What did I do wrong?

[phatj]

If there already exists a thread for this purpose, please feel free to merge this with it. I couldn't find one.

If you make a dish that turns out all wrong, despite following the recipe to a "T" or using previously-successful methods, post your story here. Hopefully the eGullet culinary wizards can help.

I'll start: tonight I smoked pork spareribs, one of my favorite meals of all time. I've done these successfully a few times in the past. My method is as follows: remove membrane from back of ribs; rub with spice mixture; wrap and refrigerate for ~24 hours; put soaked wood chips in aluminum trays directly on the burner baffle on one side of the grill; heat with the one burner on high until chips are smoking, then turn heat down and put the meat on the other side; watch temp to keep it between 200-250F and replenish wood chips as necessary; remove ribs after ~4 hours.

Tonight, they turned out really, really boring. Tender enough, but very little smoke flavor, and even the crusty outer bits were lacking in flavor, despite the rub.

My rub:

~2 T paprika

~1 T ground cumin

~1 T table salt

~1 t garlic powder

~1 t freshly-ground black pepper

~1 t ground thyme

~1 t ancho chili powder

~1/2 t cayenne powder

In one previous attempt, I had a lack of smoky taste, but the ribs were flavorful overall. I attributed the lack of smokiness at the time to the fact that I just had one pan of wood chips that didn't even burn through in four hours. This time, I had to replenish the wood five or six times, so there was plenty of smoke. The only thing I can think of is that it was pretty windy, and at times I could see a lot of smoke pouring out of the holes in the sides of the grill.

Aside from the smoke problem, they seemed underseasoned overall. I'll probably use more salt next time, but otherwise I think my rub should be fine.

Thoughts?

[david coonce]

You're using a gas grill? That's the problem. Buy a smoker (mine cost 45 bucks) or a charcoal grill. That's the solution.

[phatj]

You're using a gas grill? That's the problem. Buy a smoker (mine cost 45 bucks) or a charcoal grill. That's the solution.

←

Yeah, I know my setup isn't ideal, but as I said, I've had good results in the past.

[rooftop1000]

Did you get the meat somewhere new? some places are pre-brining their pork....

it was pretty breezy in NJ yesterday how about PA? may have affected the smoke....

be carefull when you turn the grill back on I set one on fire from all the melted pork fat

tracey

[phatj]

The pork definitely wasn't pre-brined, as it ended up tasting under-seasoned.

I've run into the flareups from pork fat in the past; now I put a disposable aluminum lasagne pan under the grate where the ribs or whatever sit to catch the fat.

[stephle]

I don't know if you were looking for input on the spices you used (and I'm certainly no BBQ guru but wouldn't adding a little extra garlic powder -- maybe up to 1 Tablespoon and some sugar -- again ~1 Tablespoon punch this up a little?

Seems like you need more garlic for zest and the sugar for the carmelized complexity it'd bring to the party?

Regardless, it all sounds yummy! I think I'm going to need to haul out the Weber tonight

[judiu]

Perhaps you could use the smoked paprika that has recently become available, instead of the "plain old" ?

[phatj]

Sugar! I definitely should have put some brown sugar in the rub. More garlic powder would have been good too.

I'm becoming convinced the wind last night was largely to blame for the lack of smokiness. Today I smoked kielbasa and some chicken legs, and both turned out yummy, with great smoke flavor. There's much less wind today.