Ribs/butts on Weber Kettle - Advice needed

[TNRifleman]

I just picked up my first Weber Kettle grill and am looking at doing some ribs or pick butts on it. I would like to slow cook/ smoke them and was wondering what you guys methods were. I am a real newbie at charcoal grills so step by step would be helpful. Thanks in advance.

FYI - grill is a 22" kettle grill so it has room for a water pan and charcoal/ wood chips.

 

[mike243]

Put a aluminum drip pan in the middle and build a small fire on either side or put it off to 1 side and fire on the other and then put vent on opposite side of fire where your foods going to be so the smoke gets drawn past it on the way out,Weber is the best grill out there imo :tu:

 

[mike243]

You can put water or apple juice in the drip pan to help keep things moist set temp with the bottom air vent and leave top open all the way

 

[TNRifleman]

Thanks guys. I appreciate it. As far as temperature, what are you generally cooling ribs and butts at and for how long? 8-10 hours?

 

[mike243]

ribs depending on baby back 4-6 hrs at 225ish butts are 1 hr per pound at same but some like to run hotter 275 to build more bark,a remote thermometer is a great thing to have and affordable now.pulled pork 205 is what you want to reach,hickory chunks not chips and don't worry about soaking.I have been using hickory pellets in mine with a smoke tube just for grilling but chunks are easier to deal with when smoking

 

[Mike Belt]

I use a drip pan full of water in the center of the grill and bank my charcoal around it. I sear the meat over the grill, then stack it up over the pan for cooking, and then finish it off on the grill with barbeque sauce. Much of the time I wrap each rib in aluminum foil while over the pan. I add apple juice inside the aluminum foil packs and then continually baste it once it's taken out and placed back on the grill. Tender, juicy, and good!

 

[TNRifleman]

One more question. About how much charcoal do you start with and then how often will I need to add more?

 

[TNRifleman]

Thanks. I will start with a chimney starter full and see if that carries me through. I am probably underestimating how long the coals will stay hot.

 

[Pennywise67]

When I first started smoking meats i started off on a Weber kettle. Butts, ribs, turkeys. I started off the indirect method using the Weber charcoal baskets 22 briquettes per side and adding 6 briquettes per side about every hour. also add a chunk of your favorite wood. There is also another method called the snake method where you build a ring 2x2 of briquttes and chunks of wood around the edge but not completely touching. light one end with a torch and the fire slowly works around the ring keeping temps constant. If you wnat to borrow a set of charcoal baskets let me know and I can let you try mine out.

Larry

 

[mike243]

If you are searing the meat before smoking your smokes not going to do as well,the first couple of hrs are pretty important and will seal up till the fat starts to render out,might as well grill them :stir:

 

[TNRifleman]

Okay, so once I get the meat to the right temp, do I need to pull it off the grill and let it set? Primarily talking about a butt.

 

[mike243]

For pulled pork I pull it apart just as soon as I can get it off the smoker,I have a pair of rubber gloves and a set of bear claws but when you hit the temps rite it will fall apart in your hand and you know you are in heaven :tu:

 

[Pennywise67]

Okay, so once I get the meat to the right temp, do I need to pull it off the grill and let it set? Primarily talking about a butt.

I double wrap mine mine in foil and let it sit in cooler full of towels for a hour or two. Still will almost be to hot to handle even after two hours. rest period allows for juices to redistribute and muscle fibers to relax since removed from heat source. You can pull them right away though and they will be fine. I try to get mine done before eating time let restand pull right when its time to eat.

 

[TraumaSlave]

I have left mine in a styrofoam cooler with a folded towel on top for 4 hrs and was still ready to serve when removed and pulled. Resting for an hour or more is crucial to moist meat.

 

[Forvols]

Ive used my weber kettle to smoke butts/ribs/whole chickens/chuck roast/porkloin/turkey. The weber kettle is a great grill. When smoking I start with 1chimney load of charcoal banked on one side and meat on the other. Drip pan under the meat with water or apple juice. Run the grill at 220-250 max. You will have to play with the vents and get the hang of it(I can get mine locked in at 225 pretty easily now). Wood wise I have use chunks and chips just depends on what I have. Apple and hickory mostly. When the butt gets to about 160-170 sometimes I do a Texas cheat and wrap in foil until the IT of the meat reaches 205. Remove from grill and cover let it rest for an hour or so (for butts). Once you remove the meat from the grill the IT will still climb maybe another 5degrees. Having a grill thermometer and meat thermometer works great (look up maverick remote bbq thermometer). After about 3hrs I use a spray bottle with apple juice and spray the butt every hour or you can use a mop, bbq brush etc. I like the weber kettle performer so much I also bought a weber smokey mountain smoker, gas grill gets used very little now.

Watch some BBQPITBOYS videos they use the weber kettle ALOT--- and those guys have some great recipes and videos on their website.

 

[Tn_Va_Hunter]

Great advice here. Also, smokingmeatforum.com is a great resource.