Lovin' the Smoke...Help with the ribs?

catnts · Jan 3, 2012

Hi All,

I'm relatively new to smoking and am looking forward to increasing my knowledge with the help of this forum.

I live in SouthEast PA just below Philadelphia. A friend (and great cook) from outside of Asheville, NC turned me on to smoking meat and now I'm hooked.

I use a horizontal drum style smoker with a firebox mounted to the right side. I picked this up from the local home store for pretty cheap. It's helping me see how I would like to design and build a smoker of my own.

I've pretty much got brisket, pork butt, turkey, chicken and sausage nailed but I'm struggling with my ribs!

Ribs are my specialty when I do them with a combo of oven and grill but I cannot seem to get them down on the smoker!

I understand that the smoking method will not get my ribs as moist as other methods but I know there must be a way to get them from being dry and though.

I have tried a straight dry rub and a "soak" with apple cider and cider vinegar followed by a dry rub.

Both times I smoked the ribs for around 6 hrs at between 220 and 250 degrees keeping them away from the heat source.

the inner ribs on the rack were ok but for the most part they were dry and disappointing.

Any help?

Catnts

pineywoods · Jan 3, 2012

Try 3-2-1 for spare ribs or 2-2-1 for baby backs.

Put them into a 225 degree or so smoker for 3 hours then pull them out and foil them tight before sealing the foil add some sort of liquid (apple juice etc) then back into the smoker for 2 hours then out of the foil (carefully) and back into the smoker to firm up.

If you want to sauce the ribs do it the last .5 hours.

Use this as a starting point and adjust to your tastes this method will produce fall off the bone ribs

raptor700 · Jan 3, 2012

Pineywoods said:
Try 3-2-1 for spare ribs or 2-2-1 for baby backs.

Put them into a 225 degree or so smoker for 3 hours then pull them out and foil them tight before sealing the foil add some sort of liquid (apple juice etc) then back into the smoker for 2 hours then out of the foil (carefully) and back into the smoker to firm up.

If you want to sauce the ribs do it the last .5 hours.

Use this as a starting point and adjust to your tastes this method will produce fall off the bone ribs

What Jerry said

to SMF

samuel · Jan 3, 2012

Thanks! I probably need to check the accuracy of the thermometer in the door too.

scarbelly · Jan 3, 2012

Pineywoods said:
Try 3-2-1 for spare ribs or 2-2-1 for baby backs.

Put them into a 225 degree or so smoker for 3 hours then pull them out and foil them tight before sealing the foil add some sort of liquid (apple juice etc) then back into the smoker for 2 hours then out of the foil (carefully) and back into the smoker to firm up.

If you want to sauce the ribs do it the last .5 hours.

Use this as a starting point and adjust to your tastes this method will produce fall off the bone ribs

Yup this is the tried and true method for ribs. Once you get this down you can experiment with other ways to perfect your own flavor profiles

Please do us a favor and update your profile to include your location

to SMF.

pineywoods · Jan 3, 2012

Something to try for the foiling stage is to get some squeezable butter apply that then put some honey over that then seal the foil yummmmmmmmmmmmm

sprky · Jan 3, 2012

to SMF. You have come to the right place for smoking info. This site is loaded with great info just use the search bar at top of page to find what you are looking for. If you can't locate the answer just ask folks here are willing to share there knowledge. I suggest you take the 5 day e-course on smoking its chuck full of great info.Smoking Basics 5-Day eCourse

Pineywoods said:
Try 3-2-1 for spare ribs or 2-2-1 for baby backs.

Put them into a 225 degree or so smoker for 3 hours then pull them out and foil them tight before sealing the foil add some sort of liquid (apple juice etc) then back into the smoker for 2 hours then out of the foil (carefully) and back into the smoker to firm up.

If you want to sauce the ribs do it the last .5 hours.

Use this as a starting point and adjust to your tastes this method will produce fall off the bone ribs

And yes check that stock thermometer, most are off big time.

SmokinAl · Jan 4, 2012

Welcome to SMF! Glad to have you with us.

Would you please update your profile info to include your location. Thank-you.

Looks like you have the info to make your next rack of ribs perfect. Good luck!

fpnmf · Jan 4, 2012

Welcome..

This site has tons of info.

I suggest you spend some time reading all the different forums and the WIKIs.

Ask questions and use the handy dandy search tool for specific interests!!

Take the awesome free E-Course!!!

Have a great day!!!

Craig

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/wiki/about-jeffs-5-day-ecourse

Make bacon the easy way!!

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/forum/thread/109368/more-easy-made-bacon-with-q-view#post_666451

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/forum/thread/82034/how-to-post-qview-to-smf

ecto1 · Jan 4, 2012

Welcome to SMF glad you can join us. We are big on Pics and love to help everyone out. Remember the only question that is dumb is one not asked. You will not find a friendlier place to talk Que on the web.

You are going to fit in just fine.

jrod62 · Jan 4, 2012

:welcome1:

papa g · Jan 4, 2012

Welcome...enjoy your time here. So much info at hand!

africanmeat · Jan 4, 2012

catnts · Jan 4, 2012

Thanks to everyone that has replied so quickly! Can't wait to try the 3-2-1 method !! I am nibbling on some pulled pork now and considering what I will smoke this weekend for the playoff games.

Any suggestions other then the staple ribs, butt and brisket?

GO LIONS!!!!!!

elohel · Jan 4, 2012

Chicken! Seriously, doing a whole chicken on the smoker is one of my favorite things so far. It's almost impossible to mess up, and the flavor it takes on from the smoke is incredible.

marty catka · Jan 11, 2012

Hey nephew, you better get them ribs down and do 'em right. You know your Grandpa (rest his soul) would be downright disappointed if you mess up ribs! These guys won't steer you wrong, I know cuz I been learning from them for a while now. Follow Pineywoods advice when you foil 'em, they will be great. Looking forward to seeing some pics of your cooks. Have you tried the fatties yet?

alelover · Jan 11, 2012

Nothing more I can add about the ribs. Piney knows. That's how I do them and they are always moist and tender. Last ones I did were almost too tender.

mballi3011 · Jan 11, 2012

First off welcome to SMF. You'll really like this place for there are a bunch of really good folks here that would just love to help you with just about anything to do with smoking meat. Then if you have any questions you just post them here or yu can try in chat for a faster answer. If you are really new to all of this I would recommend that you look up and take the e-course. It is free and it will also give you the basics on smoking. So with all that said now go and get something to smoke.

Welcome To Your New Addiction

catnts · Jan 11, 2012

Trust me I have people singing dongs about me when I do ribs using my oven/grill method but I'm all about the smoker these days! I'm determined to get them down to a science. Also planning on building a larger all wood smoker this summer. I'm trying fatties this Sunday for the first time and will start posting pics immediately. I think every smoker chef needs their very own Catka handmade cuttingboard!

catnts · Jan 11, 2012

Ha I meant singing songs not dongs!!!

Lovin' the Smoke...Help with the ribs?

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