# Ribs on Masterbuilt Smoker



## fla smoker

Just bought me a new Masterbuilt Smoker I have a good rub that I use. Has anyone out here used this smoker to cook baby back ribs. How long should I cook and at what temp. New to smoking and this forum and looked like this would be a great place to ask questions. Thanks for any help.


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## jimbob357

I recently purchased a 40" Masterbuilt smoker, but I haven't seasoned it up or used it. It's just been too cold here on the plains of NoDak. I did find some usefull vidoe info on the masterbuilt website.
http://www.masterbuilt.com/videos.html
This is also a good place for recipies.
http://dadgumthatsgood.com/


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## 9manfan

I've done quite a few ribs on my old masterbuilt, lot's of good info on this smoking website,,,

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/forum/


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## KEN W

Jimbob....I use mine year round.....just bring it inside the house,open the door and let it warm up for an hour.Then take it outside and use it.


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## jimbob357

Well, last sunday I seasoned up my smoker on a 30 degree day, and on friday 1/28/11 I did 3 racks of dry rubbed baby back ribs.
When I started yesterday the temperature was 37 degrees with about a 15 MPH wind, when I finished the temp was upper 20s with about 40 MPH wind. 
I was impressed that the smoker only took about 25 minutes to get up to 225 degrees. I threw in the ribs and smoked them about 3 hours adding a cup of hickory chips about every hour. I put them in foil, sauced them with a bottled bbq sauce diluted with a little homemade wine and some cider vinegar. About an hour and half to two hours later we ate 'em. They were pretty good, but a little heavy on the smoke, I should have only smoked them 2 hours. 
The smoker is pretty well insulated to hold the heat very constant, in the cool/windy outside temperature. 
I did remember to cover the bottom tray and water pan with foil for easy clean up, but I forgot to spray some canned cooking spray on the racks.


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## MossyMO

I've notice at times in the zero to subzero temperatures ND offers us the digital controllers get to cold to operate and power the unit down. Insulating the controller with a towel or a heating pad takes care of this so you can keep on smoking!


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## KEN W

This smoker is so efficient that you don't need to put smoke on them for 3 hours.I usually put wood in once....about 3 ounces.Otherwise they get to stong of a smoke taste.


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## jimbob357

KEN W said:


> This smoker is so efficient that you don't need to put smoke on them for 3 hours.I usually put wood in once....about 3 ounces.Otherwise they get to stong of a smoke taste.


You are correct sir! I found that out. I'm thinking of trying a mellower wood next time, either cherry or apple.


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## jimbob357

MossyMO said:


> I've notice at times in the zero to subzero temperatures ND offers us the digital controllers get to cold to operate and power the unit down. Insulating the controller with a towel or a heating pad takes care of this so you can keep on smoking!


Thanks for the tip. I haven't had any problem yet at around 32 degrees, but I'll keep that info in mind if I try smoking when it is colder.


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## specialpatrolgroup

3 hours at 225 seems like its would leave you with chewy ribs. I smoke at 250 for 3 hours, then take them and put them in a foil pan with a can or two of beer, then seal the top with foil, and let them steam for an hour, then I take them out, sauce them up and back over the coals for 30-60 minutes. Produces very tender (but not mushy!) ribs that go over well with the judges.


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## jimbob357

specialpatrolgroup said:


> 3 hours at 225 seems like its would leave you with chewy ribs. I smoke at 250 for 3 hours, then take them and put them in a foil pan with a can or two of beer, then seal the top with foil, and let them steam for an hour, then I take them out, sauce them up and back over the coals for 30-60 minutes. Produces very tender (but not mushy!) ribs that go over well with the judges.


Reread my whole post. Highlighting this part. 
*I put them in foil, sauced them with a bottled bbq sauce diluted with a little homemade wine and some cider vinegar. About an hour and half to two hours later we ate 'em.*


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## specialpatrolgroup

Sorry didnt see that part. THen it sounds like we have simular processes, dry smoke followed by a wet braise.I agree 3 hours of smoke may be a bit much. I generally smoke really heavy for the first hour, Same thing if I am doing pork butts, then let it just cook like an oven. Meat will only asorb smoke until it hits a certian temp, anything after that isnt asorbed by the meat, however, if you add a water pan (I like filling it with apple juice\cider vinegar) the smoak will mix with the humidity and continue to deposit smoke flavor on the outside.


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## Norm70

WIth BB's i use a 2-2-1 method. 2 hours smoke 2 hours foiled and 1 hour out of the foil to firm up. They will still be fall off the bone but will be firm enough to pick up.


