Many of you know what I tend to do to relieve stress
(Hint: I don’t always write, but this
also provides tons of quiet time) and it benefits everyone hours later. I get
to plan ahead, work out some creative ideas for the blog and make blueprints
for the patio or whatever I am working on, and otherwise pound multiple cans of
Miller Lite or this week's favorite cold craft beer in the backyard.
Cash Runs Everything Around Me. Seriously, this C.R.E.A.M. coffee ale is bomb - even at 4:30 am. #beernerd pic.twitter.com/BbFOGbyNcG— A. Cedric Armstrong (@cedteaches) March 24, 2016
What is my stress reliever?
Barbecue.
I did not say grilling, I said barbecue. There is a
significant difference in the two actions.
Grilling is cooking meat over a direct fire in a
short amount of time. Barbecuing is cooking meat over an indirect fire at a
longer pace, hence the saying “low and slow”.
Even at this juncture in the post, I am dreaming
about smoking a beef brisket, two Boston butts, a few St. Louis spareribs, and
some leg quarters. I admit that my bone-in chicken game is pretty weak compared
to the ribs, yet it is the final frontier before I can even consider myself as
a decent pit master. I chalk that up to not practicing enough with the backyard
pimp, as my in-laws have lovingly called chicken; who wants to be the guy who
spends all night on the smoker only to come away with undercooked chicken and
banned from the family cookout? Not this guy. We don’t want it to look like I
paid for the toys and the beer only to present some weak grub that will not be
easily forgiven or forgotten.
Which is why, in 2016, I will make barbecue
great again!
Am I giving away my secrets? You’d better talk to my
wife or read from some other blogger because I’m not talking. However, I am a
huge proponent of Applewood chunks when I smoke pork. Everything else, you’d
have to be there to see greatness in action.
What are my weapons of mass inclusion?
They are the following: My grill, smoker, a lawn chair, beer, plenty
of wood and charcoal to keep the fire stoked, a thermometer for the meats, and
time. Depending on the cut of meat, time could be as short as three hours (ham,
turkey) or almost sixteen hours (brisket). The grill pictured below sees quick
food such as hamburgers, steaks, salmon, and kabobs; the kind men and women at
Little Rock’s own PK Grills suggest that smoking meat for a long time is
equally effective for a great cook. I’d rather be able to pass the kids hot
dogs and cheeseburgers from the PK than losing that good smoke and steady
temperature due to opening and closing the cooker.
Say hello to my little friend @pkgrills #shoplocal pic.twitter.com/n6Kv6g6237
— A. Cedric Armstrong (@cedteaches) March 15, 2016
For smaller smokes, I have a vertical smoker. You
don’t have to break the bank for a brand name, and with my green Master Forge vertical,
you also need a place in the yard where a burned hole in the midst of green
grass is not a cause for consternation. That means Brinkman and Weber are okay
for one or two turkey breasts or a more compact meat such as ham. I’ve done
ribs on mine but without trimming the edges, I have had some issues with
fitment. It doesn’t mean the cook will be less successful just there are some
challenges that come with it.
 |
| Master Forge vertical smoker |
At the present, I haven’t put the new offset smoker
through its paces or learned how it cooks due to the rain and other time
constraints, but you’ll find out by Memorial Day what the Oklahoma Joe is
capable of.
 |
| Daddy's new toy |
Should I pass on a secret? Sure, I guess.
DADDY'S RIBS
1
rack of St. Louis spareribs
Secret
spices
Apple
cider vinegar (apple juice is OK)
·
Stretch out the ribs and apply the
secret spices. I don’t trim the membrane on my ribs, but feel free if that is
your thing.
·
Place said ribs in the refrigerator
overnight to marinate in its own seasonings. If you don’t have all night, then
do it at least one hour before they hit the smoker.
·
Light the smoker. I use charcoal and
Applewood, so get the temperature up to 250 degrees and the water pan full of
tap or spring water. If you use gas or an electric smoker, still get the
temperature to 250. (Since I’m not versed in either technology, I prefer to
stick to what I know but to each his own. I’ve tried apple juice, but for my
cooks, it isn’t always cost-effective; part of barbecuing is using the
resources made available without giving away the farm chasing one or two
special items. Besides, apple juice is for breakfast.
·
After the smoker reaches temperature and
charcoals are white-hot from the ash, lay the ribs on the smoker. I know people
who go directly over the flame and finish in ninety minutes, but I tend to go
low and slow. At the end of the first hour, I turn over the ribs for an even
cook on the other side and continue smoking. Don’t forget to spritz the ribs
with the apple cider at each turn.
·
Depending on the time and how the ribs
have progressed, I do take them off the smoker briefly to wrap them in aluminum
foil, apply another spritz of apple cider, and return to the smoker for another
two hours. At this point, I don’t have to do much more than manage heat and add
water to the pan if needed.
·
After 4 to 4 ½ hours, check the ribs for
temperature. If they are at least 185-190 degrees, give yourself an “Atta boy”
and remove them from the smoker to rest for another 30 minutes before slicing.
If your ribs fall off the bone, then they are overcooked. Maybe next time…
·
During the rest period, I usually sauce
the ribs not to cover up what I accomplished earlier, only to accentuate the
meat.
·
After the meat is sliced, share and
enjoy!
Where there is smoke, there is fire – and in my
backyard, a lot of meat lay in its final destination before it ends up on
plates and in stomachs. Barbecue for me is a relatively cheap and tasty stress
reliever and one that I can pick up tips from my brethren and YouTube without
worrying about being a burden to them. Almost everything tastes better with a
little smoke, even dessert; nothing says naptime is coming like a grilled
banana sundae and brownie.
