A Very Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas all.

For Christmas I fired up the smoker for the traditional smoked turkey and tried some new things. I made ribs and moink balls.


I have only made ribs at competitions and one other time so I had some fear for making them for family. My fears were unjustified though. I used the 3-1-1 method and the ribs were awesome.

What is the 3-1-1 method you ask? Well... After putting the rub on the ribs and they get all happy (the rub brings the juices to the surface giving the ribs a nice red sheen), put them on the cooker for three hours with the temp between 225°-250°. After the three hours remove the ribs, pour some liquid over them (soda, beer, etc. I used Granny Smith Woodchuck Cider) and wrap them in foil. The ribs go back on the cooker foil wrapped for another hour.


After that hour pull them off and baste them with your favorite BBQ sauce and put them back on for another hour. Once they are on for the hour they should be ready to eat. You can re-sauce them or eat them as is.

The moink balls are something I have heard many BBQers talk about but had never experienced. Everyone who had them loved them. One friend said, "They're like mini-cheeseburgers without the cheese."

Moink balls are named such because of the main ingredients in them, beef and pork. Making them is really simple. Purchase a bag of frozen meatballs and a pack of bacon.






Let the meatballs thaw out enough so you can put a toothpick through it. Take each meatball and wrap a half strip of bacon around it then stick a toothpick through it to hold it together.





After they are made sprinkle liberally with your favorite rub. After they are rubbed put them on your 225° smoker and let them cook for about 2 hours or until the bacon is done. Then baste with your favorite BBQ sauce. Let cook for another 15 minutes and take off and serve.


These little meatballs pack a huge flavor punch and are very yummy.

Enjoy these and try some out for New Years!