Ribs first time in the big joe

[Eborgp 13]

I have a simple question that I am sure will have many correct answers. What temp and time frame is the best to smoke St. Louis ribs on the big joe. My current plan is to dry rub,, smoke with Apple at 225-250, and coat with sauce. The main question I have is about how long should this take? Also when should apply the sauce? I just need an approximate time frame. While I am at it where should the heat deflector be? IS it necessary to have a drip pan with liquid? I would like to stay away from the 3-2-1 method, I used to this with a Bradley I would borrow.

I know a lot of questions again.

[tinyfish 3,586]

Heat deflector below then drip pan with no liquid needed maybe just foil for easy clean up. You are right on for temp for low and slow as for time ballpark 5-6 hours with bbq sauce last hour.

I myself like 3-2-1 because I like my ribs falling off the bone tender. If you like some bite leave out the foiling.

You could do turbo ribs, higher temps shorter time with great results also.

Have fun make notes for this cook that way next time you can duplicate or change up if needed.

[Big John Lehman 649]

[Eborgp 13]

What do most people use for a drop pan the covers the area of a big joe? I'm planning on smoking 3-4 racks.

[freddyjbbq 6,896]

At that temp should take around 4-5 hours, who knows. Throw them on, have a couple of drinks and when a toothpick probes through like your probing a warm stick of butter, they're done. Enjoy the journey!

[Big John Lehman 649]

Why avoid the 3-2-1 method? I have done them @ 250 it also takes several (5-7) hours depending on the size and thickness of the meat. Just kind of until they are done.  I don't put the sauce on until the very end. But I REALLY like the glaze you can make out of the liquid you get in the 3-2-1 method. Just my opinion. 

[rwalters 5,245]

I cook ribs quite often on my KJ bigJOE.  I usually do baby backs (my preference), but have done plenty of St. Louis, which tend to take about 1 extra hour.

 

Everyone has their preferred method... and for the most part, they all turn out really good.

 

My favorite way to cook ribs on a kamado is going really low-n-slow.  I prefer 210-225 degrees, which is lower than most guys go. 

 

I simply light bigJOE in 2 places, let it come up to desired temp and stabilize.  I then place 1 chunk of wood on each little fire.  Put the heat deflectors in place, and let the wood start to smoke for about 10-15 minutes.  I then place the ribs on and don't peak again for 3 hours.  At that point, I'll open the lid and lightly brush with a bit of melted butter, and perhaps a spritz of apple juice.  I then close the lid and let them go for another hour.  Check again, and will typically let them go for 30 more minutes til almost done.  At that point i will glaze them and let them go for about 30 more minutes til sticky and shiny.  Perfect every time.

 

I'll be doing 6 racks tomorrow using this method, and I am positive that those coming over for lunch will go CRAZY!!  :-)

 

So to answer your question.  In my experience, baby backs take about 5 hours, and St. Louis take about 6 when running your KJ at 210-225.  If running at 250, I'd think 30-45 mins less.

 

Here's what I typically pull out of Joe...

[rwalters 5,245]

As far as a drip pan... I don't use one.  Being that I crank the temp up to 600-650 for 10-15 minutes after every messy cook, I really don't care as everything just burns off anyway.

 

With that said, if I do want to protect my deflectors for some reason, I simply wrap them with heavy duty aluminum foil, and then toss when done.

[freddyjbbq 6,896]

I cook ribs quite often on my KJ bigJOE.  I usually do baby backs (my preference), but have done plenty of St. Louis, which tend to take about 1 extra hour.

 

Everyone has their preferred method... and for the most part, they all turn out really good.

 

My favorite way to cook ribs on a kamado is going really low-n-slow.  I prefer 210-225 degrees, which is lower than most guys go. 

 

I simply light bigJOE in 2 places, let it come up to desired temp and stabilize.  I then place 1 chunk of wood on each little fire.  Put the heat deflectors in place, and let the wood start to smoke for about 10-15 minutes.  I then place the ribs on and don't peak again for 3 hours.  At that point, I'll open the lid and lightly brush with a bit of melted butter, and perhaps a spritz of apple juice.  I then close the lid and let them go for another hour.  Check again, and will typically let them go for 30 more minutes til almost done.  At that point i will glaze them and let them go for about 30 more minutes til sticky and shiny.  Perfect every time.

 

I'll be doing 6 racks tomorrow using this method, and I am positive that those coming over for lunch will go CRAZY!!  :-)

 

So to answer your question.  In my experience, baby back take about 5 hours, and St. Louis take about 6 when running your KJ at 210-225.  If running at 250, I'd think 30-45 mins less.

 

Here's what I typically pull out of Joe...

These are ribs worthy of winning a Classic right here

[rwalters 5,245]

 

I cook ribs quite often on my KJ bigJOE.  I usually do baby backs (my preference), but have done plenty of St. Louis, which tend to take about 1 extra hour.

 

Everyone has their preferred method... and for the most part, they all turn out really good.

 

My favorite way to cook ribs on a kamado is going really low-n-slow.  I prefer 210-225 degrees, which is lower than most guys go. 

 

I simply light bigJOE in 2 places, let it come up to desired temp and stabilize.  I then place 1 chunk of wood on each little fire.  Put the heat deflectors in place, and let the wood start to smoke for about 10-15 minutes.  I then place the ribs on and don't peak again for 3 hours.  At that point, I'll open the lid and lightly brush with a bit of melted butter, and perhaps a spritz of apple juice.  I then close the lid and let them go for another hour.  Check again, and will typically let them go for 30 more minutes til almost done.  At that point i will glaze them and let them go for about 30 more minutes til sticky and shiny.  Perfect every time.

 

I'll be doing 6 racks tomorrow using this method, and I am positive that those coming over for lunch will go CRAZY!!  :-)

 

So to answer your question.  In my experience, baby back take about 5 hours, and St. Louis take about 6 when running your KJ at 210-225.  If running at 250, I'd think 30-45 mins less.

 

Here's what I typically pull out of Joe...

These are ribs worthy of winning a Classic right here

 

déjà vu

[master178 42]

My concern with the 3-2-1 method is the meat will fall off the bone and I want to achieve bite off the bone. I'm leaning toward rwalters method and they look so good I'm tempted to lite the joe up now.

[master178 42]

Rwalters - is the glaze the butter and apple juice?

[bosco 13,035]

I cook my ribs on my big joe straight up no foil!!!

 

My secret mix is 225-250 for 4 hours.  Check on them with a bend test, if they bend 90 degrees they are ready, if not then cook for another 1/2 hour.  Then glaze them for 30 min for a total cook time of 4.5 to 5 hours.  

 

I spritz because I don't care about bark.  I use 1/2 apple juice half cider vinegar spritz each hour.  

 

if you want to keep it clean, lay foil over your stones and that is it!!!!

 

kamado keeps the food moist no need for foil in my humble opinion

[Knuckles 249]

Must have missed that video before. Going to have to do this soon

[dman 1,762]

And I like to foil just because it adds some flavor. I usually let them go for 2 hours bare, then foil with 1/2cup red wine for 1 hour. I'll unwrap the sauce them for 1/2 hour. The last time they still had a little pull and weren't fall off the bone. They went at 285 the whole time.

This was the result....