First Smoked Ribs am I being to picky

smokenado · Aug 18, 2013

I decided to smoke some Baby Back Ribs on my refurbished Brinkmann Pittmaster. I bought two racks and rubbed them the night before with

2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup dried mustard
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
4 tablespoons Turbinado sugar

Removed the membrane as well

http://s234.photobucket.com/user/Coldpizzaphoto/media/image-14.jpg.html
The next day 12 hours later I unwrapped them and there was about a cup of liquid in each rack I drained off and added a little more rub with mustard then put them on the smoker pre heated to 250 bone down used charcoal and Hickory chunks

http://s234.photobucket.com/user/Coldpizzaphoto/media/image-13.jpg.html

I followed the 2-2-1 method after first two hours I wrapped them bone up in Parkay, Honey, 1/4 cup apple juice, and little more rub.
By this time my meat temp was 160 and over the next two hours the meat got to 173.

I unwrapped for the last hour added honey placed them bone down. For the last hour the meat stayed around 178 and didn't see the meat pull away likebi expected so I decided to go and extra 30-45 minutes and got the temp up to 185.

I pulled them off the smoker let them rest about 30 minutes the cut.

http://s234.photobucket.com/user/Coldpizzaphoto/media/bcbf80dd-b83d-48cd-ad17-4ec4bb0ee239.jpg.html

The issue is I felt the meat could have been a little more tender and not as fatty. I don't know if I should have cooked them longer, trimmed them better or is this par for the course when smoking grocery store quality ribs? The meat pulled from the bone as you ate them but I prefer ribs that almost fall off the bone.

Any suggestions are welcome also I was very happy with the rub and Honey can't think of changing anything there.

webowabo · Aug 18, 2013

Usually IF I do any method of 2-2-1 or 3-2-1.. I try to keep my temps around 225* ... and they usually come out pretty good and almost fall off the bone. I like them with some tug so yours sound perfect for me. maybe next time try 2-2.5-.5.. the extra foil time might help to soften em more to your liking.

Just a thought? I usually dont foil at all.. I just put them in for the 5 hours (or six for spares) and just let them get all good and barky... but like I said I like some pull myself

Mike

hambone1950 · Aug 18, 2013

To me , it's always a little bit of a crap shoot how ribs are going to end up.....not from the standpoint of how you cook them , but just how good the meat is to begin with. You can't see inside it so youre kind of at the mercy of the BBQ Gods once you've done all you can in cooking them.

I have done them foiled and bareback , I cook them til they are probe tender....I check the IT....I do the bend test and sometimes I'll even cut a rib out of the middle of one of the racks (once I think it's done) and do a little QC :biggrin:

Im not saying you are being too picky. i think its good to try to perfect your BBQ. Skills , but once you have done all you can do ......you just have to relax and enjoy the ride. :grilling_smilie:

palladini · Aug 18, 2013

Yes, detailed record keeping will prevent you from doing this again. I have never used parkay when wrapping, I have a sprayer with 80% Apple Juice and 10% cider vinegar. I just put the ribs on the foil, spray it down good, then wrap. But long before that, I do not use Mustard as the glue for the rub, I use Honey, it provides another layer of goodness to the ribs. But then even before that, I marinate my ribs for at least 36 hours in Cider Vinegar, Honey, Apple Juice, Garlic and whatever other spices I feel like using. And folks who have had my ribs beg me for more.

Keep at it, you will learn how to make killer ribs, it took me several smokes on how to learn. I am a fan of the 3 - 2 - 1 method And 225 degrees is where it is at.

hambone1950 · Aug 18, 2013

Palladini said:
. But then even before that, I marinate my ribs for at least 36 hours in Cider Vinegar, Honey, Apple Juice, Garlic and whatever other spices I feel like using. And folks who have had my ribs beg me for more.

:music-064: :canada-flag-14:

That is interesting. I think you are the first person on here who has mentioned marinating ribs...
I've often thought it might be a good idea....I will have to try this.

raastros2 · Aug 18, 2013

webowabo said:
Usually IF I do any method of 2-2-1 or 3-2-1.. I try to keep my temps around 225* ... and they usually come out pretty good and almost fall off the bone. I like them with some tug so yours sound perfect for me. maybe next time try 2-2.5-.5.. the extra foil time might help to soften em more to your liking.

