The best test for a smoker is spareribs in my opinion. Can it get them done just right with bite off the bone texture as opposed to fall from the bone? Is there a good smoke taste that isn’t too strong? Well, I have my new Louisiana Grills Pellet Smoker and I decided to give ribs a try.
The timing was perfect because they had side ribs on sale at the local supermarket and I didn’t have to sell my blood to be able to afford some.
I went with my basic cooking method, commercial rub and barbecue sauce. That way, I would be able to get a fair measure of the smoker without worrying if trying something different would get in the way.
I pulled the silverskin off the back of the ribs. Then I rubbed them down with Cabelas Kansas City Rub. I put the ribs on the smoker which I had preheated to 220 F. Inserted the probe from my Blue Therm Duo into the thickest part of the ribs being careful not to let it touch a bone.
It took about 4 1/2 hours for the internal temperature of the ribs get to 185 F. Then I brushed the ribs with barbecue sauce and let them cook for 30 minutes longer.
I cut the ribs into sections and served them with She Who Must Be Obeyed’s potato salad and mixed corn and green beans from our garden.
The Verdict
The Louisiana Grills smoker did a great job. It held the temperature steady for the long cook at low temperatures. The ribs had a nice smoke taste without overpowering the sweet flavour of the pork. The texture was perfect. If you bit into a rib, the pork pulled from the bone without the whole piece of pork falling off. I love my new smoker!
The Old Fat Guy
