%^*~#! Ribs!

[Teleking]

Nope. Akorn.

Cook thread:
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=210310

Shocked that there is not one speck of smoke ring at all. Not even remotely pink. Not that it matters but those look like oven ribs.

 

[rookiedad]

yep! baby backs at 275* for three hours to three and a half hours. no foil. babys are lean so your not trying to break down connective tissue, your just trying to cook the meat. three hours will give you nice color without having to wrap. i would give it a spritz once your rub has set, about two hours. you could sauce and set for fifteen minutes more if you want.

 

[Decoy205]

Shocked that there is not one speck of smoke ring at all. Not even remotely pink. Not that it matters but those look like oven ribs.

The funny thing is there is smoke flavor. That's the one thing I don't get about the cooker so far. I get a good smokey flavor if I use a few wood chunks but I never get a ring.

 

[Biloxidman]

I always do loin backs and follow the same procedure and they come out great. Big Joe likes to run 275-300 so when it hits that I put 2 chunks of mesquite, 2 chunks of hickory, put in the deflector and grill, add the ribs bone side down and let them go for 2 hours. Then I wrap in foil with a 1/2 cup of red wine and back on for an hour. Out of the foil and 1/2 hour for saucing, bone side up for 10 minutes or so then bone side down to sauce the top. Usually done by then and always moist. Good luck!

 

[Zin]

Loin back.

I should have mentioned that too in my original post but I just finished a 5 hour cook and was pissed at the result then started the thread.
David

5 hrs is way to long for loin back ribs...300 for 3-4 hrs max.

 

[LYU370]

The funny thing is there is smoke flavor. That's the one thing I don't get about the cooker so far. I get a good smokey flavor if I use a few wood chunks but I never get a ring.

Eh... Smoke rings are over rated. I could care less if I get one or not. I want moist, juicy and flavorful.

 

[bbqwizard]

Eh... Smoke rings are over rated. I could care less if I get one or not. I want moist, juicy and flavorful.

Agreed! And those look great!

 

[SC_Dave]

Man, I really appreciate you guys chiming in to help me out. I don't mind telling you I was really aggravated when I made the OP. I had just spent 5 hours cooking and the result was less than stellar. I have a system for butts that works for me time and time again, but ribs have cut my behind. I'll get it though. Thanks everyone.
David

 

[fantomlord]

This is how I do mine
pit at 275-300
bones down
pass the bend test
Loin backs 3-3.5 hrs, St Lou's 4-4.5 hrs Full spares 4.5- 5 hrs

^that's how I do ribs...the bend test is the important part--don't cook by time

you're looking for something like this. notice how the bark is starting to crack as they bend:

 

[SC_Dave]

Giving it another go tomorrow!

Thanks for all of the help you guys gave me! I really appreciate it!

I giving it another try tomorrow and this time I'm trying St Louis cut. Really because that all Food Lion had. I trimmed them up tonight.

My pans for tomorrow are:

UDS, Cowboy Lump, 275*

Kosher salt, course black pepper, rub both racks lightly. then on the UDS. After 1-1.5 hrs I'm going to start spritzing periodically with apple juice. Gonna wrap one rack at about 3 hrs with butter, brown sugar and honey. Gonna leave the other rack unwrapped. I'll also start checking for doneness using the bend test also start basting the unwrapped rack with my vinegar based Carolina style sauce. When they pass the bend test I'll pull them and let them rest.........

I want to see which way everybody likes. Both maybe?
David

 

[Bludawg]

The less you fark with 'em the better they are

 

[pwa]

For spares which I place alot in, I go 325, 2hrs smoke, wrap with brown sugar and agave, for about an hour, then back on the smoker for 30 mins unwrapped to firm the bark back up. sauce no sauce all on you but that cooking method works and has never failed me from UDS to offset it works! Good luck

Clint

 

[krex1010]

Here is a method that works and is just about as simple as it gets. Run the ribs indirect at 275 degrees until they pass the bend test. When they pass the bend test they are done and will still be moist. No wrapping, no voodoo, no magic. Just good results. If you pull them just as they pass the bend test, there is almost no way for them to be dry. You can certainly use other methods to get great results, wrapping included. But there is nothing required to get moist ribs except quality meat and not over cooking them.

agreed

 

[Demosthenes9]

SC Dave,

You might try the very basics first. Get your cooker up to 275 or so and just put the ribs in and cook til they are done. Use the bend test and/or the poke test to tell when that is.

