Some help with ribs on a MES30

When you foil, are you adding any liquid? 

Are you basting the last hour out of the foil?

What temp are you running?  Are you reading off of the therm on the smoker or a digital one?

When are you seasoning your ribs?  How long before the smoke?

Is the smoker getting up to temp before you are adding the ribs?

Also, I did 3-2-1 with some spares, and mine were fall off the bone and a little dry.  I will NOT be cooking mine with that same method next time, but something similar, not sure what yet though!

Not sure what to tell you about the ribs. I use a MES30 also and have been happy with the results so far. I don't always seem to get the shrinkage I would expect, but that may depend on the fat content and the temperature you are using. I usually smoke my ribs at 235-240, using some variation of the 3-2-1 method. Maybe you could shorten the time after taking them out of the foil. I usually do that for maybe 30 minutes just to firm up the meat a little before serving.

As far as the AMNPS goes, you'll love it once you get it going. Wth my MES, I've experienced couple issues that may help you out;

1. Make sure that after you light the pellets, let it burn for AT LEAST 10 minutes before blowing out the flame and placing inside the MES. That will ensure some nice hot coals to keep it going.

2. Air flow is key in the MES. To get the best results, I ended up completely removing the chip tray and loader. That seem to keep enough air flowing. If I keep either of them in, it seems to go out on me.

3. If food is placed over the AMNSP, you'll likely get some drippings that will put out your pellets. If you run into that, just make a little foil tent to go over the tray to protect the pellets.

Good luck with the ribs and the AMNPS!

 I use a MES40 and after a couple of tries, finally got them where we want them. I think shrinkage depends on the ribs (amount of fat) and the temps you're cooking at. I smoke mine with a modified 3-2-1 - I shorten the last hour to about 30 minutes on the grill instead of the smoker. They are moist, tender, and firm up nicely with just a bit of pull, not falling off the bone. This is when I put the sauce on them and the grill helps set that as well.

just my 2cents. i been running rib experiments  for the last 8 months and could be off my rocker!! but i am starting to turn out good ribs.

i never get the type of shrinkage on Baby backs that is see here and i think it might just be the meat and how it processed. i get pull back but it's mostly under the rib. the baby back i get never look as thick as a few i see on here. my source seam to have very lean ribs.

also, due to lean(my story and sticking to it!) meat, i never go 5 hrs on them anymore. i have had a few turn out dry as jerky even with foiling.  for a trial i take a rack or two and cut them in half. tried different smoke /foil times.

2 racks work well. 4 halfs.

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pull 2 out at 2 hr. leave the other 2 in 3 hours.

first set foil one for 90 min one for 2hrs

second set foil one for 1 hr. the other for 30 min.

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then sauce them different times. to see what gets you closer into the balls park.

I found that the 2-2-1 was way too much for the cut of meat i was using. when using foil i played around with 2-3 hrs in smoke letting the ribs let me know when they are ready for the foil. then using the same kind of experiment(ad a few other first), foil each half and pulled them at 30,60,90,120 minutes.

i found that 6- to 90 range was good and only 30 min sauced.

the last few months i abandon foiling and just mop them. i have been judging when they are ready buy the tenderness of the meat with a toothpick. after a few smokes, I can just about tell when they are done and ready for the sauce step. a few more smokes and I woudn't even need to question it. this method gives me a better feel for the rib than the bend test.

no method is better than the other until one get the ribs you like. then stick with it.

I happy with ribs but there is another way to handle cooking ribs I read in Myron Mixons book. I may give that a whirl for the fun of it. i just can't leave well enough alone! i lucky that i have inlaws who will eat all my mistakes from mushy to dry! LOL

good luck smoking!

On my Maverick therm the long curved probe is for meat temp and short straight probe is smoker temp. Not sure what therm you have.

Before I got my Maverick I used the Potato trick with my other thermometer with great success. It sounds like you are doing everything correctly. Additional foiling time is effective in getting the ribs to fall off the bone. I would be surprised if 3-3-1 with a rack of Spare ribs didn't get you where you want to be...JJ