Rib help, please?

Switch your thinking. The times offered aren't followed by anyone who gives them to you. If they cook good ribs they adjust their timing each time they cook ribs. They have learned key indicators to look for to see if the timing needs to be shortened or lengthened. They determine when and if to wrap according to their method. Try to listen to things like the bend test and tenderness probing with a toothpick. There is a way to lift a foiled rack to see it bend as well.

321 and 221 are something devised by competition cooks as a guideline for timing their rib turn in. They feel if they give themselves 6 hours for spares they should make turn in. That 3 hours of smoke is loading checking and unloading those ribs. The 2 hours of wrap is the time to pull prep and load the foil with the unload being part of it as well. The 1 hour glazing is the prep and saucing time with the slicing and box building. So using it to make your home food is bad. Thats why so many use 4.5 hours at home. They aren't following a script they are just cooking for themselves and cooking for yourself is a lot different than cooking for 24 judges.
 
Thanks to all for suggestions!

Just bought 3 racks of St. Louis cut at Kroger. They only had 2 of the regular variety. The third is their "natural pork", double the price per pound. Assuming I don't screw them up again, will keep an eye on that one to see if there is any discernible difference.

Really liking the 'don't fuss with foil' idea and will run with that.

Usually make my own rub. Works great on butts and brisket but now realize I've probably been using too much on ribs. Going to take my rub out of the equation tomorrow.

Only have a couple store bought rubs. One is a locally branded Italian rub...great on chicken but I don't want to use it for ribs. The other is Classic BBQ Rub from GFS under the label Trade East. Also have Trade East Canadian Steak Seasoning. By label, the BBQ rub and steak seasoning have the same ingredients except the rub is finer and adds turbinado sugar, chili powder, and paprika. Leaning toward the rub but still considering the steak seasoning and maybe adding a little turbinado to it.

275° mentioned many times. Seems a little hot for non-foiled ribs but I've botched all previous attempts and will give it a try.

Water pan for moisture?

At what time should I start checking for bend?
 
For st. Louis ribs @ id say about 4 hrs, maybe check on them @ 3.5.hes to be safe.

I do like to spritz naked ribs to keep my color right but remember it will add time to the cook. I dont even think about it for the first 2 hrs and no more than 3 or 4 times max during cook.
 
food4thot said:
Thanks to all for suggestions!

Just bought 3 racks of St. Louis cut at Kroger. They only had 2 of the regular variety. The third is their "natural pork", double the price per pound. Assuming I don't screw them up again, will keep an eye on that one to see if there is any discernible difference.

Really liking the 'don't fuss with foil' idea and will run with that.

Usually make my own rub. Works great on butts and brisket but now realize I've probably been using too much on ribs. Going to take my rub out of the equation tomorrow.

Only have a couple store bought rubs. One is a locally branded Italian rub...great on chicken but I don't want to use it for ribs. The other is Classic BBQ Rub from GFS under the label Trade East. Also have Trade East Canadian Steak Seasoning. By label, the BBQ rub and steak seasoning have the same ingredients except the rub is finer and adds turbinado sugar, chili powder, and paprika. Leaning toward the rub but still considering the steak seasoning and maybe adding a little turbinado to it.

275° mentioned many times. Seems a little hot for non-foiled ribs but I've botched all previous attempts and will give it a try.

Water pan for moisture?

At what time should I start checking for bend?
Click to expand...

Reads like you're on the right track. If you're cooking on the kettle don't get caught up on exact temps, it's more a feel thing, but if I had to give a number 275 is about right for St. Louis. I like a little more heat with babybacks. Cooks adjust stove burners, so think the same way with your vents.

I like water pans for these type of cooks (kettle) if for anything to catch drippings and maybe a spritz of apple cider vinegar a couple hours into the cook if the ribs look a little dry.

Check for the bend when the bones start to poke out around 1/4 inch.
 
food4thot said:
Thanks to all for suggestions!

Just bought 3 racks of St. Louis cut at Kroger. They only had 2 of the regular variety. The third is their "natural pork", double the price per pound. Assuming I don't screw them up again, will keep an eye on that one to see if there is any discernible difference.

Really liking the 'don't fuss with foil' idea and will run with that.

Usually make my own rub. Works great on butts and brisket but now realize I've probably been using too much on ribs. Going to take my rub out of the equation tomorrow.

