Don't get me wrong, they won't suck with the mesquite, I just usually use that wood for beef. I love the hickory for the ribs.
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Got the hickory and the grill is heating up. Should I put the ribs meat side up or meat side down for the first few hours?
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I do it meat side up for 2 hrs. Down for 2 hrs. and the final hour up. Indirect heat.
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Low & slow I would suggest putting your sauce on the last 15 minutes. Enjoy!
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I like hickory smoke, but for the spices I use it is alomost to mild IMO. Gets lots in the pepper and red spices. The mesquite stands out a bit more. I keep the hickory and applewood for the times I don't do a rub and I'm just going for a lighter smoke and seasoning. Only used the applewood once.... sorta different.
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Do you have a BBQ's Galore? They have ANY smoking wood your heart desires.
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I try not to kill my ribs with a complex rub or a spicy one although I have had some that are delicious. I use some brown or turbinado sugar, garlic, onion powder, paprika, a bit of cayenne and salt and pepper. Nothing that's going to overwhelm the meat which is why I don't sauce my ribs either. I will put sauce out to accomodate those who enjoy it but I basically want to enhance the flavors of the rib with my rub and let the smoke come through. Tasty stuff......tasty stuff.
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I agree, although growing up in LA (that's Louisiana for you lost souls), I like my food to fight back a little. That's why I run with the mesquite. Plus I have an Aunt in Texas that gets it "fresh" when she cuts a tree down, delivers it to my Mom in Bama, and then I get it home here in VA.

Closest I come to using a sauce is my bourbon sauce.... Bourbon makes it all better :-) :-)
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Nearing the 2hr flipping mark. Should I base them with the marinade I put together (cinnamon, apple juice, apple cidar vinegar, a little garlic, minced onion, and some other random stuff), put any more rub on them, or just flip em and let em be?

Pictures to follow in about 20 min.
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Also, when I add more chips, should I stick with the hickory or throw a little mesquite in there? Should I soak the chips in a little water or no?
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I'm with you, I put some bourbon or single malt scotch in my sauces.
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I don't see any thing in your marinade that will burn, so your good to go. The thick commercial type stuff will burn and be nasty if put on too early. Hmmm cinnamon, new for me on meat, your gonna have to post a review.


I only use soaked/wet chips. The smolder and produce more smoke that way. Also, last longer getting a bit more value out of them.
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Volt,

Should I stick with the hickory or toss in a mix of hickory and mesquite?
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A lot of that is personal taste, so hard to recommend... Sorta like a Olivao Bold or an Oliva V Maduro - both tasty. :-)

If you not familiar with mesquite and it's profile and since this is your first go, run with the hickory. More people are used to it's flavors.
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:-)

Hickory is a safe bet always, especially for a new guy who may not be accustomed to the rich smokey flavors some woods can produce on the meat.
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I would soak the chips, you could use mesquite I guess, it won't hurt. Also, basting is up to you, I make my ribs dry and as stated, usually have a pan or something to create moist heat. If you wish to baste, I would use the marinade but not for basting in the last 15 minutes or so. Raw meat sat in your marinade and if you apply it back to the cooked meat, you risk getting ill. If you baste early on in the game, the bacteria will dissapate as the temp climbs but if you baste and pull off the grill 15 minutes later or so, you're gambling in my opinion. You may also put on more rub but i typically do not. I prep my meat 2 days in advance and once it hits the smoker, it is untouched for the rest of the time. If you want, perhaps just baste with the apple juice, nothing else. I am trying to find pics of my ribs that I posted here once, I'll keep looking. ENJOY!!
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And they're flipped. Only problem I ran into was the chips were black, but no smoke was coming off, so I filled it back up with soaked chips. Should I be checking on the chips more often?
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Check them when you stop seeing large plumes of smoke and then change the chips.
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After two hours I wouldn't worry about any more smoke... they have absorbed about all they are going to absorb.

Next time try not soaking the chips and using chunks of wood. You really don't want to see white smoke. It should be very wispy and bluish ideally.

You will notice a marked difference in the taste.
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The chips may need a little more heat... BTW, the meat will still cook for approx 10 to 15 min after you pull them off the grill. They should rest for those 15 min before pulling or cutting. This is especially true for brisketts, london broils, etc. Resting allows the juices to sink back to the interior of the meat and not run out to the plate.
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