No Foil Spare Ribs cooked way sooner than expected...

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Original poster
May 14, 2015
6
10
Hello all, first post here. Been lurking for months, just hadn't had a reason to post prior...

Anywho... I have a MasterBuilt Pro Duel Fuel. I decided to use charcoal today, and loaded up the pan and got it going for about 40 minutes and a temp of 230 before I put the rubbed ribs on. The plan was to go low and slow for 6 hours, but the slow part didn't happen. 

I'm just over 3 hours into the cook, my Maverick has been within the 220-250 zone throughout (I added a few coals and more hickory about 90 minutes in) and my internal meat temp is already 160....?

I'm confused... This should've taken 6 hours or so, but I'm exactly 2 hours and 47 minutes into the cook, and my thickest rack is reading 160 internal?

Any thoughts? I'm compelled to pull them and let them sit... But these were supposed to be for dinner at 5:30PM, not a hefty snack in between lunch and dinner...lol
 
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Here's a look...
 
I never temp ribs .......... how are they bending, how about if you stick a toothpick in them?  Toothpick should feel like going into soft butter.
 
A couple of immediate thoughts. With ribs do not cook by internal temperature. The important indication that they are done is the meat pullback at the tip of the ribs. In addition to this, check the internal temperature in the smoking chamber so see if you have any significant temperature gradients in there. Where you have the Maverick probe may not be a good indication of generak chamber temprature.
 
Yeah, those don't look done.  The meat isn't pulling back from the end of the rib, either.  Something's not registering right, IMHO.
 
I don't know if I like the placement of your probe back there.  Try putting it on the under side of your top rack in the middle and see what she reads.  Your bottom ribs might be deflecting heat or it's just the style of your smoker.  Just a couple more things to think about.
 
Thanks, gents... Here's a pick of the top racks I pulled
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So, I put them back on as they taste great, and are very tender... But they're not quite done. I'm going to lower the temp a bit and let them go for another hour or so.
 
 
I never temp ribs .......... how are they bending, how about if you stick a toothpick in them?  Toothpick should feel like going into soft butter.
This is good to know. The racks are all cut in half, so the bend test is somewhat compromised. I'll use the toothpick method.
A couple of immediate thoughts. With ribs do not cook by internal temperature. The important indication that they are done is the meat pullback at the tip of the ribs. In addition to this, check the internal temperature in the smoking chamber so see if you have any significant temperature gradients in there. Where you have the Maverick probe may not be a good indication of generak chamber temprature.
Another vote for not temping ribs... I'm seeing a pattern..lol. The internal temp of from the maverick has been spot-on for my previous cooks. Should I go down a rack? It's on the middle upper rack currently.
 
Yeah, those don't look done.  The meat isn't pulling back from the end of the rib, either.  Something's not registering right, IMHO.
 
I don't know if I like the placement of your probe back there.  Try putting it on the under side of your top rack in the middle and see what she reads.  Your bottom ribs might be deflecting heat or it's just the style of your smoker.  Just a couple more things to think about.
So, move the probe up another rack? I suppose I can do that. Help me understand why that 6 inches of movement might give me a better read? Thanks!
 
These are all very good replies. The pull back was the first I noticed in the pics. Also, the pic of the cut rib looks like there is a lot of fat that has not rendered out. You may want to check your probes in some boiling water. Not just compared to other cooks. Good luck, Joe
 
O.K. , when I Smoke my spares , I never wrap nor prod them with a thermometer , as was mentioned do a toothpick test AND a bend test . I smoke @ 225*F on a Stickburner and they tend to be good to go at 4.5 to 5 hrs.

 I stuck them here ,

bend test here ,


 and  here they are when I pulled them , notice the bones.

I smoked these with very clean smoke , monitoring it with my Eagle eye , Nose and 'patience' .


Have fun and .  .  .
 
When I do ribs it takes all of 5-51/2 hrs, at 225, turn out great with toothpick test, I don't use internal tem. On ribs, too thin cut of meat :grilling_smilie:
 
Re your question about your probe, I think the temp in all smokers vary depending on the location inside the smoker.  Maybe not much, but it will.  I put my meat, regardless of cut, on the top most rack it will fit on and then the closest one underneath that will fit.  For ribs, that means the top two racks.  I suggest attaching your probe to the underneath side of the top rack and seeing what it reads.  The Maverick is great and I'll trust it there.

Obviously, our comments are too late for you, but how'd they turn out?  Your last pics looked like they still weren't done but they were coming along nicely.
 
I didn't take any pics of the finished product. I put them back on for another 1.5 hours, and they tasted great. Very juicy, very tender. The bark was a bit too thin, so more rub next time for sure. But for my first run on ribs, it was a solid B+. 
 
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