Only have a couple store bought rubs. One is a locally branded Italian rub...great on chicken but I don't want to use it for ribs. The other is Classic BBQ Rub from GFS under the label Trade East. Also have Trade East Canadian Steak Seasoning. By label, the BBQ rub and steak seasoning have the same ingredients except the rub is finer and adds turbinado sugar, chili powder, and paprika. Leaning toward the rub but still considering the steak seasoning and maybe adding a little turbinado to it.

275° mentioned many times. Seems a little hot for non-foiled ribs but I've botched all previous attempts and will give it a try.

Water pan for moisture?

At what time should I start checking for bend?
Click to expand...

275 is a great temp.

All that I would say is:

Over seasoning and over smoking ribs is easy to do. Try leaving salt out of your rub if you make your own and find ribs salty.

Instead, sprinkle kosher salt over the ribs (easier to see how much is going on).
Then your rub (same deal). Just makes it easier to get a feeling for what exactly is going on.

Go conservative on the smoke.

Pit going at 275, throw them on.

Screw the foil, the 22321563 or whatever.

Let them go until done, whatever test you fancy, bend until bark cracks and meat seems to almost fall away/toothpick etc...

The only other thing to look for is bark. If the bark is where you want it before they are done, then just drape some foil over them as they continue. No wrapping.

On longer/lower cooks, bark can get...well...like bark. Shorter cooks like 275+, not so much.

in my experience.
 
Just realized these three won't all fit flat full slab on the 18.5 top rack. Have never used the lower rack and not sure of temp differential.

Pick one of the following options or suggest another:

1) go get a rib rack
2) rotate them between top & bottom racks
3) part them out to fit on top rack
4)"don't worry about it, ribiot"
 
Since not sure of temps, rib rack it unless you like the idea of shuffling ribs between two levels of grate and all that BS.

For another time, try experimenting with a hanging rack in the wsm. Never done that, but maybe an option for another time since I wouldn't do it as a first when it counts.
 
food4thot said:
Just realized these three won't all fit flat full slab on the 18.5 top rack. Have never used the lower rack and not sure of temp differential.

Pick one of the following options or suggest another:

1) go get a rib rack
2) rotate them between top & bottom racks
3) part them out to fit on top rack
4)"don't worry about it, ribiot"
Click to expand...

Maybe run a test. I remember the bottom being a bit cooler (25°) so try wrapping that one to see the difference.

Or just go with options 1 or 2
 
Food4thot,

Keep cooking, my friend! Practice practice practice and you'll get better and better.

I've cooked St. Louis Cut Spares on my 22.5 WSM's about 50 times in the past 2 years. And I can't cook enough of them to satisfy my friends.
Never wrapped a rib.
Usually use Meathead's Memphis dust, a heavier application than some.
Use KBB with apply/cherry/peach chunks.
I'll cook em at 225 for 6 hours.
Put em in cold, and if I don't have water in the beginning, I'll add water halfway through.
I'm usually cooking several racks, using a rib rack to stand them up.
Bottom rack works fine, it is 25 degrees cooler most of the time, so I will sometimes leave them in a bit longer.

The Prep Station:
_rUunknr9CuEcbvZ3CDKN2dK2AIejPijX_HVJMHqmg8=w1242-h931-no


In the racks, about 2/3's through the cook:
IfAPRUCtY-g3821375bYhdHQr84qIlOjRlhzUBYxWJ4=w1242-h931-no


At the cutting board
jyUMpB3TAUqQMaf2N7cy5-H5XbrPH2cjETGH1neo7P0=w1242-h931-no


Keep cooking!
 
food4thot said:
Just realized these three won't all fit flat full slab on the 18.5 top rack. Have never used the lower rack and not sure of temp differential.

Pick one of the following options or suggest another:

1) go get a rib rack
2) rotate them between top & bottom racks
3) part them out to fit on top rack
4)"don't worry about it, ribiot"
Click to expand...


For a learning experience, go with option #4 and treat each rack of ribs individually. I.e. leave it on until it's done. There is no rule that says all the racks will definitely be ready at the same time.
 
Bludawg said:
just cook 'em neked until they pass the bend test and don't be so heavy handed with the shaker
Click to expand...

I even get heavy-handed with the shaker, but.......just cook.....coals, wood, no piddlin', 260~275 until they're ready....just cook, no piddlin'...........

Pork on one....

April22BeefPorkRibs003.jpg


Beef on the other....

April22BeefPorkRibs010.jpg


Same set, same heat, same rub (Ron's In the House, applied no oil or other mustards, gravies, etc.) Beefs a little longer.....

April22BeefPorkRibs013.jpg


Shoulda got some better & bite pics on these, for demo purposes......
 
Ended up using just light shakes of both the BBQ rub and the steak seasoning and didn't actually rub them at all.