Once you learn what the ribs should look and feel like, then start playing around with foiling and all the other tricks.

 

[bonehead762]

Electric smoker??

Hilarious.

 

[IamMadMan]

Sometimes we try too hard and we miss the sight of the simple things...

Change only one thing at a time and you will have a reference point to go back to, changing multiple things in a cook makes it almost impossible to pinpoint one change that was for the good or for the bad.

 

[1buckie]

Just a few considerations.....

I may be cooking too low and expecting them to be tender too soon.

This is a "time" thing.....and an expectation thing....beware of setting up miscalculations without taking everything into consideration.....

new guy opinion, but....

i would suggest trying to adjust 1 step at a time, pick a temp you like? (275 for me) and use that temp as your standard, then decide whether you will be wrapping or not? now you just have dial in your cook times to match your system. might be easier to make 1 or 2 adjustments as you go than to switch it all up everytime.

Not a bad idea.....below i see you're testing on a different rib, different ways, etc......variables.....again, just take those pesky things into account.....

Thanks for all of the help you guys gave me! I really appreciate it!

I giving it another try tomorrow and this time I'm trying St Louis cut. Really because that all Food Lion had. I trimmed them up tonight.

My pans for tomorrow are:

UDS, Cowboy Lump, 275*

Kosher salt, course black pepper, rub both racks lightly. then on the UDS. After 1-1.5 hrs I'm going to start spritzing periodically with apple juice. Gonna wrap one rack at about 3 hrs with butter, brown sugar and honey. Gonna leave the other rack unwrapped. I'll also start checking for doneness using the bend test also start basting the unwrapped rack with my vinegar based Carolina style sauce. When they pass the bend test I'll pull them and let them rest.........

I want to see which way everybody likes. Both maybe?
David

Hoping the cook goes well......please take into consideration basting, spritzing , wrapping....all take open cooker time.....all those things are fine, just count the extra time & recoup time into the cook......

The less you fark with 'em the better they are

A singular possible way to cook ribs.....

Sometimes we try too hard and we miss the sight of the simple things...

Change only one thing at a time and you will have a reference point to go back to, changing multiple things in a cook makes it almost impossible to pinpoint one change that was for the good or for the bad.

Again, multiple variables.....

My personal favorite.....full spare, rub, smoke, eat.....

I don't know how long....'till they squirt juice on the person sitting next to you when bitten?

You got a good method down for butts, this will happen for these too.....not gettin' down on your trying different methods, etc. just wanted to help avoid some possible roadblocks !!!!

 

[Fwismoker]

Seems to be a lot of wrapping going on. Yesterday I cooked spare ribs for 1 hour and 20 minutes and they were completely tender with no wrapping. I cooked until the middle thickest part of the ribs were probe tender.

The bottom line is you just cook them until tender, wrapping has nothing to do with it, nothing wrong with it just not necessary,

 

[LMAJ]

Yesterday we did some loin back ribs.
Removed the membrane.
Rubbed
Tossed on the cooker at 250*
Took off when the passed the bend test - probably 4-5 hours. Took them off the cooker and wrapped in foil till we were ready to eat.
They were delicious.
Don't overthink them, they are ribs...

 

[Bbq_lover]

Loin back ribs. 250 degrees, 3 to 4 hours, meat will pull back off the end of the bone and use the bend test. The bend test is key.
Spares or trimmed spares, St. Louis, 250 for at least 6 hours. Same test as loin backs. Great every time.