How to Barbecue Ribs on the Weber Smoky Mountain

[40sigsauer]

Good stuff!

[gazebbs123]

good vid

[Motoguzzi750]

Ive a webber 57cm kettle grill for 5 years now - done everything from whole duck to tuna and even bread on it; but I have to get a WSM!!!

[BeeRich33]

No wrapping? I like the 3/2/1 method, which usually turns into 3/2/0.5 method.

[murky2]

@BeeRich33 - I find that wrapping the ribs makes the bark too mushy. Besides, 6 hours is too long for me to wait! The ribs start smelling really good at 2 1/2 and it's all I can do to keep from pulling them off early :D

[BeeRich33]

@murky2 But the game is patience. Heh. Gotta start earlier. The problem with ribs is that you have to buy so many to get anything out of so many hours work. Just saw lots on, but very little meat. If ribs had more meat, it might be worth it. I made some beef ribs recently, and it was worth it. Check my videos and my pictures on BBQ Central.

[mikedabik]

what temp u smoke ribs at? Ive done 230 for 6 hrs and also 275 to 300 for 3 1/2 hrs. good video.

[murky2]

@mikedabik - My WSM smoker settles between 225-250*F. I usually smoke my ribs between 3 1/2 to 4 hrs, no water in the water pan.

[calhu31]

great job! I will be getting one this month!

[murky2]

@calhu31 - thanks! I'm sure you'll love barbecuing on your new WSM. Your friends will thank you too! ;-)

[awakesleepinggiant]

I just purchased an 18.5" WSM 2010 grill, it shipped out yesterday and I'm pumped to get started. My first smoker ever. I got an excellent price for $239.00 and I'm ready to smoke some ribs this weekend.

[murky2]

@awakesleepinggiant - woo hoo! enjoy your new WSM. I'm sure you'll get years of great tasting barbecue out of it.

[dentalrepairs]

Great video, thanks for sharing.

[ruffdeezy]

is this the 18.5 inch model or the 22.5 inch model?

[murky2]

18.5

[boobtuber06]

Can you configure this as a charcoal grill for steaks and burgers?

Please get back to me... thank you.

[dudzy711]

how much charcoal per slab of rib..how much charcoal is too much..lets say i was cooking 4 slabs about how many pounds of charcoal..or chimneys full

[murky2]

I don't weigh the charcoal before putting it in. I just try to fill the charcoal ring when I start the cook. When the cook is done, shut down all the vents and the charcoal will stop burning. Whatever charcoal is not used up by the end of the cook I use for the next cook.

[pointnozzleaway]

great info on this smoker !!! i was leaning toward the purchase of one

[dudzy711]

what do you do with your air vents when starting the smoker. whats the best position for he air vents when your bring it up to temperature and then after you put the meat in. how open or closed do you keep them

[dudzy711]

what do you do for your vents for your bottom( how open do you keep them during the cook)i dont know if you keep them close all the time. ot 1/2 open i dont know.tell me what you do please.thanks

[murky2]

I start off at all 3 vents 100% open. Then I watch the temps at the top vent. If it's too hot, I close one vent down. Watch the temps every hour and adjust accordingly.

[wbkski]

Did you hot smoke at 325-350 without water in the pan or did you wet smoke with water in the pay at 225-250?

[murky2]

I don't do water in the pan, but the WSM keeps the temp at 250 most of the time anyway.

[777shaye777]

Man I like the way your grilling already. The best thing ever to use is Hardwood Lump Charcoal, it is the best I will never use regular charcoal briquettes ever again i'm a hardwood lump charcoal user always. No additives in it and it's cheaper to.

[jeostang]

Great Vid,

I just ordered the WSM 22.5 grill. When smoking did you ever have to add more coals or wood?

[murky2]

I fill the charcoal ring with coals. That is enough for at least 8 hrs of cooking without refilling.

[redshaftedflicker]

rockin' ribs right there baby---it's all about that smoke ring! I

[JustAddBBQ]

i love those little WSM guys

[Splinterhands]

Great video. Good tip on using a paper towel for lighting the chimney. Thanks.

[sekacity]

very informative, perfectly done, thanks.

[eckankar]

wish you showed how to get that darn membrane off, I can ever get it to cut or pull off. Nice you showed how to rub the seasoning on, I could figure that out, but that darn membrane, that's a bugger

[murky2]

thanks for your comment. Maybe I will show how to peel a membrane in a future video.

[SALIMSTEWART08]

love your vid but one question do you base your ribs or you just set it and forget it for three hours because i thought if you dont use the water pan your ribs would dry out

[murky2]

Hi, thanks for commenting and good question.

I do not baste - just set it and forget it. The water in the pan does keep things moister and cooler than no water, but the ribs won't dry out as long as you don't overcook them.

[SALIMSTEWART08]

thank you for your reply just one more i hope am not being a pain in the ass but have you cooked yet with the new wsm 09 i heard its a better version

[murky2]

No I haven't cooked on the new WSM. I'd love to get it, but don't have the funds right now. Want to sponsor me ;-)

[mredman62]

Here is how I get the membrane off: Use a small serrated knife to cut under a corner of the membrane. Use a corner that has a nice even layer of fat, not one where the fat is torn or uneven.

