Is The Juice Worth The Squeeze: Honeymoom Mid Week

     So halfway through our Honeymoon we made some ribs! Now I have smoked Ribs a few times and each time I learn something! The Ribs I made over the honeymoon did come out very nice, a bit well done but still the flavor was amazing and they did have a great smoky taste! I use the 3,2,1 style with a twist. This means they cook for 3 hrs., then you adjust them and cook again for 2, then one more. 5 hour rips are very popular and the 3 hour ones as well. I do a 3 hour just smoking them, then 1.5 wrapped up, then the last half hour with a glaze. They were on for about 6 hours or so but with the heat being low it didn't burn or ruin the ribs at all.

     So what I do to start is take two racks and clean them up a bit. Trim them up to look nice, I keep the back membrane on but will try it again with out. I find it is hard to remove and I'm not going to strain or cut my self over Ribs. I put them on a cutting board and coat them in an all spice just to start them off. After I put plane mustard on them to coat each side. This is good to just act as a bonding agent. You don't taste the mustard it just helps with the rub. Once the mustard is on I put on the Rib Rub! A mixture of seasonings to make the meat cook and taste great. Once covered both sides I cut them in half and bring them out to an already hot smoker. I put them on the Rib racks I have and close the lid. The Rib racks keep the rips up off the grill preventing them from burning, the heat travels evenly and cooks the Ribs all at a good pace.

     This year however the upper shelf was in the way so we had to remove it! I don't really use it anyway but it took time removing it and we lost heat which wasn't good. So we got the Ribs cooking and the heat up to about 210. I try for about 235 but 200-230 degrees is a good pace.  Then we just settle in and watch the heat.  Every 45 minutes we spray them with a mixture of juices, oil and other mixtures to keep the ribs from drying out. Gives them a nice flavor as well but you don't want to let your Ribs get dry, remember they are sitting for over 3 hours in the smoker.  Also remember I am cooking over indirect heat so my smoker box is to the right of the ribs. The ribs are over nothing, all the heat and smoke travels into the cooker via the smoker box this is why its so hard to keep the heat up.

     Every once and a while I would throw some wet hickory wood chips on the coals to give some smoke to the ribs. After 3 hours is up we pull them and take them to the side to prep them again. This time we place each section on tin foil, then put brown sugar, butter and honey on each side and wrap them up tight. We cook them right on the grill meat side down for about an hour and a half. This gives that nice flavor and keeps them tender.  We continue to watch the heat but after this we take them off and notice a nice color to them, also you can move the ribs and tear them off the bone they are so tender. We just do a small test but don't actually remove the ribs from the bone.  We put a nice coat of BBQ Sauce on the ribs then places them meat side up for one more half hour.

     As we were waiting Kayla cut up some potato's and onions, she seasoned them and put them in a pan were I cooked them on the gas side of the grill. We also cooked up some veggies in the stove and had one heck of a meal almost done! Finally when everything was set we pulled everything off and sat down to eat. Connor Kayla's brother helped me the whole way! Quinn was so excited because I told her I would cook her ribs because all the other times she wasn't with us. So we sat down and tired them all. I did a honey BBQ and a Maple brown sugar set. They both really came out nice like I said just a touch well done but the meat was still amazing.  We had some trouble with the heat along the way but it can be difficult being its indirect heat you are cooking with.

     Well we have to clean the grill up and then wait for our next time around. I am excited to try them again, it just does take a lot of your time up per how much time you need to cook. If you have a smoker give this a shot! Let me know of any tips or questions you have!

I hope you enjoy the pics!