First ribs on WSM! Performer, and 22.5 Kettle for support!

[crowderjd]

So over the summer I picked up a 2008 18.5 WSM for $40.  After picking up a new door and water bowl on Amazon, today was my first cook.  I have to say I LOVED it.  I got two packages (four racks total) of whole spare ribs from Smart and Final for 1.79 a pound, and trimmed them St. Louis style.  I saved the trimmed breastbones and will use them for black bean soup over the winter. 

I slightly altered the BRITU rib rub (Best Ribs in the Universe), cutting down slightly on the salt, eliminating the MSG, and adding a bit more brown sugar. 

Lighted the WSM using the minion method and used applewood chunks for smoke.  I didn't have a rib rack, and the ribs were too big to lay flat on the grates...so after seeing some people use skewers to prop them in place, I tried that and found it worked GREAT.  The WSM held temps between 240 and 260 ALL AFTERNOON.  It was AWESOME.  I adjusted the lower vents twice when I noticed it creeping up just past 260.  To be honest, I did NOTHING to the ribs the entire time, other than flipping them at the 3 hour mark.  They came out delicious.  At five hours I checked them, using the bend test, and I thought they needed a bit more time, and a half hour later, did the test, and rib bark cracked as I held them on tongs...ready to go!  We had 14 people over at the house, and everyone loved the ribs. 

Here's some pics and a little more info:



Trimming up the ribs.  I was about ready to bag up the breastbones.



Here were the ribs (I had both racks going) at the 3 hour mark on the WSM.



Meanwhile at the 3 hour mark, I loaded up my performer with the extra meat I trimmed from the ribs, along with turds (which I made for the very first time)  I loaded the turds with cream cheese that had garlic powder, salt, pepper, and chorizo sausage, wrapped in applewood smoked bacon.  Added some applewood for smoke as well.  Doing this made me appreciate the WSM.  I love smoking on my kettle, but I was constantly adjusting the vents to keep the temp below 300.  However, I eventually settled in at around 275 which is fine by me.



Fired up the copper kettle around 4:15 in the afternoon to cook 12 sweet potatoes.  It was great to have the whole crew at work.  Even the Simpsons Smokey Joe saw action as I got the coals going for the WSM in it using my chimney starter!



5:45 the meat came off the performer along with the turds as an appetizer for my guests.  The turds were a huge hit.  One friend said he could just eat those all night.  I made 30 of them, and they were gone by dinner time. 



Finally, a closeup of the ribs.  I thought they had good bark, great flavor.  Didn't "fall off the bone" but would come off with a pretty gentle pull or bite.  Perfect enough in my book!  I kept two racks dry, and put BBQ sauce on the other two...as that is what some of my guests said they'd like.  The funny thing is I didn't get a plate pic, as by this point I was ready to eat.  It was a super fun day using the grills, and everyone had a great time.  Hope you all have a great Labor Day weekend!

[jcnaz]

I'll take two plates, please.

[JDLones]

Heckuva cook up. Nice job.


Jonathan

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[WNC]

Super cook! Love seeing all the grills going, those make for great days, and all the food looks perfect! Bet the guest were really happy!

[Winz]

That's what it is all about. Good food enjoyed by good friends. Quite a production you had going on there. Great job
Winz

[SixZeroFour]

Great looking cook - I bet that was a feast!