Ribs came out harsh/bitter.

juicegoose

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Nov 10, 2012

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• Nov 18, 2012

• #1

Cooked 2 slabs of pork ribs today using mustard base and Jeff's rub. Smoked using my electric smoker with temp ranging from 220-240 using mesquite and red oak as smoke wood.. Cooked using the 3-2-1 method and the ribs not only didn't get a good crust but the taste was harsh almost bitter. Any suggestions?

 

s2k9k

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Sep 8, 2011

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• Nov 18, 2012

• #2

What did the smoke look like coming out of the smoker? Mesquite is a very strong wood and you might have oversmoked them.

 

bmudd14474

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• Nov 18, 2012

• #3

Bitter suggest you had to heavy of a smoke and it caused creosote.

 

chef jimmyj

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• Nov 18, 2012

• #4

Mesquite is Very Strong and can easily make the meat bitter. For more of a Crust, you can trim 1/2 hour from the Foiling time and put them in for 1 1/2 hours at the end or skip the foiling altogether and Smoke them until a Toothpick goes in the meat like Warm Butter or when you pick them up with a pair of tongs from one end they bend at the mid point 90 degrees and the meat cracks and separates a bit...JJ

 

so ms smoker

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Dec 20, 2010

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• Nov 19, 2012

• #5

  Mesquite and red oak? Unless you had Very thin blue smoke, it was probably too much smoke. Personally, for pork, I prefer pecan and apple wood.

  Mike

 

juicegoose

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Nov 10, 2012

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• Nov 19, 2012

• #6

Ya the smoke was thick it wasn't blue it was boiling out. So we'll chaulk this one up as a learning experience!!!

So I don't really need a big bellow of smoke during the smoking stage? I'm still new to smoking so be easy on me. I'm only going off of what i've seen at bbq's and such.

Less mequite - Check! Next time i'll use some pecan or something.

 

pgsmoker64

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• Nov 19, 2012

• #7

Juicegoose said:

Ya the smoke was thick it wasn't blue it was boiling out. So we'll chaulk this one up as a learning experience!!!

So I don't really need a big bellow of smoke during the smoking stage? I'm still new to smoking so be easy on me. I'm only going off of what i've seen at bbq's and such.

Less mequite - Check! Next time i'll use some pecan or something.

Click to expand...

You really want a very thin but consistent thin blue smoke - almost hard to see.  If you can achieve the TBS you will have sweet succulent ribs every time.

I agree also that mesquite can be a little strong for ribs.  I saw that So MS Smoker recommended pecan and apple, I like a 50/50 mixture of hickory and cherry.  Just remember, smoking woods are a personal preference and there are no rules.  Find what you like and use it, just be careful not to oversmoke!

Good luck and good smoking.

Bill

 

daveomak

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• Nov 19, 2012

• #8

Juice, morning...... I have the AMNPS....  I fill one row with Pitmaster's Choice Pellets....   That is about 5 oz wood... I add about 1 oz of mesquite chips into the pellets.... It burns for about 4 hours and the mesquite is just right for me....

I'm telling you this to get an idea of how much wood to burn per hour and how little mesquite it takes to have a nice flavor....

So about 1 1/2 oz of wood per hour is all I use and 1/4 oz of mesquite is enough....   FWIW ....    Dave

 

flash

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Mar 30, 2007

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• Nov 19, 2012

• #9

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• flash
• Nov 18, 2012

Good smoke on right.

 

smokinhusker

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Oct 20, 2010

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• Nov 19, 2012

• #10

Great advice!