Here's the best setup for a charcoal grill for indirect heat smoke roasting of ribs, pork butt, and beef brisket
"A man can be short and dumpy and getting bald, but if he has fire, women will like him." Mae West
The key to success in any grilling project is control over time and temp. The best way is a 2-zone fire. For steaks and burgers you want high heat, but for ribs, pulled pork, and brisket, is important to (1) keep the temp down to about 225F (2) cook with indirect heat, meaning the meat is not directly over the flame, (3) mix moisture with the smoke and combustion gasses to create those wonderful bacony flavors, and (4) add smoke by placing wood close to the hottest part of the grill. This makes the meat tender, juicy, and smoky. Your exact setup may be different than mine if you don't have a Weber Kettle, but if you follow the concepts, killer smoked meats are in your future. Click here for more info about meat science. Click here for more about the thermodynamics of cooking.
You're going to need to test the temp of your outdoor oven, so start your setup about an hour or two before you need to start cooking the first time you use this method. Once you have your grill figgered out, it will take only a few minutes to set up the next time. It really helps to have a good digital thermometer since most grill thermometers are next to worthless.
1) The best way to start a charcoal fire is with a chimney (right). First you stuff newspaper into the bottom compartment, pour charcoal into the top compartment, then you light the paper, and in about 20 minutes the coals are white and ready. No chemical aftertaste, no solvent smell in the air, and it's a lot cheaper and safer than using lighter fluid. The Weber brand of chimney works best and lasts longer than the cheaper model at right. Use a chimney. Save your eyebrows.
2) \Weber and other grill manufacturers recommend a method of banking the coals on two sides with a pan of water in the center, underneath the food (shown at right). This concept is called indirect cooking and it is a great idea. But there is a better way.
3) By banking the coals against one side, not two, you can cook with steaks with high heat directly over the coals, but for tough cuts like ribs, pork butt, or beef brisket, use the indirect heat concept. This method will also help with convection and smoking. A water pan will add moisture to the atmosphere in the oven. Moisture also mixes with the smoke to help penetrate the meat and improves the flavor. Fill the pan with hot water so the coals don't burn down while heating up the water. Don't bother using apple juice or other flavored liquid. I don't think it makes a difference. Notice that the coals are covered with white ash. That means they are ready.
4) Place another pan of hot water above the coals. It adds more moisture. Position the grate with a handle over the coals, as in the photo at right. This makes adding more coal and wood chips easy. With rib racks to hold the ribs on end you can get 3-4 slabs of baby backs on the grill. But beware of rib racks, the meat can be very close to touching and if the space is less than an inch, you should add 30-60 minutes to the cooking time. Crack the bottom vents so they are open half way. Place the lid on so the vent holes are positioned over the ribs and leave them open half way. That way the smoke must travel across the ribs to escape. Put a thermometer into a vent hole on the lid to read your temp. Shoot for 225F. Control the temp with the bottom vents not the top.
5) Don't lift the lid unless the temp soars, then just add more hot water to the top pan to lower the oven temp. If the temperature gets too high, you can also close the bottom vents a bit, but don't shut them off or the coals may die and the wood will smolder and generate bitter tasting creosote. If the temp drops, add coals and open the vents wider. You will probably need to add six coals every 30-60 minutes depending on the ambient temperature and wind. If possible ad hot coals, but cold coals will catch pretty quickly. Click here to learn how to tell if your ribs are ready. Then add sauce.
Another great option: The Smokenator 1000
The Smokenator 1000 is the most useful and clever tool for the backyard cook that I've seen this year. If you have a Weber Kettle grill, you need a Smokenator.
For less than $50 you can easily convert a standard Weber Kettle into a smoker capable of making restaurant quality smoked ribs, pork shoulder, brisket, turkey, or salmon. If you have a limited budget or limited deck space, there is no need to buy a standalone smoker.
Here's how it works: The Smokenator is a simple piece of bent 18 gauge stainless steel that inserts into the lower half of the kettle. You can place meat on the lower and the upper rack so it is possible you can get 8-10 slabs on at once. Then you put some unlit coals in the Smokenator, some wood chunks on top of them, some lit coals on top of the wood, and some water in the water cup. Put the lid on, adjust the dampers, and go get a beer.
It will pump out aromatic smoke and just the right low and slow temp for hours. I had no trouble keeping the temp under 250F on a 100F day. The thick steel plate blocks your meat from direct exposure to the flames becoming a large flat radiator providing indirect heat. The water bowl keeps moisture in the oven which helps develop the smoke ring.
Keep in mind that this is a "hot" smoker so it can't do cold smoking for things like lox or cheese. But it can do just about anything else the fancy-schmancy smokers do. A very clever, inexpensive gadget that actually works as advertised.
List price is about $45. For discount pricing and direct ordering from Amazon.com, click here.
This page was revised 1/5/2009
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The Smokenator
If you have a Weber Kettle, you need the amazing Smokenator and Hovergrill. The Smokenator turns your grill into a first class smoker, and the Hovergrill can add capacity or be used to get steakhouse steaks. Click here to read more and for ordering info.
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Another great option: The Smokenator 1000
Here's how it works: The Smokenator is a simple piece of bent 18 gauge stainless steel that inserts into the lower half of the kettle. You can place meat on the lower and the upper rack so it is possible you can get 8-10 slabs on at once. Then you put some unlit coals in the Smokenator, some wood chunks on top of them, some lit coals on top of the wood, and some water in the water cup. Put the lid on, adjust the dampers, and go get a beer.
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