3-2-1 method for smoked ribs

[Goatnapper'96]

I had a real smoker made last fall. It is one of those 500 gallon propane tanks on wheels sort of deals. It was finished last December and I have used it 3 times now. On saturday I smoked 12 full pork loins for the local rodeo team for their Cowboy Ball fundraiser. I threw in some ribs and couple of tri-tips for mine and BILs clan. Long story short is that I think there is a difference between food smoked using real hardwood/fruit wood versus the pellets style of a traeger or various other pellet smokers. The convenience of the traegar is out of this world so it will continue to be a staple when doing smaller type of events, but I believe one can taste the difference when using pure blocked fruit wood versus the pellets.

Is my experience mine only or do the rest of you notice a difference when eating q smoked using real hard or fruitwood versus the pellets?

[Drunk Tank]

I would cut the wood into chunks a little larger than a hockey puck. They should dry out in a couple months if left in a warm, dry area. Then sell 20lb bags for $15-$20. I think you would net more money instead of selling it as logs. Around here a cord of Apple wood is between $200-$250.

[Pelado]

I have a question I hope you meat smokers can help with. Some of you know that I participate in a neighborhood/ward garden. People are supposed to donate a minimum of $40 for water, hose, fert, etc, but when a family with lots of kids joins the garden without any money, we don't turn them away, so we are always looking to raise money. In one of our gardens is an old apple tree that doesnt produce well, and we want to cut it down to plant raspberries. Can we sell the apple wood to meat smokers? We would cut it down and into small pieces. Is the wood worth anything?

I don't know. I would think it would need to dry out before it would be of much use. So you'd probably have to sell it to someone that can store it for a while.

[Katy Lied]

I have a question I hope you meat smokers can help with. Some of you know that I participate in a neighborhood/ward garden. People are supposed to donate a minimum of $40 for water, hose, fert, etc, but when a family with lots of kids joins the garden without any money, we don't turn them away, so we are always looking to raise money. In one of our gardens is an old apple tree that doesnt produce well, and we want to cut it down to plant raspberries. Can we sell the apple wood to meat smokers? We would cut it down and into small pieces. Is the wood worth anything?

[falafel]

Those look good. Some friends had us over for dinner on Sunday. We had ribs. They were not good--very, very chewy and difficult, if not impossible to get all the meat off the bone. Most of us didn't say anything, of course. But my loud-mouth 4-year-old, who was really excited when she found out we were having ribs, felt the need to repeatedly point out that these weren't easy to eat "like ribs at our house." I don't have a smoker, but foiled ribs in an oven and then finished on the grill are about as easy to make as anything. If I had to guess, I think this guy just put them on the grill raw and cooked them for 45 mins.

Why not try them in a crockpot!?

[Donuthole]

Those look good. Some friends had us over for dinner on Sunday. We had ribs. They were not good--very, very chewy and difficult, if not impossible to get all the meat off the bone. Most of us didn't say anything, of course. But my loud-mouth 4-year-old, who was really excited when she found out we were having ribs, felt the need to repeatedly point out that these weren't easy to eat "like ribs at our house." I don't have a smoker, but foiled ribs in an oven and then finished on the grill are about as easy to make as anything. If I had to guess, I think this guy just put them on the grill raw and cooked them for 45 mins.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Would definitely eat those. Well done.

[Drunk Tank]

Looks good!

[Green Monstah]

Smoked some babybacks last night, and they turned out pretty solid. Made my own rub (sea salt, course black pepper, garlic powder, paprika (mostly for color), a little cayenne for kick, and some turbinado sugar). I was short for time, so threw them on at 275, using cherry wood on charcoal. I checked them at 2 hours, and they were about the right color, so I wrapped them in foil along with butter, honey and another hit of rub with a little more garlic and cayenne. Put them back on for 45 minutes, and they were done. I let them smoke for about 30 more minutes to re-establish bark, and we ate them up. I sauced two of the racks. On the third, I glazed it with the renderings that were left in the foil (honey, butter, fat and spice), which my wife loved. I always forget to snap pics before we start in, but here's what was left:

Ribs.jpg

[kccougar]

The first phase is about smoke not temp so much, ergo, smoke. lay it down.

Thanks. You'd think I'd never smoked ribs before.

[TripletDaddy]

The first phase is about smoke not temp so much, ergo, smoke. lay it down.

[kccougar]

I can't believe it's been so long since I did ribs that I have questions again about the process. I note in JL's summary that the first phase is on the Smoke setting for Traeger (180 degrees). My Traeger thermostat has both a smoke setting (the lowest) and then a 180 setting, and I can't remember which I use when doing ribs. Anyone with Traeger experience?

[Jeff Lebowski]

Holy cow, HFN. Those ribs look incredible.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

that's a pretty dope cutco cleaver

I've got so much cutco, I think we've sent every kid from our Ward back to Provo or Logan for their sophomore year with a nice nest egg.

[old_gregg]

that's a pretty dope cutco cleaver