First Ribs and Maverick

[Deano]

Having received my Maverick 732 (and Bear Paws) from the US last week via Ebay I thought I'd give ribs a go. Not wanting to spend much on my first attempts I thought I'd just try cheap ones. £19.50 at Meatmasters in Oxford got me 10Kg - 8 slabs of Spare Ribs, all the way from Hungary.



I removed the Membrane and rubbed a couple up (1 x Cajun and 1 x Memphis)



I opted for a 2-1-1 method as I had no idea what size the were in relation to anything, but assumed they were small compared to ones used for 3-2-1, this was based on absolutely nothing

I put them on the grill (OTP) along with a handful of Hickory, after half an hour of trying to get the temp to stabilize at 225f it all went well and I took them off after 2 hours to foil with sugar and apple juice



One hour later unfoiled



Then with a quarter of an hour to go I applied Honey BBQ sauce to one



Then after resting time to cut and eat





immediately after firstbite I knew they should have been on longer, the meat didn't pull away from the bone, although it was cooked and tasted fairly good. (Although next day there was a hint of a creosote taste, which may have been down to the cheap Aldi briquettes I tried).

Next time I'll go for 3-2-1 with lumpwood. I think I may try and trim them St Louis style too. Although with the "brisket" off cut do you cook direct and take them off earlier or just cook them indirect with the ribs?

The Maverick was great though, it did loose connection twice but walking to the back room reconnected it ok.

[Artust]

All sounds good chap but not sure if it is just me but I can't see any of the pics you posted. Just coming up as black crosses.

[Deano]

Hopefully I've managed to share the pictures correctly now!!

[TakingtheBrisket]

Hopefully I've managed to share the pictures correctly now!!

Just the 2nd and 5th pics are showing the rest of broken links

[zzubnik]

I can see all the pictures this morning. Thanks for sharing, I've not been brave enough to try ribs yet, but I think you've given me the motivation to give it a go.

[Deano]

Trying two more today as we need space in the freezer! I'm hoping for an improvement!
I've trimmed the "Brisket" off, although not sure it's quite right!





I'm going to cook the Brisket indirect, I assume this is right?

[Artust]

Yep. All pics showing now and they look good.

[Deano]

So first three hours done, although a bit of a faff for the 1st hour getting up to 225f. Probably not helped by the foil packets of wood chips completely covering the coals, so I took them out and just added on top of the coals. After the hour got it to 225f where it stayed (according to the Maverick!!)

Took the rib brisket off at three hours, gone already!!



Don't think the smoke ring is as deep as the first ribs I did though.

[Deano]

Final stretch, now unfoiled and back on for the last hour. Already I can see these being better than the last ones, the meat has really pulled back from the rib bones, this wasn't as much on the last ones.

[Deano]

Covered in Sweet Bay Rays Honey BBQ Sauce for final 15 minutes (We all prefer sauce to dry)



Much, much better this time, meat came away beautifully from the bone. It will be interesting to compare to a more expensive rack of ribs rather than the el cheapo £1.95 a kilo ones!!

Exhibit A


If I was being picky, they could have been a bit smokier, but I think thefoils packets at the beginning was the issue there, and they could have been a touch juicier, I think this may have been down to the foiling stage as the foil wasn't too wide and apple juice came out when I put them on their side on the grill (I'll buy some wider foil for next time). But very,very happy with the result and will try one simpler rub and a different rub next time, as well as my own BBQ sauce (One of the Sweet Baby Ray clone recipes posted on here or a Bourbon one)

The Maverick was super too, it will probably be even better for pork shoulders etc. Which remind me, I've now made space in the freezer for a pork shoulder!! Then I can try the Bear Paws that came with the Maverick!! Pulled Pork next it is then!