Low & Slow: Master the Art of Barbecue in 5 Easy Lessons (19 page)

WSM

 

WHEN THE LIT CHARCOAL
and wood are in place and ready for cooking, put the smallest rack of the three in the middle of the top grate, meat-side down, bone-side up. Place the remaining two racks on the outside of the grate with the larger chine bone facing out. (Always face the thickest, fattiest, or largest bone side of the meat—which is most resistant to temperature fluctuations—toward the outer edge of the WSM.) If the racks are too long for the grate, scrunch them, like an accordion, to fit. Place the oven thermometer on the grate. Set the lid on the cooker with the top vent facing the back side of the cooker, at about 1 o’clock from the door at 6 o’clock on the center ring.

Set the oven thermometer on the grate. Check the vents. The top vent and the bottom three vents should be completely open.

 

30 MINUTES INTO THE COOK

Close the two bottom vents on the front side of the cooker by one-third.

 

1 HOUR INTO THE COOK

Remove the lid and check the oven thermometer. Flip the ribs so that the racks are meat-side up, bone-side down. Check the level in the water pan and refill it if it is less than three-quarters full. For detailed instructions, see Refilling the WSM water pan (page 38).

 

2½ HOURS INTO THE COOK

Remove the lid and check the oven thermometer. Use the tongs to pick up one end of the smallest rack, holding the rack about four ribs in. If the rack bends and flexes a bit and looks as if it’s about to crack or break, it’s done. Remove this rack, but leave the other two racks on.

Vigorously shake the bottle of Tart Wash and spritz about 2 tablespoons over the racks left on the grate.

Check and refill the water pan. Close the lid. If the smallest rack isn’t ready? Chances are, the ribs will not be done at this point, but you should start checking the smallest rack for doneness at the 2½-hour mark. This part of the cook is highly subjective and it takes practice, because you’re really trying to figure out how you like your ribs. Meaty and chewy? Fall-off-the-bone tender? When in doubt, cut a rib off the rack and sample it for taste and texture. If it’s to your liking, it’s ready. If you think it’s too chewy, leave the ribs on the cooker and check them every 15 to 20 minutes until the ribs suit your style. It can take anywhere from 2½ to 3½ hours to cook a rack of baby back ribs, but barbecue will always fool you if you’re cooking by the clock. No two racks ever cook alike.

 

ABOUT 20 MINUTES LATER

If the smallest rack of ribs wasn’t done on the first check, open the lid and check the rack again. Remove this rack if it’s done, and leave the other two racks on the grate. If the smallest rack isn’t done, keep checking it every 10 or 15 minutes until it is. Spritz the racks with Tart Wash.

 

ABOUT 20 MINUTES AFTER YOU REMOVE THE FIRST RACK
Take the second rack of ribs off of the cooker. Spritz the last rack of ribs on the smoker with Tart Wash.

 

ABOUT 20 MINUTES AFTER YOU REMOVE THE SECOND RACK

Remove the last rack of ribs. Check the oven thermometer and close the lid.

THE SIREN SONG OF THE WATER PAN

 

NO MATTER HOW TEMPTING the water pan in the WSM might look after a cook—brimming with gravy made from rendered fat drippings—it is not usable. Anything you make with this meat juice soup will taste like liquefied ashtray.

 

OFFSET

 

WHEN THE LIT CHARCOAL and wood are in place and ready for cooking, open the lid and place the largest-rack vertically on the cooking grate, about one-third of the way away from the firebox, bone-side up with the chine bone facing the firebox. (Always face the thickest, fattiest, or largest bone side of the meat—which is most resistant to temperature fluctuations—toward the firebox on the offset.) Repeat with the remaining two racks, working away from the first rack and the firebox. If the racks are too long for the grate, scrunch them, like an accordion, to fit.

Set the oven thermometer in the middle of the cooking grate. Close the cooker.

Check the vents. The top and side vents should be fully open.

 

 

30 MINUTES INTO THE COOK

Close the side firebox vent by one-third.

 

1 HOUR INTO THE COOK

Fill the chimney starter with charcoal and light it. While the charcoal is engaging, open the cooker and check the oven thermometer. Check the water pan. If it is less than three-quarters full, add more water. Use the tongs to flip the racks, meat-side up, and rotate the ribs so that the rack that was closest to the firebox moves to the spot farthest away. Close the cooker. When the charcoal is fully engaged, open the lid of the firebox and pour in the freshly lit charcoal. Add a split of wood to the charcoal. Keep the firebox open until the charcoal and wood stop billowing smoke (about 10 minutes); then close it.

 

2 HOURS INTO THE COOK

Fill the chimney starter with charcoal and light it. While the charcoal is engaging, open the cooker and check the oven thermometer. Check and refill the water pan if it is less than three-quarters full. Use the tongs to rotate the ribs again. Vigorously shake the bottle of Tart Wash and spritz about 2 tablespoons over each rack of ribs.

