Got the smoker assembled on Friday morning and had to break it in over the weekend.

Friday afternoon/evening was baby-back ribs, thanks to a post here I made sure to get 'un-enhanced' ribs. They cost more, but weren't filled with 'stuff'.

Ribs went on for about 4 -5 hours at 220-235 grate temp (the Maverick was worth the buy) with about half oak/half hickory in the charcoal. I was aiming for 225 with +/- 20 on the alarm.

I had to fiddle the temperature ONCE - I consider myself lucky to guess the right setting, but WOW it beats doing indirect in the One-Touch. Even a lucky new guy (with some good reading from the site) can get a nice consistent temperature.

I cooked the ribs to 'meaty' rather than the extra 45 or 60 minutes to 'falling apart'. My wife isn't a rib fan, and she said they were the best ribs she had eaten, and when her parents come to town, I need to make them. (THEY like ribs)

Saturday was a 6 am wakeup for a brisket cook. Trimmed the packer and it went on for 11 or so hours. It got deemed 'done' at 196 degrees, and was 'held' in my oven (in foil) at 170 for about 2 hours. (Our guests were very late).

The brisket was also good, could have been better if I'd gotten up earlier and had it on the smoker for 14 hours and been able to see into the future and avoid the oven hold... but it was better than my previous attempts on the OTG so it was pretty darn good. I used a very basic rub this time but will get more daring now that I see how much less 'effort' the WSM needs on individual cooks.

I think next weekend calls for chicken after the pork and beef overload.

Congrats Zak, wait to the neighborhood finds out about your barbecue. You are now able to do barbecue better then 95% of the barbecue joints.

quote:

You are now able to do barbecue better then 95% of the barbecue joints.

Quite possibly 99% - but I'm just picking nits.

Good show Zak.

quote:

Originally posted by Zak Becker:
she said they were the best <insert anything cooked on the WSM> she had eaten

Be prepared to hear this a lot...

Good job! Next time, pictures or it didn't happen

Wow... I was so excited I forgot the photos!

I didn't snap a photo of the brisket - Ironic given that the ribs came off in the dark and the brisket was good to go at 6 PM...

But here they are!

(I'm going to claim 'inline photo challenged' and just put up the Picasa link)

BBQ Photos

Great looking slabs Zak!

I just had ribs last night, now I'm hungry for more!

Zak.
All I have to say is WOW!!

Tim