Why are these rib bones blowing out???

[Weberlamp]

We had a similar problem when we started with ET's. We backed our time down in the foil by 30 minutes and that seemed to help. Saw an immediate improvement in scores. We start probing around 1:15 after they have been in the foil. The meat will be comp tender before the bones blow out, but it is a very thin line to comp tender and then overcooked, you have to be paying attention.

 

[newtwoq]

We had a similar problem when we started with ET's. We backed our time down in the foil by 30 minutes and that seemed to help. Saw an immediate improvement in scores. We start probing around 1:15 after they have been in the foil. The meat will be comp tender before the bones blow out, but it is a very thin line to comp tender and then overcooked, you have to be paying attention.

Was just going to say the same thing.

 

[Qbert60]

Maybe off topic, but Smithfield ET question. Does anyone have the issue of the tops of those getting kind of chewy when taking a bite?

 

[Burnt at Both Endz]

Maybe off topic, but Smithfield ET question. Does anyone have the issue of the tops of those getting kind of chewy when taking a bite?

Only when I put a full stick of butter in them....:caked::-D


It is also a timing issue, but more on the front end of the cooking.

 

[Candy Sue]

It's now been confirmed -- I'm insane! I cook 2 racks of ribs, mainly because I never had time to deal with the third when I cooked 3. May fit for a different reason -- I seem to only get a rib call when I cook ribs on a Gateway! Insane Can Posse is a good label. Note - I do sprinkle pellets in the charcoal.

 

[J&B'sBBQ]

I have been cooking the ET's all season, and I have not had any issues with blow-outs or texture. We've actually done pretty well in ribs this season.

Reading all the theories of why they're doing this or why they shouldn't is just so interesting to me. My suggestion is to make sure you're leaving the 1 membrane on the back and practice some more. So many of the "no-no's" are things I do regularly and I haven't had regular issues with bones blowing out. There is always that random rack that doesn't cook like the rest, but that's not typical. If my ribs did that, I would assume they cooked in the wrap too long. That is where I would start with practicing. Also, I cook in foiled pans, not tightly wrapped in foil boats.

 

[eap0510]

I have been cooking the ET's all season, and I have not had any issues with blow-outs or texture. We've actually done pretty well in ribs this season.

Reading all the theories of why they're doing this or why they shouldn't is just so interesting to me. My suggestion is to make sure you're leaving the 1 membrane on the back and practice some more. So many of the "no-no's" are things I do regularly and I haven't had regular issues with bones blowing out. There is always that random rack that doesn't cook like the rest, but that's not typical. If my ribs did that, I would assume they cooked in the wrap too long. That is where I would start with practicing. Also, I cook in foiled pans, not tightly wrapped in foil boats.

Beth, I assume you are placing two racks per a sheet pan. Are you able to get both of them to lay flat in the pan or are they sort of cocked?

 

[J&B'sBBQ]

Beth, I assume you are placing two racks per a sheet pan. Are you able to get both of them to lay flat in the pan or are they sort of cocked?

Yes. I use the large deep throw away pans (some people use the shallow pans). I am able to fit two racks, face down, into one large pan. I trim them to make sure they will fit flat and they do not stack on top of each other at all.

 

[Atlasman]

The struggle continues. These looked fine going into foil. No protrusion at all and meat temp about 160 if that matters to anyone. 40 minutes later they looked like this and were only temping in low-mid 180's and were still VERY tight. Temp of cooker has been lowered to 275 to try and avoid this. Cooked 6 racks over the last 2 days and results all over the board with this being the worst.

These are Smithfield ET St. Louis spares.

LOTS of guys cooking these ribs out there.....I can't be the only one having this issue.

Tried everything suggested in this thread with no changes. I am at a complete loss right now.

 

[DUBBAGA]

Those definitely look like the 2nd membrane was removed.

Did you check out Kimo1 pictorial?

 

[Atlasman]

Made every effort to follow all tips in this thread as I said. These were not peeled excessively in any way.

I can't leave these ribs in foil long enough to get comp tender without them exploding.

When they hit foil they look PERFECT

 

[thunderalley3]

Not sponsored by, don't cook them. How many of those sponsored by them are actually cooking them,,,,,,I know they all are :hand:

 

[Untraceable]

Move onto a different rib if they are not working

 

[Burnt at Both Endz]

Let us see a pic of them before they go into the foil.

 

[Blanton]

That is some serious bone pull back and suggest to me way overcooked.

 

[gtsum]

Yikes...I'd be trying a different brand rib.


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[Kimo1]

When you foil and return to the smoker, are they meat up or down?

 

[Biged92]

I used to have the same issue, still do from time to time. I cook Smithfield Primes, but have cooked the ET's as well. There were several things I did to solve the blow outs I was having.

First, I stopped putting brown sugar, margarine/butter, and honey/agave on the back of the ribs when I foil. I found that when I put those ingredients on the back of the rib, the mixture would become very hot (we call it lava) and break down the membranes before the rib would reach it's proper tenderness. I still use the sugar margarine mixture for the meat side of the ribs, but all I do now is spray some of the liquid I use to spritz on the back of the ribs with a little rub.

Second, about an hour after the ribs have been wrapped I'll go and open each one up and dump any liquid off of the back of the ribs that might have accumulated during the steaming/braising process. Then I will wrap them back up and place them back on the pit to finish out the cooking process.

Third, I cut down the amount of time I cook the ribs open. I cook on a WSM at 275, with no water in the pan. I used to cook the ribs open for roughly 2.5 hrs. Cooking the ribs open for this long seemed to dry out and make the membranes a little more brittle, and more susceptible to blow outs. I cut the open cooking time down to no more than 2 hours. I still get the color I am looking for, but the membranes seem to hold together better.

Now this isn't a 100%, as the end bones will still blow out from time to time. But it definitely cut down on the number of unusable ribs I could turn in. Hopefully there's a nugget in there that will help with your issue.

 

[bigdogphin]

What kind of cooker are you using? Just curious what direction your heat is coming from. It looks like the bottom side is getting to hot. Try different positioning before wrapping and after you wrap to see if results are different.. try this during your practice cooks. Then you can try three slabs three different ways.

 

[Atlasman]

They aren't overdone......they are tight. I have enough trophies to know what good comp ribs are and I say that with the utmost humility and just so no one thinks this is a novice who needs to practice more.

I don't want to switch ribs because so many guys cook these that I shouldn't be having this trouble but I'm running out of patience.

Cookers arent the problem I have used 4 different kinds and styles and temps from 225-300 with no change from any of those variables.