The Texas BBQ Forum

On Saturday, for an early Labor Day BBQ, I used a briquette snake on my Weber Kettle to smoke some ribs: St Louis cut. I used SB Competition as the shake and finished them off with a SB Chipotle BBQ Sauce glaze. They tasted good but the meat was a little tougher than we liked. I suspect that part of the problem was the mediocre quality of the meat itself. The other problem was that I couldn't keep the temp in the Kettle low enough. Most of the smoking was betweeen 275 - 300 degrees (with both vents barely open). The last time I used a snake it was much cooler outside and it was easier to keep the temp lower. If I do this again on a warm day, I'll have to use a skinnier snake (this one was 2x2 briqs).

I think it's time for me to go back to my Brinkmann for ribs.




When the ribs were done (after only 3-1/2 hours), there was enough unburnt coal left in the snake, so I smoke a couple of chicken thighs, also:


They came out well.

Those look good honestly.
Did you do any type of spritz ?
I've been using a mix of apple juice and a small amount of water and it seems to keep them moist and tender.
Did u wrap at all ?

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No spritz this time. We only wrapped to reheat, with some apple juice 'n' butter.

I'm beginning to dislike St. Louis cut spares, because they seem to have too low a pig-to-bone ratio, but we never see the full-cut any more.

They did taste good. Thanks.

Hmm, how long total time ?

I wouldn't give up on that cut yet.
Do you have a butcher you can go to ?
Maybe try another source if you can ?

I've always wrapped for at least 2 hrs after the first 2 without and the last hour open.
I don't like the 3,2,1 but that's just preference. 2,2,1 seems to be better from what I've found but every cooker is different and I've never used a weber kettle.
Hmm, I still have a small unopened weber in the garage from a work Christmas Party raffle lol.
I should try it out ?

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Total cook time was only 3-1/2 hours, so it was too short for a 3-2-1 or 2-2-1 (which has worked for us in the past with full sized spares). I suppose I should have started spraying the ribs once I realized it would be a "high temp" cook.

+1 on the spritz.

The kettle is an extremely versatile cooker. From grill to smoke you can do most anything. The key is getting an keeping moisture in the cooker.

I see a pan below the ribs with some juice. Is that liquid or drippings? Filling that pan up with water will help with moisture and temp stability.

Also, wrapping during the cook would help.


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Professor Bunky wrote:Total cook time was only 3-1/2 hours, so it was too short for a 3-2-1 or 2-2-1 (which has worked for us in the past with full sized spares). I suppose I should have started spraying the ribs once I realized it would be a "high temp" cook.

I was looking at them and I was thinking they weren't done enough as well. Also, in the pic I see the water pan and ribs pretty close to the coals side. I'm thinking next time try to get them both farther away and more indirect ?
I know that on the Akorn I HAVE to keep them as far away from the heat source as possible because if I don't they overcook real fast.
I'm thinking if you do them uncovered the first 2 hrs, spritzing lightly after the first hour every 15 to 20 minutes and then ur 2 hr wrap they might work well for the last uncovered he ?


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You don't wrap with foil during your Rib cook do you, P.B. ? If not, then I would suggest that you wrap at least an hour during the middle of the cook. You don't have to do a 3-2-1 but the wrapping will tenderize them better. I just finished a 5 1/2 hr pellet rib rack and I had to remove them with a spatula instead of the tongs.

Those look great!

bsooner75 wrote:+1 on the spritz.

The kettle is an extremely versatile cooker. From grill to smoke you can do most anything. The key is getting an keeping moisture in the cooker.

I see a pan below the ribs with some juice. Is that liquid or drippings? Filling that pan up with water will help with moisture and temp stability.

Also, wrapping during the cook would help.


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There was water in that drip pan. I didn't wrap the ribs because of the relatively short cook.

woodenvisions wrote:

Professor Bunky wrote:Total cook time was only 3-1/2 hours, so it was too short for a 3-2-1 or 2-2-1 (which has worked for us in the past with full sized spares). I suppose I should have started spraying the ribs once I realized it would be a "high temp" cook.

I was looking at them and I was thinking they weren't done enough as well. Also, in the pic I see the water pan and ribs pretty close to the coals side. I'm thinking next time try to get them both farther away and more indirect ?
I know that on the Akorn I HAVE to keep them as far away from the heat source as possible because if I don't they overcook real fast.
I'm thinking if you do them uncovered the first 2 hrs, spritzing lightly after the first hour every 15 to 20 minutes and then ur 2 hr wrap they might work well for the last uncovered he ?


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Since I was using a snake, the position of the hottest coals changes with time. If I did a conventional indirect cook on that kettle, I would have coal in baskets, a bit further from the meat.

to me a water pan only cools the smoke and doesn't add much moisture - - - more like steaming - - - my ECB can be used with a water pan between the coals and the meat for Smokinig Turkeys ETC but I think they turn out tasting more like a Ham than a Turkey

OldUsedParts wrote:You don't wrap with foil during your Rib cook do you, P.B. ? If not, then I would suggest that you wrap at least an hour during the middle of the cook. You don't have to do a 3-2-1 but the wrapping will tenderize them better. I just finished a 5 1/2 hr pellet rib rack and I had to remove them with a spatula instead of the tongs.

I may try wrapping when I can get full size spares that will take a longer cook (5-6 hrs)

OldUsedParts wrote:to me a water pan only cools the smoke and doesn't add much moisture - - - more like steaming - - - my ECB can be used with a water pan between the coals and the meat for Smokinig Turkeys ETC but I think they turn out tasting more like a Ham than a Turkey

One trick I use with a water/drip pan on the kettle is putting in nearly-boiling water. That way I don't waste coal heating up cold water.

Professor Bunky wrote:

OldUsedParts wrote:to me a water pan only cools the smoke and doesn't add much moisture - - - more like steaming - - - my ECB can be used with a water pan between the coals and the meat for Smokinig Turkeys ETC but I think they turn out tasting more like a Ham than a Turkey

One trick I use with a water/drip pan on the kettle is putting in nearly-boiling water. That way I don't waste coal heating up cold water.

Good point. I use a slow n Sear on my kettle and their instructions call for hot water in the trough when doing low n slow.


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