MASON-DIXON BUNCH 2013 FALL RALLY

[sleepyT]

Aileen
If Disney has a brochure with a numbered campground map, I would, and I am sure Stan would also be very thankfull if you would bring that with you to the M/D rally.

Stan
If you are thinking of going next year you need to make reservations now for any of the BETTER restaurants at Disney. We did not when we went a couple of years ago, and found out the hard way, you just don't call the day before, or stand in line. Edited by: sleepyT

[anaro]

the campsite map is just loop numbers not campsite numbers but if you watch the loop videos on fortfiends you can get an idea. Also the fiends can give you lots of suggestions on good campsites.

[CruiserJoe]

Made it back home after 32 days, now to get ready for Misty Mountain. Put over 2800 miles on the new Blue Ridge.

[sleepyT]

Originally Posted by CruiserJoe

Made it back home after 32 days, now to get ready for Misty Mountain. Put over 2800 miles on the new Blue Ridge.

Joe
What floorplan did you get and congrats again on the new 5er.

[anaro]

wait joe, when did you trade the cruiser for the blue ridge. where are the pics? congrats. may it bring you many happy camping trips!

[CruiserJoe]

We got the 3025RL with rear living area and kitchen island, auto leveling sys and electric awning. Going into the dealer next week to take care of the "weowe" list but so far most everything working out great.

[anaro]

it looks nice. Hope they get that we owe list fixed quickly.My truck is spending the weekend at the dealership. The engine was acting up coming home from disney. Hope it's fixable under my extended warranty..... current thinking s turbo or injectors.on a brighter note Anthony practiced smoking ribs today. We got the rub right but still working on getting them tender enough.

[seabee]

hmmm...our cruiser is getting mighty lonely, Joe.

congrats on the new camper.

[sleepyT]

Originally Posted by seabee

hmmm...our cruiser is getting mighty lonely, Joe.
congrats on the new camper.

Yeah Walt...You Rick & Ken are the last with the old style Cruisers. Plus pretty soon the SOB's are going to out number the CR campers.

[sola123]

Aileen......low and slow with the ribs....takes about 5 hours total....3 - 1/2 then cover for about 1-1/2 - 2. With apple juice in the pan and BBQ sauce on the ribs..?..they will fall off the bone after that and be juicy....

[anaro]

Stan we did the 3-2-1 method at 225 degrees. 3 hrs uncovered, 2 hrs covered , 1 hr uncovered. We used a charcoal indirect smoker and apple wood, we rubbed them with mustard, a rub we made and then brown sugar and let them sit overnight.We spritzed them with apple juice throughout cooking. They weren't dry just not quite fall off bone. it was about a 4 and half lb rack of spare ribs. The rub was flavorful enough to not even need BBQ sauce. gonna have the leftovers for dinner tomorrow.

[RKamperRV]

Make sure the ribs you get are well marbled with fat. Too lean = too dry.

[sola123]

Aileen,When you cover the ribs, be sure to put in about 8 -12 oz of apple juice in the pan, coat the ribs with a light BBQ sauce if you want, we do or we use apple butter.....cover well and then we turn up the heat to around 275....Do not uncover to spritz...let them be...in 1 1/2 - 2 hours they should be falling off the bone, juicy and sweet....your rub sounds good, I do not spritz with anything....every time you open to spritz them you are losing heat...lots of heat....

That's just the way we do it....but remember we are amateur smokers....

[anaro]

good to know. we will try again at the rally with all you experienced amateurs.

[Tim D]

Cook em slow and leave the smoker shut! Hard to do, I know.

[RKamperRV]

When I do ribs or chicken, I use a dry rub or marinade overnight. Most times I do chicken I use no rub or marinade at all. Once the meat is in the smoker I never open it. I use beer orwine, water, and seasonings in the water pan. Once the meat comes out of the smoker I typically offer 3 or 4 sauces of diferent flavors for the consumer to add as desired. This is the method most commonly used in the SW USA.

[anaro]

what water pan? is the meat in it or are you talking the smoker box for the wood? we set the meat directly on the metal grill rack.

[RKamperRV]

Originally Posted by anaro

what water pan? is the meat in it or are you talking the smoker box for the wood? we set the meat directly on the metal grill rack.

What does your smoker look like? As far as I know, all indirect heat smokers have a water pan. Mine is a vertical barrel type with the fire pan on the bottom, the water pan suspended above the fire, then 2 racks of meat. Water, beer, seasonings, etc. go in the water pan. Wet wood chips or chunks on the fire make the smoke. The fire makes the water boil, creating steam. The steam cooks the meat and condenses on the top lid, causing the condensed water to dip back down on the meat.

Horizontal smokers have the fire box on the side. Heat travels from the fire box, under the water pan, and exits thru the smoke stack at the other end. Meat is on rack(s) above the water pan.

There is also a horizontal reverse flow smoker. The fire box and smoke stack are on the same end. Heat travels under the water pan to the opposite end, back toward the fire box across the meat racks, exiting thru the stack on the originating end.

Smoking is always an indirect, low heat process, never done directly over the heat source like a grill.

Edited by: RKamperRV

[anaro]

ours is like this one. The water pan is new to us. We will try that next time with the apple juice in itEdited by: anaro

[RKamperRV]

Originally Posted by anaro

ours is like this one. The water pan is new to us. We will try that next time with the apple juice in it

Hmmm...it appears that it does not come with a water pan. You could put an aluminium foil pan (or 2) on top of the fire grates in the smoking chamber. I recommend pre heating the liquid before putting in the pan. I usually put 3 cans of beer in my water pan and fill the rest with boiling water. Your smoker is the 2nd type I listed in my last post. The water really evens out the cooking heat and acts as a "self baster" for the meat. If you maintain a temp between 225 and 275 it will smoke very nicely.

Of course, I could just be "blowing smoke"! I am only familiar with the smokers I have seen or used. A friend just spent a $1,000 on a smoker (normally $4500) that is the reverse flow model and it has a permanent, welded-in water pan. He had your type before.
Edited by: RKamperRV