Got some spares on

[HankB]

I didn't smoke this weekend. SWMBO and I ran 26.2 miles on Saturday in Olathe KS (*) and then drove back home on Sunday. Then we packed for our next adventure! We're helping my son build a shed at his new (to him) house in Michigan. As part of the adventure they go through their freezer and pull out whatever meat they want me to cook. Today it is a rack of spare ribs. The only smoker I have here is a mini-WSM I built for my son so I'm using his SS Performer instead. I filled one charcoal basket and lit it off with his weed burner. Once going, I threw some hickory chips on the coals and put the ribs on. Our daughter-in-law is a Pampered Chef something-or-other so I'm using one of their rubs - Buffalo Rub. Ribs have been on since 3:15 and temperature started about 350°F and has been drifting down as low as 220°. Every once in a while I throw more coals on to keep the basket more or less full and alternate between cherry and hickory chips.

Here's where they started at 3:15 PM



And at 6:40 PM



And they still need a little more. The meat has not yet started to pull back on the bones. I should probably pick them up and see how much bend there is in the rack.

OK, just checked again and after four hours they just don't feel done. Our work is done for the day and I'm ready to eat! That gives me time to prepare something else so the broccoli  found in the fridge will be brushed with EVOO and get some Dijon rub sprinkled on it. When the ribs are almost done I'll grill the broccoli directly over the coals.

(*) If you ever get to Olathe KS or Kansas City, look for Oklahoma Joe's BBQ. We had lunch there after the marathon and it did not disappoint.

[1buckie]

Now wait just a dang minute...............I've never grilled broccoli direct, I know you're ready to eat, but I hope we get a pic of that.....

[Duke]

Nice looki'n grub Hank!

[HankB]

Now wait just a dang minute...............I've never grilled broccoli direct, I know you're ready to eat, but I hope we get a pic of that.....

Sorry, no pix tonight, but you really need to try this. Just brush on some EVOO sprinkle with some S&P and grill direct.

The ribs were good but not spectacular. They never did pull back off the bone, even after 5 hours at an average temp of about 275. They baffled me. They also didn't have as much meat as I'm used to. Maybe that's why. The buffalo rub gave them a nice zing.

[1buckie]

A good vote for foiling the ribs, which I almost never do......

Did you use large trees of the broc & does it soften, or get more crunchy?

      Signed,
    ~~~>Baffled

[HankB]

I think they could have been foiled to benefit, though they weren't dry. I decided they were shiners because there was no meat on the side of the bones opposite the membrane.

I'm doing chicken, pheasant, broccoli and asparagus today on the grill and I'll try to get some pix. The broccoli and asparagus are direct grilled so they have some color but you don;t want them to get too limp. Well, I don't anyway. I've also done broccoli raab this way.

[wolgast]

Looks stellar!

[1911Ron]

Looks good to me!