Just a thought? I usually dont foil at all.. I just put them in for the 5 hours (or six for spares) and just let them get all good and barky... but like I said I like some pull myself

Mike

that 2-2-.5 is more of what mine usually end up being

smokenado · Aug 18, 2013

Ok it does seem like I over cooked a bit I think I'll try 2-2-.5 then test a piece. Regarding the marinade I was in tha frame of mind when I rubbed them the night before but worried I removed to much moisture as the salt content of the rub did pull at least cup if not more of liquid from the meat.

raastros2 · Aug 18, 2013

if you pick them up on one end and they have a 90 degree flex you are in the ballpark

smokenado · Aug 18, 2013

Thanks I will check the flex of the ribs next as well being used to pork butt I was too caught up in meat temp.

raastros2 · Aug 18, 2013

yeah i hear ya..i think my ribs are usually 160 or 165

jarjarchef · Aug 18, 2013

Ribs are more about the feel then the temp or even the time........ It will take practice and a bit of experience to get the feel. That is the cool thing about cooking, you get to eat the practice samples.......... Keep a cook log and only make 1 or 2 changes so you can see what the effects are.......

It can never hurt to marinade any meats. Extra flavor is a good thing.......

chef jimmyj · Aug 19, 2013

Foil time makes Fall of the Bone ribs. The 2-2.5-.5 that Webowabo suggested will get it done...JJ

polishmeat · Aug 19, 2013

While this is true, I've noticed with ribs that have extra loin meat on them (I mean the ones that are intentionally cut with more of it on) the bend test is not really all that accurate, as the loin meat will prevent the rack from doing the 90 degree bend. Just wanted to point that out, as I just experimented with this recently. The rack would bend maybe 45 degrees after about 4 hours, but it was completely done. Any longer and it would've been dry. Just an FYI for you guys that haven't stumbled on this yet.

turnandburn · Aug 19, 2013

polishmeat said:
While this is true, I've noticed with ribs that have extra loin meat on them (I mean the ones that are intentionally cut with more of it on) the bend test is not really all that accurate, as the loin meat will prevent the rack from doing the 90 degree bend. Just wanted to point that out, as I just experimented with this recently. The rack would bend maybe 45 degrees after about 4 hours, but it was completely done. Any longer and it would've been dry. Just an FYI for you guys that haven't stumbled on this yet.

every rack is different. i always buy the ribs that are really thick, everytime and i run mine for 6 hrs at 250* unfoiled @ the end of 6 hrs i know were done, no thermy, no foil, no nothing....never turned out a dry rib in all my years of cooking/smoking/Q'n. to do the bend test you have to know what bend youre lookin for and its more of a feel/preference thing, experience in ribs ppl...experience!

turnandburn · Aug 19, 2013

jarjarchef said:
Ribs are more about the feel then the temp or even the time........ It will take practice and a bit of experience to get the feel. That is the cool thing about cooking, you get to eat the practice samples.......... Keep a cook log and only make 1 or 2 changes so you can see what the effects are.......

It can never hurt to marinade any meats. Extra flavor is a good thing.......

exactly! practice practice practice....ive never seen someone use a thermy when making ribs, i personally dont see how you could get an accurate reading between 2 hot bones...

turnandburn · Aug 19, 2013

Chef JimmyJ said:
Foil time makes Fall of the Bone ribs. The 2-2.5-.5 that Webowabo suggested will get it done...JJ

theres more than one way to get FOTB ribs. i never use foil and you can flick the bones outta my ribs. if thats not FOTB then idk what is.

reinhard · Aug 19, 2013

Very good advice here. The extra liquid the original poster was talking about could of been from "enhanced pork" which is very common nowadays. If it was enhanced a person should look at the packaging prior to buying and cut down on the amount of salt you use in the rub. There is always some liquid but enhanced meats will give you more. Reinhard

smokenado · Aug 19, 2013

I'm sure the meat was enhanced it was one of those cryo packs from Smithfield. The next batch I will base just on time and pit temperature and see how they bend.

First Smoked Ribs am I being to picky

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