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Smoker cookers

Cooking ribs with a smoker requires a lot of moisture. Remember, you are cooking ribs, not beef jerky.

If you are using a CharBroil® or Brinkmann® smoker you probably know that you should fill the metal bowl with water before starting. If you are using a home built smoker, the fill a large cake pan or metal bowl with water and put it between the heat and the meat. The larger the better because, besides adding moisture, the water bowl helps deflect the heat. You can’t use too much water and you don’t want it to dry up because your ribs will.

Place the ribs into you smoker and don’t wrap them in aluminum foil (The things some people do). If you have to stack them, do it cross ways and flip the layers. You need to let the smoke get all around the ribs.

Your source of smoke is important for smoking ribs. It needs to be constant and not too heavy. I recommend the Smoke Pistol tm but if you use one, turn it down to very low unless you have a very large smoker. If you are wood chips, it’s better to use small ones and soak them in water so they don’t burn up too fast.

Cook the ribs for about three hours (longer if stacked) at about 225 degrees. If your smoker does not have a thermometer, you can use a meat or BBQ thermometer. Make sure the smoke is constant and not too heavy and you have the best barbeque ribs in town. If you like BBQ sauce, thin it with a little water and start painting it on during the last hour of cooking, once every 15 minutes. I use Sweet Baby Rays hot barbecue sauce. You can find it in many grocery stores.

Don’t worry too much about overcooking. If you over cook the meat will just fall off the bone and everyone will think it’s great.

The main thing is, don’t let things get too hot and make sure there is water in the metal bowl during the entire cook time. Follow these words and great ribs are a no brainer.