We arrived at Van Meter this morning to discover that our pit that we dug over the weekend had collapsed due to the rain. All the walls had caved inwards, leaving soil and bricks where the firewood was supposed to go. Not to be disheartened, the crew rushed to the rescue and saved the pit! After just 30 minutes the fire was started with the kindling we picked up yesterday and firewood that we had spent the morning chopping. We tended the fire to a steady burn and left the wood to break down in the pit. Our ribs that were prepped from yesterday with the rub were put inside the smoker to smoke for a few hours, low and slow. While waiting for the ribs to smoke, we made and enjoyed three different salsas, Roasted Tomato Salsa, Salsa Verde, and Salsa Macha.
Still waiting for the ribs to smoke, we took to the Van Meter kitchen and make barbeque sauce for the coming lunch. Once the sauce was done, we took the ribs off the smoker and wrapped them in foil (also doing a quick taste test); the foil should insulate the ribs and hold in the juices for their final hour of smoking. With the ribs re-racked, we went off to lunch.
Coming back from lunch, we smelled the ribs and knew our succulent feast was nigh. Before we could enjoy them however, a few of us went back to the Van Meter kitchen to begin making corn tortillas for tomorrow’s tacos and salting the lamb we’d be smoking in the pit later. After about half-an-hour, the ribs were ready. Slathering them in our homemade BBQ sauce, our group came together around the pit and enjoyed several racks of delicious baby back ribs.
To close the day, to went back to the pit and broke up the few logs still smoldering. With the wood at a low burn, we laid bricks and grill grates over the embers before laying the foil-wrapped lamb on top of our makeshift grill. Covering the pit with plywood and dirt, we’ll leave the lamb to smoke overnight, awaiting our luxurious, succulent delicacy on the morrow.