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## Plainsman

I love smoke flavor, and didn't know you could get to much. 

I have the same smoke, but can't give much advise yet. I often steam or crock pot ribs for a while to get them tender than put them in the Masterbuilt. I am maybe making things to hard, and will try covering with foil and cooking longer. Now if I could just get them to taste like Tony Roma's.


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## Norm70

foiling them gives off that fall off the bone texture. If you like your ribs basically falling apart you would not need the hour after foiling. I like my ribs a little firmer so i put them on another hour. you really don't have to you can put them on for 1/2 hour.

Foiling anything you put in the smoker will make it fall apart. I usually do my pulled pork that way, but lately i have tried no foiling and taking it up to 2 hundo internal worked the 1st time but did not notice a difference in the flavor. Chuck Roasts work well this way too.

If you want an even heavier smoke flavor you can go 3-2-1

BB's are hard to screw up but are also hard to get consistienly perfect, but i always love eating my mistakes!


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## MolaRam

I know this is an old thread but I am new to smoking and this thread was the best fit for my question.

I recently got a 30inch Masterbuilt Electric Smoker, seasoned it and decided to try some Baby Back ribs for my first attempt.
I used a pretty standard rub and let them sit in the fridge overnight.
Next day I filled the water pan about 3/4 full of just water and heated the smoker to 225 degrees. 
Followed the 2-2-1 method and smoked them for the first 2 hours. (Probably filled the hopper with chips 3-4 times)
Wrapped them in foil for 2 hours, then pulled them out of the foil for the last hour.

My issue was that the ribs came out looking great, had a good taste to them, but they seemed a little dry and definitely were not "fall off the bone" as many seem to achieve.
So my question would be, where did I go wrong?
I did not brine the ribs... I notice some people do this, does this help?
I opened the smoker about 2-3 times in the first 2 hours to spray them with a 50/50 mix of bourbon and apple cider vinegar (ironically thinking this would keep them moist) and also opened it 2-3 times in that last hour to put on some BBQ sauce... will opening the smoker this often cause adverse effects?

Any help or ideas would be appreciated. Thanks!


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## Chuck Smith

Ok the new way I do ribs on the smoker is like this...
Season ribs with rub
Smoke for 2 hours at 200 degrees (mainly just getting the smoke flavor on them)
then wrap in tin foil and add some sort of liquid (apple juice, burbon, coke, water, etc) and put in oven at 250 degrees for 30--45 mins.....then I keep bumping up the temp 25 degrees every after each 30-45 mins or so until you reach 350 degrees (about another 2-3 hours. If you want to put sauce on them and let that bake in.... do that in the last two temp bumps.

This will make them fall off the bone ready.

If you want to do on the smoker.... You can do it but you need to keep bumping up the temp. Also keep them in the foil longer. Add the liquid to the foil and let it sit covered. You need to let the liquid brase the meat. If you are using a foil pan and then just covering with a sheet of foil. It takes longer than if you just wrap the whole rack of ribs. (more space to heat up and steam around the meat with foil pan).

But it just takes time. One place to look for lots of good advise is smokingmeats.com


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## MolaRam

Thanks for the feedback Chuck!

Yeah, I'd like to try and keep them in the smoker for the duration... I like your idea with keeping them in the foil longer AND adding liquid to the foil as well. Next time I will try 2 hours smoked, 2 1/2 hours in foil and then 30 min out. You mention bumping up the temp, could you elaborate a little more on this piece? I would normally have them at 225 before wrapping them in foil... what temp would you recommend going up to and at what intervals?

Thanks again... and any other input is welcome!


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## Chuck Smith

Well when I finish them in the oven. I keep moving up the temp every 1/2 hour to 45 mins. first at 250, then 275, then 325, then finishing them at 350.

But if you are keeping them on the smoker. Start at 225 (adding the smoke for 2 hours or so). Then when you wrap them in the foil bump up the temp to 250....then every 45 mins move the temp up another 50 degrees....ending at 350. Let them go for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Then when you add the sauce for the last 30 mins keep the temp up at 350. So total cooking time should be around 5 hours. 2 hours smoke.... 2 1/2 wrapped in foil.... 30 mins with sauce at the end.

Experiment with the temp control and time. Because if you are in a colder environment (Midwest in the winter). You will need to keep them on longer.

Good luck.


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## MolaRam

Alright I will give this a shot.

Thanks again!


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