Game Day Ribs

Got 3 racks of baby backs from the new Sam's Club this morning.  Excited to have a Sam's so close as their meat is usually way better than grocery store options.  It was crazy busy with Husker fans prepping for season's first home game.

Grabbed a couple of new sauces at Sam's to try today.  Both by Fat Boy of Grafton, NE www.jbsfatboy.com

Cow Girl Sweet n' Hot has very sweet brown sugar start, but finished pretty hot.  Will try it as a finishing glaze on one of the racks.

Chipotle BBQ Sauce will be our basting sauce today.

Notes on today's smoke after the jump...

Prep Notes:

Don't forget to pull the membrane from the bone side of the racks - these pulled right off very easily.  Rubbed with Memphis Dust as we almost always do.  Sprayed down with olive oil before going to smoker.  Only marinated for 30 minutes this time.  

Smoker setup notes:  

Didn't use a deflector shield at all this time.  Might be tough to keep temp down.  We'll see.  Did use a water pan in fire box.  Able to get all meat on the smoker and keep it at least 6 inches from the fire box cut out.

Weather:  

Sunny.  90.

Cooking notes:

• 1:15p. Meat on.  Temp before meat or hickory is 250.  3 chunks of hickory to start.  
• 1:50p. Temp 225.  Added 3 more chunks of hickory.  Side vent nearly closed.  Top only 1/4 inch.
• 2:30p. Adding fresh load of hot charcoal.  Too much at once.  Had to leave lid open to keep under 300.  
• 2:45p. Out of curiosity, tried a digital thermometer (mounted through a potato) at grill level.  Temp 340!  But lid temp says only 250.  Need to rely much less on lid thermometer.  Freaked out a bit and dumped water on some of the coals.  This dropped the temp back dow pretty fast, but also sprayed a bit of ash up into the cooking chamber.  Rinsed ash off of edge of rack closest to fire box.  Looking good now.  Also added a second water pan (this one in the food chamber).
• 4:20p. Added just a few more hot coals.  
• 5:00p. Basted ribs with Chipotle BBQ Sauce, wrapped in foil with 1/3 cup beer.  This is called the Texas Crutch.
• 6:20p.  Basted half with Chipotle and half with Sweet n' Hot.  3 minutes each side on a hot gas grill.
• 6:30p.  Time to eat!

Final notes:

These were possibly the best ribs I've made.  I think the key was keeping the temp down.  I'd like to keep it even lower.  Will need to fabricate a new heat deflector for next time to help with heat control.