Beef ribs & jalapeno poppers off the smoker

The weather this weekend was just too damn nice to stay inside so I had to fire up the smoker. Picked up some hefeweizen, a rack of beef ribs, some corn & some jalapenos to stuff.

Dry rub:
3 Tbsp kosher salt
3 Tbsp chile powder (ancho in this case, friends don't care much for heat)
1 Tbsp fresh black pepper
1 Tbsp granulated garlic
2 tsp chipotle powder
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp cumin


Jalapeno popper stuffing:
2 8oz packages of cream cheese
1 package dry ranch dressing mix
Shredded cheese (add to taste)
Juice of 1 lemon
+
1 pack of bacon cut into 1/2s or 1/3rd strips
1 box of toothpicks

Just set the cream cheese out for a bit to soften then mix all the ingredients together. Cut jalapenos in half, stuff with mix, wrap in half a piece of bacon & bake at 400 degrees for ~30 min or until bacon is crisp. For better poppers, throw them on the smoker and wait about 4 hours.

My assistant helping me get the fire started:

Ribs rubbed down & just put on the smoker:

Smoking some corn too:

Jalapenos stuffed & waiting on bacon:

Corn & oven baked poppers are done:

The limited edition smoked poppers. I'd do them all this way if I had more room:

HOLY CRAP THAT SMELLS GOOD:

Ribs finally finished:

Turned out pretty damn good for my first go at beef ribs:

Edit: til the bacon is CRISP not soft. I need a beer.

 

[Phil]

Muy excellente! If you ever get the chance, try those poppers with venison backstrap in place of beef. Unbelievable!

 

[Chewi]

I'll be there in a few!!!!! Save me a plate!!!!

 

[sicman]

i think you may have burned them a little? dont try to tell me thats bark

 

[TXCG]

i think you may have burned them a little? dont try to tell me thats bark

The ribs weren't anywhere near burnt, that's just what 5hrs of low & slow mesquite smoke looks like. I don't think I could've burned em yesterday if I tried, I was having a hell of a time fighting the wind to keep my temp above 230. Ended up having to improvise a wind break.


Not that I'm above burning things every now and then.... My first attempt at poppers on a propane grill didn't turn out so well :

 

[The Hot Pepper]

I'm with sicman.

: runs and hides :

Try less sugar in your rub. Results in more more mahogany color, less black.

...and keep mopping it.

 

[Phil]

about 4.5 hours

I'm with sicman.

: runs and hides :

Try less sugar in your rub. Results in more more mahogany color, less black.

...and keep mopping it.

I was wondering if maybe there were heavy sugars in the rub.

I used to have a heck of a time keeping good temperature on my old Brinkmann barrel smoker, too.

 

[The Hot Pepper]

This is why wrapping (foil) can be a good thing in the mid-stage, some people do, some don't, but when they are wrapped in foil with rub and butter (or whatever) they take a break from getting too black, and soften. Then back on the smoker in the end.

I'd still eat em but they look charry.

 

[Phil]

Foil at the beginning, then unwrapped and smoked for an hour or so, then sauce it over and over and over again.

But looking at your ribs, Txclosetgrower, I can certainly tell they are not overcooked. They have a pretty decent smoke ring... nice pink in there!

 

[TXCG]

I'm with sicman.

: runs and hides :

Try less sugar in your rub. Results in more more mahogany color, less black.

...and keep mopping it.

No sugar in the rub for beef. Save the sugar for pork. Also no mopping either, me and the ribs just shared a few beers while cooking.

I was shooting for a knockoff of J Mueller's ribs. Yall aren't gonna try and tell me he burns his too are you?

I need to bump up the black pepper & use a coarser grind next time but aside from that I got reasonably close. I may try a rack in foil next time for science but this time I just wish I had made 2 racks. Gonna be smoking a lot this spring now that I finally have a place to do it

 

[Phil]

Hey, I trust any Texas BBQ~!

 

[The Hot Pepper]

Hehe no, but that does look more like a bark than char. Shooting for that style is tough! Good for you. That's a damn dark mahogany and it's still moist.

Best part about BBQ to me is the experiments still taste good, and the fun is the actual process combined with the eating. Can't wait for summer!

 

[JayT]

Oh yeah! There isn't a thing about that that I don't love. Maybe a bit much char, but hell beef ribs rock!

 

[Phil]

Hehe no, but that does look more like a bark than char. Shooting for that style is tough! Good for you. That's a damn dark mahogany and it's still moist.

Best part about BBQ to me is the experiments still taste good, and the fun is the actual process combined with the eating. Can't wait for summer!

....And the hours of drinking beer while we "necessarily babysit" our smoked wares! Cheers! You've inspired me to thaw the ribs I have in my freezer this weekend and do 'em up!

 

[grantmichaels]

food looks great ... shoot out to your partner, too!