin is from the upper portion of the pig (the back), while spare ribs come from the belly, right next to the pork belly (which is what bacon is made from). Because it's closer to the belly, spare ribs tend to be fattier than baby back ribs, but both will contain some amount of fat...but that's where the flavor comes from -- the fat.



if you go from the spine down towards the belly, the baby back ribs are the upper portion of the ribcage, closer to the spine, the spare ribs are the lower portion of the same set of ribs, but down towards the belly.


in this final pic, the baby backs are displayed above the spare ribs.

[PapaBear]

I don't grill... ever since I bought a traeger now it is only B - B - Q hmmmmmmm love the smell of the wood smoke and the meat cooking... and than there's the taste of fresh bbq.
Here is a shot of a recent brisket...

and here's one of the fall-off-the-bone St. Louis style pork ribs we did up the last weekend...

I haven't been able to get any shots of the pulled pork because we tend to dig in to them before anyone remembers to try to get a photo.

[reffug]

Originally Posted by yooper

Oh we are definitely carnivores and don't mind tearing into some bones.

With ribs we enjoy them while we're eating them, but then when we're done we both feel like we've been dipped in a grease pit. I can only eat ribs about once a year because it takes me that long to forget how grossed out I was after the last time. Oooph.

Originally Posted by yooper

Um

I guess I am a rib newb. I thought that was what we were talking about. Spare ribs are even fattier, correct?

OK you are a rib newb for sure.

You slow smoke a rack or 15 and then get back to me.

With the right sauce there ain't much better out of a smoker.

Dey beat da hell out some brisket IMO.

Buy hellz dats juzt me.

[Rhinoliner]

All of this talk about meat (pictures even) and Noah's MIA. What's up with that?

[yooper]

OK I need some baby back experience I guess. Thanks guys! This thread is truly ultimate.

Unfortunately right now I am out of charcoal and the idiot stores here only sell real charcoal in the spring. I guess I have to spring for some shipping or else use briquets (shudder).

[Trollhole]

How about some BBQ pics. Been posted in other threads but worth of this thread.











This years setup in Charleston.




This years UC Annual BBQ

[yooper]

kewl. Marshall do you use the big ass propane burner to start a chimney of charcoal?

[Trollhole]

Originally Posted by yooper

kewl. Marshall do you use the big ass propane burner to start a chimney of charcoal?

Yep just be prepared to fix it when the al rivets melt. Steel rivets work best. 2 min under a good flame get them going well enough and then let them sit for about 5 min or until you have flames coming out the top.