Rib help, please?

food4thot

food4thot

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They have been my nemesis since first trying to smoke them. Baby backs or spares, either in the Brinkmann or the WSM. They never come out to my satisfaction. Sometimes dry and tough. Sometimes over seasoned. Spares have been unpleasantly over fatty (maybe they just were lousy cuts). Have tried 2-2-1.

Have done babys covered in the oven and finished them on the grill that came out great, but I just can't get them right in the smoke.

On a mission to get them right this weekend and looking for sound advice on everything.
 
what temp are you cooking at doing the 2-2-1 method?

I cook at 275 and cook 2.5-1.5-.5 and check with a toothpick after unwrapping on my WSMs

EDIT: This is for spares
 
I was with you until this past weekend when I finally had a successful (to my standards) rib cook. I found that the 2-2-1 method was too long for baby backs (haven't tried spares). I had the BGE going at 260/275 during the cook, and I let them cook for 2 hours, foiled them for about 45 minutes. Then put them back on the Egg for about 30 minutes or so after being sauced, and they turned out well. I hope this helps.
 
221 is way over on time if your temps are anywhere 250-275.
I do the flop test with my tongs.
Sometimes I wrap. Usually I dont. If I do it's because if got company drooling down my neck and the ribs are just little too tight for whatever reason.
Try wrapping if tenderness is getting away from you.
If I wrap I sprinkle a little brown sugar, squeeze butter and honey with some of my spicy rub on the foil, place the ribs meat down and repeat on the back. Wrap tightly to preserve bark and learn to go by feel. Usually I only need them to stay wrapped 30 minutes but some times longer; then 10-15 unwrapped to set the bark and juices again.
I flop test until tender but never falling off the bone.
 
3-2-1 is for spares cooked at 225. I think that method ruins more ribs than anything.

Start easy - Rub and smoke uncovered until you can stab a toothpick between the bones with no resistance. No moving them around, foiling, all this other nonsense.. It just makes something easy more complicated. I used to do all the bells and whistles, but I like them better just seasoned and smoked, honestly.. If you need rub recommendations, Simply Marvelous Spicy Apple, Pecan, or sweet and spicy are all excellent on ribs. I have even found myself adding a second sprinkling about half way through. If you want to make your own rub, Meathead's Memphis Dust is an excellent rub for some sweet ribs. I usually add HDD or some Cayenne for a little kick.. hope this helps
 
I would first trying without foil and just burn clean after you get smoke on them. That will give you a nice base to work from. Then you can try different times, temps, and techniques (like foiling) to see how you like them. The coolest thing about BBQ IMO is that you can make it a ton of different ways and make it "yours".
 
At 250,I do 4 hrs,wrap for 1 hr,unwrap and glaze for 15-20 min's at reduced temps. I use Oakridge Dominator with just a dusting of Montreal Steak. I get all kinds of compliments on my ribs. Try it,you might like it.
 
Is it flavor AND texture or is it just texture?

If there is a problem with your flavor it could be your rub or you may prefer the flavor of low and slow DIRECT cooked ribs.
 
Shagdog said:
3-2-1 is for spares cooked at 225. I think that method ruins more ribs than anything.

Start easy - Rub and smoke uncovered until you can stab a toothpick between the bones with no resistance. No moving them around, foiling, all this other nonsense.. It just makes something easy more complicated. I used to do all the bells and whistles, but I like them better just seasoned and smoked, honestly.. If you need rub recommendations, Simply Marvelous Spicy Apple, Pecan, or sweet and spicy are all excellent on ribs. I have even found myself adding a second sprinkling about half way through. If you want to make your own rub, Meathead's Memphis Dust is an excellent rub for some sweet ribs. I usually add HDD or some Cayenne for a little kick.. hope this helps
Click to expand...


Yep yep. Very important details that seem to get lost. 321 is for Spares @ 225ish. 211 is for Bbacks @225ish. Both timings are meant as a guideline and might need to be adjusted on account of varying chamber temps or size/thickness/weight of the ribs.
 
I can't agree more about the 3-2-1 killing ribs. 6 hours on Babybacks? "Ged-outta-ear."

If you're worried about dry ribs try a short brine before the cook. As you progress on your cooks you'll probably not need to brine.

Babybacks on your Weber Performer should be an easy cook. Lighten up on the seasoning, go indirect and cook at a little hotter temp than the general interwebz advice. Cook until they're done (usually a couple hours or less) with no need to wrap, except for maybe the rest.
 
I too have had issues with ribs. Didnt matter if they were baby backs or spares. They never came out good, mainly overcooked due to wrapping.
I cooked a rack of saint louis spares this weekend. Did not wrap. Cooked at 250 for approx 4 hrs using wood pellets in an a mazen smoker. Spritzed a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water at the 3.5 hr mark.
THese were the best I cooked. They were tender, had a nice smoke ring and they were not dry or over-cooked. Could have had a bit more smoke but they were good.
For the rub, I used salt, pepper, garlic, onion, brown sugar, chili powder, cayenne and tomato powder.
 
I consider myself a decent rib cook. The first thing id suggest, as did others, is remove all the tricks. Just roasr til done. I recommend 275 as a cook temp for ribs.

If thats too boring you can try this

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=197680

I have some other ways of doing them without wrapping, using a spritz to add flavor, but again its best to start simple. About a year and a half ago i stripped my methods down to basics and built it back up from scratch. My Q is much better because of that.

Your not but a few miles from me, we could get together and see whats up. Be warned though i live in a chit hole
 
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