Now here is the secret: Grab a paper towel square and use it as kind of a "glove" between your fingers and the membrane. The paper towel will allow you to grip the membrane without it slipping from your fingers. If it gets a little soaked, just use a different section of the paper tower.

[davidtoshiyuki]

Could you cook pork ribs in an oven at 225 degrees for 3 1/2 hrs and get the same result? Perhaps have one barbecue briquette in an alumminum dish with mesquite wood chips in it, for smoke flavoring? Woud that go up the vent pipe in the back of the stove okay? Also put a pan of water in there. How much of the cooking is done by smoke and how much purely by heat. The principles seem the same, If you put on the rub and have the rack etc. Has anyone you know tried it?

[murky2]

No, you can't get the exact same results by baking ribs in the oven as you do by smoke cooking. Some people have oven smoking rigs but I don't know how well they do for ribs. Other people resort to putting liquid smoke in a sauce that they slather on their ribs. That kind of cooking is anethema to me.

It's true - the heat does the cooking while smoke is a spice. But to me, smoke is what makes it true barbecue and the only way to do true barbecue is low and slow over wood charcoal.

[murky2]

Stay tuned to our House of Annie food blog. I am planning to do a taste comparison between oven baked, grilled, and smoked ribs.

[langcjl]

video looks good, nice job. One thing I will say is whats with this "minion method"? I read everyones fascination with this guy all over the place. BBQrs have been using lit coals to light unlit fuel forever. This is only common sense. I feel bad for anyone who thinks the "minion method" is some kind of brilliant epiphany this guy had and they could not possibly have thought of it themselves. I know I will be hated on for this but Im just saying it, I'm not hatin on the vid which I like.

[murky2]

I think the epiphany is that the lit coals are poured onto the unlit ones, which then light off. Most people think to put the lit coals down first then pour the unlit ones on top (this is the standard method that Weber suggests).

Thanks for the comments!

[ward185]

did they look kind of tough to anyone else?

[cfb30]

I usually do 2.5 to 3 pound loin back ribs at 300-310F for 3 hours or so. I turn and baste every 30 minutes.

[Section41]

You only smoked the ribs for 3 1/2 hours? What temp? That doesnt seem long enough. I usually smoke mine in the WSM for about 6 hours at about 235-255*

[murky2]

250. I've found I can push my ribs to 5 hours max, but after that they're overdone. Are you using water in the waterpan?

[Section41]

I have water in my waterpan. Maybe doness is relative here. We usually eat ribs that are almost fall off the bone tender. The 3-2-1 method is a 6 hour cook method.

[murky2]

I like mine that still has a little "bite" to it. I've tried the 3-2-1 method but I find that the 2 hrs in foil softens the bark too much for my tastes. Plus, I just can't wait 6 hrs! :-)

[jimmy1time]

Murk,thanks for getting back to me. So let me get it straight. You dont use the water pan at all? I have been. I have been soaking my wood chips and putting them in the water pan. Not on the coals.And I dont think mine have been coming out right? They seem to moist. They fall off the bone. Which I like but, they are just to moist. Maybe because I boiled them first. My brinkman was given to me by a friend. I hate it already. I need the WSM. Also were did you find the coals you used?

[murky2]

Jimmy,

I use an *empty water pan* all the time for ribs. I put the water pan in the cooker, but NO water. Just double-lined with foil. Nothing else.

There's no point putting the wood chips in the water. You have to put them on the charcoal to get the smoke flavor.

DO NOT boil your ribs. You are just making stock, not barbecue. See my other video, "Tips on Making Barbecue Spareribs".

I get my lump charcoal from Smart & Final. Sometimes you can get lump at Home Depot.

[SALIMSTEWART08]

well does it make sense to buy a webber bullet if your not going to use water i just want to know

[murky2]

The WSM is a great smoker, whether or not you use water in the water pan!

The water is helpful to keep the temperature stable at 225 - 250*F. If you want to cook at higher temps, leave the water out.

[SALIMSTEWART08]

i hve one more thing too ask you do you base your ribs or you just set it and forget it for 3 to 4 hours how do you prevent your ribs from drying out

[Section41]

If you plan on buying a WSM you should do it soon. They're $199, but by the end of the year they're going up to $299 and they're coming out with a 22" WSM for about $500 or so.

[canson81]

i did three racks last week and they were excellent!

[jl2box]

Nice work murky2, you did fine job with those ribs & I know how delicious it is when its done. I never owned a wsm, I had coleman smoker that works the same, but not as good as the weber models. You're intructions were educational,informative, & I recommend to anybody whoever is interested in smoking meat! The true BBQ just like you said!

[murky2]

Thank you!

