Backyard BBQ -- yum!

[SVT10th]

Over the weekend I smoked a whole mess of ribs and brisket for my daughter's HS graduation party. Had about 20 people -- family and her friends.

First up -- got up at 5am to fire up the offset smoker for the brisket.
http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa52/langod/BBQ/530am_zps4f1e11f6.jpg

Had one big brisket -- about 9 lbs -- cut it into 3 pieces for easier handling and faster (hopefully) cooking.
Got it on by about quarter of 6
http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa52/langod/BBQ/putonthebrisket_zpsf44dc007.jpg

Let that go for a while and around 9am started setting up the weber kettle as a smoker for the ribs. I use the Minion snake method. But this time, I made my kettle into a sort of homemade "Smokey Mountain" vertical smoker. I saw something like this for sale for about $60. I made this for less than $10. (not including the thermometer which I already owned)
http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa52/langod/BBQ/homemadewebersmoker_zps5f97059d.jpg

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa52/langod/BBQ/SetupTheWeber-minion_snake_zpsc9fb147f.jpg

[SVT10th]

Assembled with the water tray. Umm... That's actually apple juice in the tray, in case anyone is worried....
http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa52/langod/BBQ/homemadeinterior_zps0c18d056.jpg

Got the ribs going by 10am
http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa52/langod/BBQ/putontheribs_zps9d91f427.jpg

Brisket after 7 hours, ribs after 3.
http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa52/langod/BBQ/brisket7hours_zps3afe0748.jpg

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa52/langod/BBQ/ribs3hours_zps68331423.jpg

[SVT10th]

And the final delicious products. Brisket went for 10 hours, ribs for 6. They probably each could have gone for another hour to be more tender, but they were very good. I generally like my ribs just abut falling off the bone, these weren't quite there. The brisket was up to about 192-195°, so I think another hour would've gotten them to the magic 200°.
http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa52/langod/BBQ/Brisket_zps681362e1.jpg

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa52/langod/BBQ/ribs_zpsc4353559.jpg

All in all, was very successful, and everyone loved the food! And that is the point, right? Plus my backyard-engineered vertical smoker worked great!

And some Happy Graduates. Mine is the one on the left with the blue strip in her hair.
http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa52/langod/BBQ/4musketeers_zps06a7b454.jpg

[ToplessPony94]

Jim, congrats on a successful feast! And a hearty congratulations and well done to the graduates!

[chachee52]

Looks good Jim. You'll have to make some for the club picnic. Thanks for volunteering!

[SVT10th]

sure thing. You get there at 5am and fire up the smokers. I'll be along....

[TorchredSVT]

nice Jim, that's awesome!!

There is a new BBQ place that just opened up in Tyngsboro, Bentley's best...I absolutely cannot WAIT to try it

[chachee52]

sure thing. You get there at 5am and fire up the smokers. I'll be along....

Yup, I got tons of pine wood to burn in my back yard and if I get around to it, got a bunch of ash to cut up and burn too. But the pine would taste better.......... its been aged :p

[chachee52]

nice Jim, that's awesome!!

There is a new BBQ place that just opened up in Tyngsboro, Bentley's best...I absolutely cannot WAIT to try it

Just noticed that this weekend. Opened up on Friday. Looks like it was a caterer and now a BBQ place. That building has been like 5 restaurants in the last 4 years. Hope that this place will last, I can almost walk to it!

[TorchredSVT]

yeah, they used to have a trailer and compete at all the local bbq competitions and did alot of catering. We'll see what happens

[Dennis O'Shea]

Looks great Jim I have to go back to My PBJ sandwich