Close the cooker.

When the charcoal is fully engaged, open the firebox and pour in the freshly lit charcoal. Keep the firebox open until the charcoal and wood stop billowing smoke (about 10 minutes); then close it.

2½ HOURS INTO THE COOK

Open the lid and check the oven thermometer. Pick up one end of the smallest rack with the tongs, holding the rack about four ribs in. If the rack bends and flexes a bit and looks as if it’s about to crack or break, it’s done. Take this rack out of the cooker, but leave the other two racks on. Spritz the ribs on the grate with Tart Wash. Check and refill the water pan, as needed.

Chances are, the ribs will not be ready at this point, but you should start checking the racks for doneness at the 2½ -hour mark on an offset. This part of the cook is highly subjective and it takes practice, because you’re really trying to figure out how you like your ribs. Meaty and chewy? Fall-off-the-bone tender? When in doubt, cut a rib off of the rack and sample it for taste and texture. If it’s to your liking, it’s ready. If you think it’s too chewy, check the ribs every 15 or 20 minutes until the ribs suit your style. It can take anywhere from 2½ to 3½ hours to cook a rack of baby back ribs on an offset, but barbecue will always fool you if you’re cooking by the clock. No two racks ever cook alike.

 

ABOUT 20 MINUTES LATER

 

If the smallest rack of ribs wasn’t done on the first check, open the lid and check the rack again. Remove this rack if it’s done, and rotate the two racks on the grate. If the smallest rack is not done, keep checking it every 10 or 15 minutes until it is ready to take off. Spritz the remaining racks with Tart Wash. Restock the water pan and charcoal as needed.

 

ABOUT 20 MINUTES AFTER YOU REMOVE THE FIRST RACK

Take the second rack of ribs off the cooker.

Spritz the last rack of ribs on the cooker with Tart Wash.

 

ABOUT 20 MINUTES AFTER YOU REMOVE THE SECOND RACK

Open the lid and remove the last rack of ribs.

Check the oven thermometer. Close the lid and open all vents on the cooker.

KETTLE

 

WHEN THE LIT CHARCOAL
and wood are in place and ready for cooking, place the rack of ribs on the grate across from the water pan, bone-side up with the larger chine bone facing the fire. (Always face the thickest, fattiest, or largest bone side of the meat—which is most resistant to temperature fluctuations—toward the center of the grate and pile of live charcoal on the kettle.) If the rack is too long for the grate, scrunch it, like an accordion, to fit.

Place the oven thermometer next to the rack on the cooking grate. Set the lid on the cooker with the top vent positioned over the ribs.

Check the vents. The top and bottom vents should be completely open.

 

20 MINUTES INTO THE COOK

Close the bottom vent by one-third.

 

30 MINUTES INTO THE COOK

Remove the lid and check the oven thermometer. Slide the water pan to the side and flip open the grate over the charcoal. Add one wood chunk to the pile of lit charcoal. Close the grate and slide the water pan back over the charcoal.

Flip the rack over, meat-side up, but keep the chine bone facing the fire.

Check the water pan. If it is less than three-quarters full, add more water. When the wood chunk stops billowing smoke (about 5 minutes), put the lid back on the cooker.

 

1 HOUR INTO THE COOK

Fill the chimney starter one-third full with charcoal. Open the lid and check the oven thermometer. Move the water pan, flip the top grate open, and pour in the unlit charcoal. Use the tongs to maintain the banked pile. Add one wood chunk to the charcoal. Close the grate.

Check the water pan and refill if it is less than three-quarters full.

Vigorously shake the bottle of Tart Wash. Spritz about 2 tablespoons over the rack of ribs.

When the charcoal and fresh wood chunk stop billowing smoke (about 5 minutes), put the lid back on the cooker.

 

1½ HOURS INTO THE COOK

Remove the lid and check the oven thermometer. Pick up one end of the rack with the tongs, holding the rack about four ribs in. If the rack bends and flexes a bit and looks as if it’s about to crack or break, it’s done. If the rack is not pliable, return the rack to the grate and close the cooker.

The rack may not be ready at this point, but you should start checking baby backs for doneness at the 1½-hour mark on a kettle. This part of the cook is highly subjective and it takes practice, because you’re really trying to figure out how you like your ribs. Meaty and chewy? Fall-off-the-bone tender? When in doubt, cut a rib off the rack and sample it for taste and texture. If it’s to your liking, it’s ready. If you think it’s too chewy, check the ribs every 10 minutes until the ribs suit your style. It can take up to 2 hours to cook a rack of baby back ribs on a kettle, but barbecue will always fool you if you’re cooking by the clock. No two racks ever cook alike.

If the ribs are not done, spritz the rack with Tart Wash and continue cooking. Keep an eye on the water pan and charcoal level and replenish as needed.

When the ribs are done, check the oven thermometer, close the lid, and open all the vents.