Thursday, July 16, 2009

Smoked Ribs & Beer Can Chicken!

We hadn't used our smoker at all this year and decided the 4th of July would be the perfect day to use it. (ok... really any non-work day that's not raining is a perfect day to use it!)

Jon really wanted to do ribs. We haven't used our smoker very much and have had kind of hit or miss luck with ribs. But I figured why not right?

While we were shopping for baby back ribs, Jon also suggested doing a Beer Can Chicken while we were at it. It takes so long to cook stuff in the smoker, we usually go for maximum capacity. So I grabbed a chicken too!

Photobucket

The rub recipe I use for the ribs is slightly adapted from Alton Brown, but we don't use his method.

Rib Rub
8 TBLS light brown sugar, tightly packed
3 TBLS kosher salt
1 TBLS chili powder
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
1/2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp onion powder

Ideally we rub this on the ribs the day before. But this time they only had four or five hours before hitting the grill. This is enough for 2 slabs of ribs. If I'm only doing one slab, I'll use the extra on a chicken.

Here's what you need (plus ribs!)
Photobucket

Stir that all together until well combined.
Photobucket

Now to get the ribs ready.

This part is kind of icky! You have to remove the membrane from the back of the ribs. If you just grab a corner, it kinda of peels off. But it's slimy and totally sticks to your hand as it comes away from the ribs. Have your guy do this if you can. Mine was still sleeping, so I had to do it.

Photobucket

Yuck... makes me squinchy looking at it!
Photobucket

When the membrane is pulled off of both slabs. Place them on some heavy duty foil.
Photobucket

Then just rub all of the spices into both sides of both slabs.
PhotobucketPhotobucket
PhotobucketPhotobucket

Then wrap them tightly in foil and refrigerate overnight.
Photobucket

And for the chicken.
Photobucket

I totally spaced on a rub for the chicken. I have almost every herb/spice known to man. Ok... maybe not that many... but I can definitely make a large assortment of rubs without going to store. But I found a Lawry's Chicken Rub in there and decided to just finish that off.
Photobucket

Photobucket

I don't do the chicken ahead of time. I guess it would probably benefit from it, but it's never occurred to me until just now.

You need a can of beer. Most of the beer at my house is bottled. The only canned beer you might find is Dale's Pale Ale. I usually don't want to cook with hoppy beer, so Jon will typically pick up something cheap. In this case Budweiser. Don't get the tall ones. They gave him tall cans and it just barely fit in the smoker. But you can use whatever beer you like. You'll need to empty some of the beer from the can. Jon always helps with this part.
Photobucket

I have a stand that's made for beer can chicken. Put the can in it.
Photobucket

Then I add some of the rub and some herbs (I used rosemary & thyme) to the can with the remaining beer.
PhotobucketPhotobucket
PhotobucketPhotobucket

Now it's time to put the chicken on the beer can.
Photobucket
Photobucket
Photobucket

There's a big bowl that sits in the bottom of the smoker to keep everything nice and moist. I wasn't really watching while Jon filled it, but I think he put in a couple liters of apple juice, some white wine, maybe some beer, probably some kind of vinegar and whatever herbs were growing next to the smoker (that's where our herb garden lives) I'd guess that pan holds somewhere between half a gallon and a gallon of liquid.
Photobucket

Now to start putting the smoker together.
First the chicken, since it's going on the bottom level.
There is a probe thermometer stuck in it.
Photobucket

Here's the little smoker window view.
Photobucket

Top level... ribs...

The slabs are too long to fit flat on the grill, so I cut them in half and stand them up in a rack.
Photobucket

Photobucket

Photobucket

Photobucket

I don't want to waste all of those spicy juices in the foil... so I just pour them into the smoker... they'll land in the bowl at the bottom.
Photobucket

So Jon always starts the coals. I have a very hard time with that. It takes 3 chimneys. We only have two, so we start with that and just add one.

Photobucket

Photobucket

Hickory wood chips that have been soaking in water.
Photobucket

Photobucket

When the 3rd chimney is ready to go, we just lift off the top and pour more coals in.

Now the main part gets put on top of the coal part.
Photobucket

Photobucket

And cover it up.
Photobucket

Unfortunately my smoker's temperature gauge doesn't have temperatures, so we keep it in the "ideal" range on gauge.

Photobucket

But now you have 3 or 4 hours.

So about 3.5 hours later... the temperature probe on the chicken reads 165F. Chicken's done! Hopefully the ribs are too.

So we opened it up.
Photobucket

Photobucket

Photobucket

Another window view.
Photobucket

As it turned out the ribs were done too!

Time to eat!


Mmmmm.... moist smokey delicious meat!!!

Photobucket

Photobucket

Photobucket

Photobucket

Photobucket

Photobucket

So that's how we spent our 4th of July. Smoking meat!

17 comments:

Unknown said...

I think its time to look into getting one of those babies. I love beer can chicken but man, to have one smoked would be awesome!! The ribs look great too.

NKP said...

Wow, that looks awesome. I need to get hubby a smoker.

Mom on the Run said...

I am drooling. Our smoker is a little different but we used it last weekend because we also had not used it all season. What a difference it makes. I really need to experiment with the beer can chicken. Thanks for the how-to.

tamilyn said...

Yumalumadingdong! Can you ship some to MN?

Heather S-G said...

I guess my invite must have gotten lost in the mail. HOLY CANOLI! This is one amazing bbq-a-licious post! I'm droolin' like mad over here :D

Bob said...

Oh man, you're killing me! That looks wicked good. Once I get a place with a yard I'm getting a smoker.

Dajana said...

Wow! This is all new to me. I've never seen either beer can chicken or a smoker.
It all looks amazing and delicious.

Donna-FFW said...

My FFH gets rid of his beer the same way when we make this. I love beer butt chicken(what we call it).. now Im gonna have to .. have to make it again.

Your smoked ribs .. I can just taste them. Love the use of the wood chips. Gotta try the hickory.

GREAT post!

Anonymous said...

Looks perfectly awesome! We haven't used our smoker much this year either, but I'm dusting it off this weekend! Wooooohooooo!

Cathy said...

This looks awesome! I really want to get a smoker.

Deborah said...

I wish I had a smoker! That rib rub sounds amazing!

teresa said...

Oh man! That is what I call a BBQ, such good looking meat!

Shane T. Wingerd said...

Total drool educing deliciousness!!! That Rib rack and Beer Can Chicken Stand thing kick ass!!!

rebekah said...

i need one of those rack thingys. beer can chicken i love but it makes me INSANE b/c it always falls over.

Patti T. said...

Spryte I think smokers are a lot of work and time, but in the end sooooo worth it. My BIL smoked a brisket for the 4th of July and it was heavenly. Your food looked so delicious!

Jennifer said...

Great photos, looks delish, we just smoked a brisket, YUM!

Tangled Noodle said...

Now I want a smoker! The rib rub sounds so spicy-good and the beer can chicken has a spot waiting for it on my plate!