[jimmy1time]

Murky2, I'm just getting started. I want a WSM real bad now. I have a brinkman. Tough to get the heat right. My question for you is, I didn't see you us a water pan in this video. In your other piece you showed the water pan. I want to do it right. Your ribs looked great. Were did you get the racks to hold them up like that? I'm a very good cook. But its time to try other things other than steaks and chicken. Ribs are so good. Any help from you would be awsome. Thanks for the video. Jimmy1Time

[murky2]

Jimmy,

I did, and always do, use the water pan on my rib cooks. I prefer to leave the water pan empty, just double-covered in foil to catch the grease drippings.

I got the rib racks from good ol' Home Depot. I believe they were CharBroil brand. They're all right.

Good luck with the WSM!

[safetysquirrel]

Good looking ribs! I'm partial to dry rubs on mine. Give it a light coating of cheap mustard (like frenches) and then coat with this mixture:

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons paprika

1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt

1 tablespoons ground black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspon cayanne

1/4 teaspoon cumin

This is out of this world good. It also makes for a juicer rib I find. It makes a "skin" and seals in the juices.

[bobhuber]

Those ribs look undercooked to me buddy. >;-). That knife cut barely cut the meat. Plus ,what's with that rub you used? You gotta spice it up-cayenne, paprika, onion powder-ya know? Don't get me wrong. I want one of those bullets. I had never heard of that product until last weekend.

[bm5447]

Those arent undercooked! Real barbecue ribs are not supposed to be mushy and fall off the bone, although thats how 95% of the folks like em.

[shadowdog500]

Those ribs look good to me. The smoke ring is normal when food is smoked properly. When someone points out the pink I tell them if the pink is near the center it is undercooked, If it is near the surface, it means they were smoked properly. I usually smoke mine about 5 hours, and use the water pan with a quart of cheap beer, some rub, and then the rest with water.

[tompicks]

great video. I just bought one and I wondered when you could tell the slabs were done. Did you meassure the temp of the ribs before pulling them. BTW, I agree that sauce should only be served on the side.

[murky2]

No, I don't measure the temp of the ribs. 3-4 hours at 225-250 normally works for me. Check out my other video, "Tips on making barbecue with the Weber Smokey Mountain" for more info. Happy barbecuing!

[tubeonthis8675309]

Good stuff thanks.

[jordanhyatt]

Guess i havent been making "true" barbQ ribs.. ive been boiling em spiced then grillin em wit sause. I'll have to try the whole smoke thing someday!

[murky2]

Please do! It'll make a world of difference!

[joeyscave]

Wow nice demo. Gonna fire up the new WSM for New Years.

[InspireImages]

I use a Masterbuilt 7 in 1 gas/wood smoker. The gas is on just enough to stabilize temperature. I do not wet my wood but make coals just like you. Very little smoke comes out if done right. But I cook my ribs for 5 hours at about 200 deg. At three hours they are cooked but the fat is not completly disolved, the extra couple hours helps.

Mine is a wet smoker though. I always go dry rub, love the KC dry rub!

We are smokin this weekend with Hickory. Doing two racks and two chickens cant wait!

[murky2]

I'd say there's less than 2 tablespoons of salt for the 7 slabs of ribs. I don't like to use too much salt but you do need a little to balance the flavors.

See my other video, "Tips on Making Barbecue Spareribs"

[HalfKaztBoy]

HOW MUCH SALT DO YOU SEASON THE MEAT WITH! Gee, I really don't think people know how unhealthy that is.

[cfhwabashstyle3]

I have a smoker and i have to watch the temp sometimes. Good idea with the greasy papertowel. Im gonna do that. I have had people freak out because of the smoke ring, I had to give them a sitdown and explain. You know those crazy people that insist on boiling ribs. Crazy I tell ya crazy.

[davemchiu]

I use a remote temp monitor and you can monitor the temp without having to run out every 1/2 hour. with the WSM, I have to say the temp is very steady.

[windbreeze07]

Thank's Now I have To go get some rib's! Have you ever put honey on them? It's finger lickin Good! LOL!

[murky2]

I don't sauce my ribs on the smoker. Sauce can burn and turn bitter, and prevents smoke from getting to the meat. Sauce, if it must be used, should be served on the side, IMO.

[petergerad1960]

Jim Minion, did'nt he die of bowel cancer?

[murky2]

The Jim Minion who popularized this method of charcoal cooking is alive and well.

[BarbecueWeb]

-some great tips for the WSM. Will try. Thanks!

[Marty718]

love to see people bq the right way NO GAS  Love itnThank you so much Awesome

[sapijelek]

Dude.. you don't need make that much charcoal.  Holly cow... you waste too much.

[murky2]

I did two cooks of 7 slabs each on that one load of charcoal...and still have leftover coal to fill the chimney next time. 8+ hours of burning without refilling is normal for the WSM.

[punkrockike]

its a technique man. i belived called the Minion Method or something. using that much unlit charcoal allows you to cook for like 8 hours.

[47f0]

It's not really wasting charcoal at all - my neighbor has a WSM (I have a POS -we know what that stands for, right - bullet), and the fit on his WSM is so good that when the meat comes off, he shuts down the vents and the charcoal stops burning in minutes - so he can use it next time.

[Hydrofire12]

looks good! I'm so hungry :(