UGGG! First try was a disaster!

mr snappy · Aug 5, 2012

Hi all,

So, i bought a nice smoker (20" offset Okie Joe), read all I could read, and shot craps tonight. Although it sucked, I have at least learned what bad ribs taste like. Let me list the steps

1. Two slabs of spare ribs

2. Removed the membrane (all I could get at least)

3. Prepped meat with olive oil and two kinds of my favorite rub 3 hours before smoke

4. built a nice fire with hickory

5. Had nice temp and nice smoke flow.

6. Had a liquid tub with water/apple juice at divider on the smoke side

7. Put ribs on at 12:30 with a nice steady temp between 225 and 240 degrees the whole time.

8. Added about a stick of hickory every 45 minutes

9. Used an apple-juice spray about once every hour

10. added 3 large boneless/skinless chicken breasts for the wife to eat during the week (this was a good move it turns out)

11. Pulled ribs at 6:30 did not appear tender.

12. Cut ribs.....knew I was in trouble....not cooked 100% and tough as nails. :(

To answer the obvious, no, I did not have a temp probe in the meat. They are on order from Amazon, but I have cooked ribs on the gas grill in half the time and they came out fine (just not smoked)

Next obvious question, why did you pull them? I had planned on 6 hours and I could not keep smoking all night.

The good news is that we did not go hungry, the chicken that I put on at about 3pm came out great and we ended up eating that.

Other than those obvious mistakes, anyone have any ideas?

s2k9k · Aug 5, 2012

Next time try the 3-2-1 method, it's almost foolproof!

http://www.smoking-meat.com/july-12-2012-221-baby-back-ribs-on-big-green-egg-ceramic-cooker.html

pops6927 · Aug 5, 2012

Well, first off, who's thermometer were you relying on for your inside temp? Did you test it? Probably was reading way high, meaning your actual temp was much lower.

Second, using the 3-2-1 method, you smoke for 3 hours, wrap in foil with some kind of juice insider braising the meat for 2 hours, then 1 hour out of foil to finish the meat and apply sauce if you like.

Did you finish them in the oven?

How were they?

Always test your thermometers, very easy to do. You have to test boiling and freezing points. Boiling, get a pan of water at rolling boil on the stove and hold probe in it 30 sec. Should read around 212° (check your altitude for boiling point : http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/boiling-points-water-altitude-d_1344.html ) Of course, wear gloves and stay safe.

Freezing - fill a tumbler with ice cubes and cold water. Wait a minute or two and put the probe in it. It should read 32° F, 0° C.

jirodriguez · Aug 6, 2012

Yeah... I would check the therm. Factory therms can (and usually are) off by as much as 100°! Better luck next time, at least the chicken saved the day!

chef jimmyj · Aug 6, 2012

If after 6 hours the ribs where not done, meaning still Pink inside, there is a problem with your smoker temp/inaccurate Thermometer. If they were Fully Cooked but tough, I have found at 225-240*F and No Foiling, the ribs will frequently take closer to 7 hours especially at the lower temp. Ribs are super high in Connective Tissue...They are Done when they reach the Tenderness you want. Using a Therm to monitor Internal Temp will tell you very little. They will be " Cooked " that is, over 165*F IT in under 4 Hours but will be Far from Edible. Cook using 3-2-1 or until they are tender to your liking, a tooth pick that penetrates easily is an indicator. Picking the Ribs up with Tongs and having them Bend to a 90* angle and meat starts to split and fracture, is a good indicator too...JJ

mr snappy · Aug 6, 2012

Testing the therm is a good idea, I will do that when my new digital one gets here. I only had the built-in one on the top of the smoker to use.

I like the 3-2-1 idea, but I doubt it would have helped here, the ribs were not done in the middle. If I was doing these on the grill, I would have said they were only half done.

Also, I had the meat as far away from the heat source as possible. If the smoker is reading a incorrect temp, and is fact colder than indicated, this would have made the problem worse.

hyyal · Aug 6, 2012

Once you get the doneness worked out, try backing off on the hickory a little and add apple or cherry. I've found that ribs love apple or cherry with a little hickory mixed in.

jirodriguez · Aug 6, 2012

Another test of doneness for ribs is called the bend test. No mater what cooking method you are using you still want tender ribs, that still hold their shape. So say you're cooking unfoiled, at 250°, at about the 5 hr. mark pick up each slab of ribs approx. 1/4 to 1/3 from the big end and lift it completely off the grate. What you are looking for is the rest of the rack to bend straight down 90° and right at the bend you will see the strands of meat starting to split and separate on the top. This can occur as early as 5 hours, but most commonly requires 6-7 hrs. unfoiled. If you foil then check the ribs after about 1.5 hrs. in the foil... you are looking for the same thing.

schaydu · Aug 7, 2012

I have the same smoker and the temp on the smoker therm is about approximately 50 degrees hotter than it is at grate level. And the 3-2-1 method is definitely the way to go!! Cant go wrong there. Unitl you get get a good digital thermometer, you can get a cheaper therm that rests at grate level at academy sports just to get you by.

frosty · Aug 7, 2012

Keep trying, and all the ideas above shouldbe able to get you right on the money!!! Good luck.

off sho cajun · Aug 7, 2012

If u are using rib racks, and utilizing the 3-2-1 method. Whenever u foil, do u put them back vertically in the racks in foil, or lay them flat on the grate for this step?

chef jimmyj · Aug 7, 2012

Off sho cajun said:
If u are using rib racks, and utilizing the 3-2-1 method. Whenever u foil, do u put them back vertically in the racks in foil, or lay them flat on the grate for this step?

If your Rack will hold them and is designed with no sharp edges that can puncture the foil...YES. You can lay them flat as long as they will not impede heat flow by completely covering the shelves or you don't stack more than 2 slabs thick...JJ

off sho cajun · Aug 7, 2012

Thanks Jimmy

chef jimmyj · Aug 8, 2012

...JJ

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UGGG! First try was a disaster!

mr snappy

Newbie

s2k9k

AMNPS Test Group

pops6927

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

jirodriguez

Master of the Pit

chef jimmyj

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

mr snappy

Newbie

hyyal

Smoke Blower

jirodriguez

Master of the Pit

schaydu

Meat Mopper

frosty

Master of the Pit

off sho cajun

Newbie

chef jimmyj

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

off sho cajun

Newbie

chef jimmyj

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

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