first cook ideas

[tenny80]

hey guys,

looking for ideas for my first real cook on the traeger. I tried it out last night with some burgers and am going to do some chicken tomorrow to get the hang of it. This weekend we have about 15 people coming over for a birthday party.

I was going to take some ribs! using the 3-2-1 method in the traeger cook book but I am open to ideas on another meat or even for recipe ideas for the ribs. I'd like something fairly fail proof, so low on the difficulty scale.

 

[Big Poppa]

I am not a fan of the 3 2 1 no rib takes 6 hours especially with two hours in foil there are a million recipes for ribs here but currently I like 250 for three hours and then one hour in foil with some foil love...(foil love can be many thinks bfrom as basic as just a little apple juice to sauce parkay or butter brown sugar honey, agave...)

 

[tenny80]

thanks BP. I thought that seemed like a long time. I was watching some youtube videos and it seemed like people where doing 2 hours on smoke 1-2 hours in foil and 20 minutes with the sauce on to make it sticky.

Ribs seem easy enough so I think I will give them a shot. seems less risky then doing pulled pork or a briskit haha.

 

[Scallywag]

I use the 3-2-1 method at 225.. works great for me. And the wife loves them.. find what ya like and stick to it!

 

[CDN Smoker]

I keep a log of what I do, seems to help

 

[dnew]

I have cooked on a Traeger for about 3 years and initially doing ribs using the Traeger cookbook 3-2-1 method which was a great place to start but I found that after the foil time they were overcooked to my liking. I kept a journal on each of my cooks and adjusted as I went along. Caution here is that SL ribs take more time than BBs and the way you trim a rib also chimes in on the cooking method. I suggest you work your way through the rib process starting with the Traeger way or take advice from someone else but journal your cook, be critical and adjust. After several tries you will have ribs to your liking.

My next big step with ribs will be to cook them on my new MAK 2 star. Everyday we all learn something new about BBQ, that is all part of the fun.

Don

 

[tenny80]

whats the difference between st.louis and bb? st.louis are on sale right now haha.

 

[Kite]

My suggestion would be to cook some ribs TONIGHT! Practice a time or two before you have 15 hungry people nibbling on your shoulder. Also, I would suggest that you don't cook your ribs by time - test them with a fork, toothpick, the "bend" test, etc... the time is just a starting point. One other thing - foil is NOT required - some people love foil, others do not (yours truly). I got my start from the great and wise rib king sparky. He gave me 2 rib recipes - one with foil and one without. I tweaked and experimented and have developed a "without foil" method that works great for me.

Good luck! Have fun..

 

[Sir Lamerok]

Pulled pork is always a hit in my backyard. As for ribs 3-2-1 has worked for me but I agree it tends to overcook with two hours in foil.

 

[tenny80]

well I went in the butcher shop to buy some ribs on my lunch break today and came out with a 16lb beef brisket! hope I don't screw it up, I have NEVER made a brisket before haha.

I am going to put it in Saturday night around midnight as from what I am reading it will take 15 hours to cook? that way it's done around 3, can rest for a couple hours before dinner. Does 15 hours sound about right? Worst case i'm ordering pizza haha.

Would be it be ok to start injecting it with au jus and rub tonight? or should I wait until Friday night? not sure if 48 hours would be to long.

 

[TentHunter]

whats the difference between st.louis and bb? st.louis are on sale right now haha.

Baby Backs are Loin Back ribs, generally weighing less than 2 1/2 pounds, from a young pig (hence the name Baby Backs). Loin Back ribs are the same thing, just from a full grown hog.

Loin Backs are the smaller, upper section of rib cage attached to the loin (back muscle).

If you take a whole bone-in pork loin, you can slice it into loin chops, or trim the bones off and end up with both a boneless pork loin and the Loin Back Ribs.


Spareribs are the larger, lower half of the rib cage that's attached to the side meat (or pork belly - where bacon comes from).

St. Louis cut is a way of trimming Spareribs so they resemble loin backs: http://www.pelletsmoking.com/hall-fame-recipes-22/how-trim-st-louis-style-spare-ribs-2264/



P.S. I don't buy loin back ribs by themselves; they're generally too pricey.

Instead I go to the butcher and buy the whole front loin section and have him trim off the ribs. The loin & ribs are both much cheaper buying it like that. The bonus is they're fresher AND and I can tell him how much meat to leave on the ribs!