Low & Slow: Master the Art of Barbecue in 5 Easy Lessons (24 page)

OFFSET

 

WHEN THE LIT CHARCOAL
and wood are in place and ready for cooking, open the lid and place the first rack vertically on the cooking grate, about one-third of the way away from firebox, bone-side up. Face the angled “tip” side of the rack away from the firebox. Repeat with the remaining rack. If the racks are too long for the grate, scrunch them, like an accordion, to fit. Or roll the narrow end of the rack under.

Set the oven thermometer on the grate between the two racks and close the cooker.

Check the vents. The top vent and side firebox vent 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. When the charcoal is fully engaged, open the lid of the firebox and pour in the fresh 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.

While you’re waiting for the charcoal to engage, open the cooker and check the oven thermometer and the water pan. If it is less than three-quarters full, refill it. Use the tongs to flip the racks, meat-side up, and swap the placement of the ribs on the grate.

Close the cooker.

 

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. Refill the water pan. Use the tongs to flip the racks, bone-side up, and swap the placement of the ribs on the grate. Close the cooker.

When the charcoal is fully engaged, open the firebox and pour in the fresh charcoal. Add a split of wood to the charcoal. Keep the firebox open until the charcoal and wood stop billowing smoke (about 1 0minutes), then close it.

 

2½ HOURS INTO THE COOK

Check the oven thermometer. Check and refill the water pan if it is less than three-quarters full. Use the tongs to flip the racks, meat-side up, and swap the placement of the ribs on the grate.

Spritz the ribs with about 2 tablespoons of Tart Wash.

Close the cooker.

 

3 HOURS INTO THE COOK

Fill the chimney starter with charcoal and light it. When the charcoal is fully engaged, open the lid of the firebox and pour in the fresh 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.

Open the cooker. Refill the water pan. Use the tongs to flip the racks, bone-side up, and swap the placement of the ribs on the grate.

 

4 HOURS INTO THE COOK

Check the water pan and charcoal level. Restock as needed.

Spritz the racks with Tart Wash.

Use the tongs to check the ribs for doneness, holding the ribs one-third of the way into the rack to see if the rack flexes and cracks, as instructed for Lesson #3.

The ribs will not be ready at this point, but doing the flex test here will illustrate the look and feel of the ribs at an early stage, for comparison with the later stages in the cook.

Use the tongs to flip the racks, meat-side up, and swap the placement of the ribs on the grate.

 

4½ HOURS INTO THE COOK

Check the water pan and charcoal level. Restock as needed.

Check the ribs for doneness again. Chances are, the ribs will not be ready at this point, either. This check provides another reference point to gauge the changing appearance and texture of the ribs.

Spritz the ribs with Tart Wash. Use the tongs to swap the placement of the ribs on the grate. (The racks should stay meat-side up for the remainder of the cook.)

 

5 HOURS INTO THE COOK

Check the ribs. The racks should be approaching the point where the meat around the ribs is starting to crack and break apart when you do the flex test with the tongs.

If the ribs are not done, leave the racks on the cooker, meat-side up, and spritz with Tart Wash again. Use the tongs to swap the placement of the ribs on the grate.

Check the ribs every 20 to 30 minutes until one rack is done. Restock the charcoal and water pan as needed. If the ribs are done, remove one rack from the cooker. Spritz the other rack with Tart Wash and leave it on the cooker for an additional 30 to 45 minutes for comparison.

It can take anywhere from 4 to 6 hours to cook a big, meaty rack of spare ribs. You cannot go by the clock on this cook. You must use your barbecue instincts.

KETTLE

 

WHEN THE LIT CHARCOAL
and wood are in place and ready for cooking, place the rack of spare ribs on the grate across from the water pan, bone-side up. Place the side of the rack with the angled “tip” section facing the water pan and charcoal. If the rack is too long for the grate, scrunch it, like an accordion, to fit. Or, roll the narrow end of the rack under.

Set the oven thermometer next to the rack on the cooking grate. Close the cooker.

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

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. Flip the rack over, meat-side up, but keep the angled “tip” side 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 and light it. When the charcoal stops billowing smoke and is ready for the cooker, open the lid, move the water pan, and flip the top grate open with the tongs. Pour in the lit charcoal and use the tongs to maintain the banked pile. Add one wood chunk to the pile. Close the grate. Check and refill the water pan as necessary.

Flip the rack over, bone-side up, with the angled “tip” side facing the fire.

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

Check the oven thermometer. Check the water pan and charcoal levels. If the water pan is less than three-quarters full, refill it. If the charcoal is low but still burning red and hot, add five medium pieces of unlit charcoal to the pile. If most of the charcoal has burned through, you may need to restock the pile with a half-chimney of lit charcoal.

Flip the rack over, meat-side up. If the tip side, which has been facing the fire throughout the cook so far, is beginning to look dry or charred, rotate the rack so the tip faces out, away from the fire. Spritz the ribs with about 2 tablespoons of Tart Wash.

When the fresh charcoal engages and stops billowing smoke (about 5 minutes), close the cooker.

 

2 HOURS INTO THE COOK

Check the oven thermometer.

Use the tongs to check the ribs for doneness, holding the ribs one-third of the way into the rack to see if the rack flexes and cracks, as instructed for Lesson #3.

A kettle grill cooks hotter and faster than traditional smokers, and the ribs may or may not be done. Checking for doneness at this point also illustrates the look and feel of the ribs at an early stage, for comparison with the later stages in the cook.

Refill the water pan. Spritz the ribs with Tart Wash.

 

2½ HOURS INTO THE COOK

Check the ribs. The rack may be approaching the point where the meat around the ribs is starting to crack and break apart when you do the flex test with the tongs. If the ribs aren’t done, leave the rack on the cooker, meat-side up, and spritz with Tart Wash again. Check the water pan and charcoal and restock as needed.

Check the ribs every 15 to 20 minutes until the rack is done. Spritz the ribs with Tart Wash and restock the water pan and charcoal as needed.

It can take up to 3 or 4 hours to cook a big, meaty rack of spare ribs on a kettle. You cannot go by the clock on this cook. You must use your barbecue instincts.