Charcoal grill/smoker recommendations?

That it was.
Don't know if it was the periodic spritzing with juice, or more likely the shorter smoking time (~225 for only 4 hours vs. 5-6 in the past) but these were the best ribs yet. Great bark, juicy meat, pure hickory flavor, perfect bite off the bone but still with a firm texture.
Could have laid a few more tasty sausages on top, and also rotated the front and back rack 1/2 way through since the back got more heat but overall a huge success.
Even have 2/3 rack left (and beans, slaw, pasta salad, some belly, and ~1/4 gallon of Kopp's lemon meringue pie frozen custard) leftover for the week.

Super cool to hang with the neighbors, one of which is friends with the previous owners of our house so they came also. Most are ex cops and firemen, great stories! The last of them just stumbled home... so I'm hitting the sack with a very full belly after a quick shower so the bed doesn't smell like a smokey rack of ribs slept there. cheers!
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Nice. I almost added some five spice to the belly's rub this morning, next time will do so.

Vanilla extract is interesting. Did you notice it, or did it blend in with all the other flavors?
Serious looking bark/crust, I would have thought that came from saucing at some point.
I'm soooo full right now.... but would gladly eat one of those if it was in front of me!

 

Good stuff Jason. I've never marinaded ribs before but may have to give it a try with some vanilla on some belly next time.

Thanks for the tip Darth. Pork fat does make just about everything better

BTW - Shannon if you're reading this, how's the restaurant doing? BBQ pit up and running?

Had a big plate of leftovers last night and looking forward to at least 3 more meals this week. So damn good...

 

Mark those ribs look scrumdiddlyumtious.

Last day of the parent's week long visit and my dad wanted ribs so fired up the Smoke Hollow around noon.
Rubbed the ribs with brown sugar, paprika, white pepper, garlic and onion powder, cumin, kosher salt and a bit of Vulcan (habenero) salt.
Trying a whole chicken for the first time as well. Had a couple cans of Miller Light languishing in the fridge from our last party so bought a beer-can support for $5 from Home Depot. We'll see how it works out. The skin is browning up nicely, will put some foil over it in a bit so it doesn't get too dark.
Also threw 3 big uncooked Polish sausages on since they turned out so great last time.
Piling the coals near the smoke-box entrance really helps to keep the temps up. It's only ~80F outside today but both thermos are reading 220-240F with 3/4 of a chimney full of coals and a few chunks of hickory.
Not that they were dry at all in the past, but trying for a moister cooking environment this time. Put a pan of water under the meat, and spritzing the ribs sown with apple juice every 30 minutes or so.
The taster we just sampled 2.5 hours in had awesome flavor, so another 2ish hours then will sauce and foil.
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Ribs were fantastic. 4.5 hours at 225ish, then brushed with KC Masterpiece (warmed up in the micro with a couple tbls of melted butter) then wrapped in foil and let rest for an hour on top of the smoker while the chicken (covered with foil for the last 1.5 hours reached) 165F internal.
Not much of the beer can evaporated, but the chicken was extremely moist and smoky. Very solid smoked chicken.
Also grilled some big gulf shrimp with lime/garlic/tequila marinade, sauteed spinach with home-smoked bacon, rosemary roasted potatoes and garden tomatoes. Desert of homemade shortcake, fresh strawberries and cool whip.
A couple neighbors from across the way followed their nose over so we ended up with 6 for dinner.
Not a scrap left! Should have done 2 racks...
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Thanks! I was shocked at how the skin went from toasty brown to a perfect mahogany after the final 1hr under foil in the smoker. It was chewy as expected, but did it's job of keeping in the moisture. All I did to prep it was rub it down (entire outside and cavity, and under the skin) with a hearty "Cowboy Rub" someone gave us. No oil, butter, veggies or anything else.
It'll probably take 8+ hours and I'll need to use a lower rack so the top closes, but I'm tempted to do the thanksgiving turkey this way. Smoked poultry is right up there with smoked salmon in my book.

Are Mark and I the only ones smoking these days?!? Let's see what you've got!

 

Yum. Awesome crust!
Where do you buy (or how to make?) fig vinegar? Sounds interesting.

That's cool - I'm surprised they let you fire up a grill at the beach in CA!

effin A! Glistening pork fat looks great
What kind of sausages are those?
Do you prefer baby backs to spare ribs? I haven't done BB in a while, I suspect the higher fat content of spares make them a bit more forgiving in cooking time?

Yesterday while blasting from Columbus OH to Lansing MI I ran a search in the sat-nav for Waffle House, something I always do when driving through WH-friendly states. My Garmin is two years old so of course after I go 15 minutes off course to get to the supposed nearest on on my route discover there's a new strip mall there and no WH
F. Turn back on a northwards course and run a full "food" search to see what besides the standard fast food fare is around, and see a "Dicky's BBQ" pop up just 10 miles away, right off the highway in Delaware OH. Ok let's try...
Well, even though it was in a newish strip mall the "Since 1941!" sign gives me hope, as does the rich smell of hickory assaulting my nose right out of the car.
Young guy manning the smokers recommends the pulled pork and chopped beef brisket plate. Said they put the brisket on at 9PM each night for 12 hours, then wrap in plastic wrap and keep warm all day. Forgot to ask him at what time they smoke.
Pork was good if a little bland, but man the brisket was REALLY good. Excellent sauces as well (esp the "hot and spicy" with flecks of crushed red pepper). Melt in your mought green beans with bacon and jalepeno bean sides.
Don't know I'll ever be motivated enough to put in the time and fuel into smoking beef brisket at home, may just leave it to the "pros" and stick to quicker cuts.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

The smoke hollow needs refueling every 1.5-2 hours, and I'm not crazy about brisket enough to put in the time&fuel. If I need a smoked beef fix then beef ribs do the trick.

Had a couple hours to kill last night in Muskegon before the 11PM high-speed ferry left so turned to the Garmin for dinner suggestions. Up popped "Mr. T's BBQ" just a few miles away so gave it a go.
Tough to choose from all the great sounding items (perch, smelts, pig's feet oh my!), but on the ladies' suggestion picked a plate of REALLY good rib tips with black eyed peas and two slices of white bread. The little bones were so soft I munched up a couple. Super gelatinous, fatty mouth-feel to the surrounding meat. Also had an excellent sweet, tangy BBQ sauce. Brought home 1/2, plus an order of beef brisket and mac&cheese for the wife.
I love these BBQ joints in sketchy areas of town, like Speed Queen or Ashley's in Milwaukee. Bars on the windows are a good sign IMO
Next time I'm there maybe will have the courage to try the chitterlings or turkey knuckles.
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Thought those looked reddish like Linguica. I bet they were great smoked, I love the taste of smoked paprika. Have to get me some of these... soon.

ah the ol "Texas Crutch"!
Had to look that up BTW

My ribs always have a firm-ish bite as well, but other than maybe one rack over the past 20 or so also a nice clean one away from the bone. Don't know how the restaurants get ribs to basically fall off the bone, some kind of braising or steaming?

Wife and I reheated and gobbled down the rest of Mr. T's rib tips and brisket last night. Brisket reminded us of barbacoa we get from a local Mexican supermarket: juicy, fatty, rich and yummy.