Filled the water pan. The "natural pork" slab was a pound lighter than the other two so I put it on the lower rack and left it there the entire time. Got the WSM running at 260-285 (top grate) for about 3 hours and then it started raining like hell. So bad that I had to move my monitor inside the garage and close the door with the cable going under it and out to the smoker. Temp dropped to 225 for a while and never got higher than 265 the rest of the cook.

Only checked for bend a couple times after 4 hours. Sauced them with KCM at 5½ hours and took them off after 6.

https://flic.kr/p/tTZSLz
https://flic.kr/p/tRx1eG

By far the best ribs I've done in the smoker. The natural pork slab was done a little more as the meat pretty much fell off the bone. Beside that, not really any different from the other two.

Again, would like to thank all for advice. These ribs were not perfect but were much, much better than previous attempts. Expect future ribs will get better from lessons learned.
 
food4thot said:
Ended up using just light shakes of both the BBQ rub and the steak seasoning and didn't actually rub them at all.

Filled the water pan. The "natural pork" slab was a pound lighter than the other two so I put it on the lower rack and left it there the entire time. Got the WSM running at 260-285 (top grate) for about 3 hours and then it started raining like hell. So bad that I had to move my monitor inside the garage and close the door with the cable going under it and out to the smoker. Temp dropped to 225 for a while and never got higher than 265 the rest of the cook.

Only checked for bend a couple times after 4 hours. Sauced them with KCM at 5½ hours and took them off after 6.




By far the best ribs I've done in the smoker. The natural pork slab was done a little more as the meat pretty much fell off the bone. Beside that, not really any different from the other two.

Again, would like to thank all for advice. These ribs were not perfect but were much, much better than previous attempts. Expect future ribs will get better from lessons learned.
Click to expand...

The bottom rack is always hotter so rotate your racks. Or be prepared to eat some snack ribs as appetizers :becky:

I would consider KC masterpiece more of a finishing sauce. I would try not to cook it only warm it. It is very sweet and can burn if cooked. It looks as though your ribs might have had a bit of a burned sugar taste. You will find a slightly salty and low sugar rub will be your best friend. Let the meat do the talking and let the eaters put the sauce on for themselves. You will come to find that bottle of sauce lasts a long time. Nekkid racks are the best. A wonderfully seasoned tender rack. No sauce needed. Now if you wrap there are some great concoctions you can use.

They make their own sauce really. Donnie always called it pig honey. I have chased, and found, the elusive pig honey and it was grand. You will have to search the thread out. Its probably archived. I remember him referring to a particular plane in the post. There was an airforce base and they flew a particular plane. LOL the things you remember. But he describes the pig honey in detail.
 
Bludawg said:
just cook 'em neked until they pass the bend test and don't be so heavy handed with the shaker
Click to expand...


I do the same thing now. Once they're on I don't check until about 2 hours in and then about 3 hours in they usually pass the test. I cook at 275-300 now so everything finishes faster. No foil needed anymore.
 
Ribs gave me some fits early on as well, my last cook was probably my best effort. These were done Sunday, cooking more this weekend!




 
Skip said:
The bottom rack is always hotter so rotate your racks. Or be prepared to eat some snack ribs as appetizers :becky:

I would consider KC masterpiece more of a finishing sauce. I would try not to cook it only warm it. It is very sweet and can burn if cooked. It looks as though your ribs might have had a bit of a burned sugar taste. You will find a slightly salty and low sugar rub will be your best friend. Let the meat do the talking and let the eaters put the sauce on for themselves. You will come to find that bottle of sauce lasts a long time. Nekkid racks are the best. A wonderfully seasoned tender rack. No sauce needed. Now if you wrap there are some great concoctions you can use.

They make their own sauce really. Donnie always called it pig honey. I have chased, and found, the elusive pig honey and it was grand. You will have to search the thread out. Its probably archived. I remember him referring to a particular plane in the post. There was an airforce base and they flew a particular plane. LOL the things you remember. But he describes the pig honey in detail.
Click to expand...
Some of the advice led me to believe the lower rack was actually cooler, which made sense to me since the top grate probe had generally read 20° hotter than the lid thermometer many times. Regardless, the slab on the lower rack was done more than the two on top...maybe because it weighed less? Maybe not? Food for thought next time.

Probably over-applied the KCM. Part of that was thinking about how little seasoning they got before putting them in the WSM, compared to what I had done before. Closed all the vents to 1/4 or less open after saucing and let the fire wind down. Though the pics may look dark there was no sugar burn.
 
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