BB Ribs - when are they really done?

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marlin009

Meat Mopper
Original poster
Sep 10, 2010
151
10
West Coast of Florida
I have a Char-Griller with a side fire box and am using a Taylor Weekend Warrior remote thermometer. I have cooked BB's twice and both times they turned out excellent but took much longer than 5 hours (using the 2,2,1 method with foil). The first time they took about 6.5 to 7 hours and yesterday, almost 8. I was checking the temp in several places, starting with a thick area, looking to get 170*. I was getting that temp in some places but in others it was 10 to 15* less. So I continued to cook until I got to 170*. Actually, yesterday there were still spots that were 165 or so but the natives were getting restless, me included.
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Both times they were moist, tender and just about the best thing I have ever eaten but I'm wondering if I am actually cooking too long, or longer than I need to. The first time I had the sensor stuck through the side of the grill on the opposite end from the firebox. After some reading here I learned that is a no-no and used a potato yesterday. The temp was between 200 and 225. Is my temp too low?

Thanks for any advice.

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Those look perfect!

I don't take the temp of ribs, but I think 165 to  170 is about right.

As far as taking longer than 5 hours, it could be your 200 to 225 temp. I like 225˚ to 235˚.

Yours look Great!

Bear
 
Ditch the thermo for ribs. You need to keep one by the ribs for chamber temp though. It's gonna depend how you like your ribs.

If you want them still a little tough, where the meat is adhered to the bon, then cut off a few after 4 hours or so and try them.

If you want bone separation but still want to pick up the rack without it falling apart, then go a little longer and do the foil thing(2-2-1) and adjust the foil time as required.

If you want to be able to pick the bones out and serve up the meat only, keep them in the foil for a while longer.

The balance is where you get the meat to come off the bone with some pull and the loin meat is not dry.... Good luck
 
Those look perfect!

I don't take the temp of ribs, but I think 165 to  170 is about right.

As far as taking longer than 5 hours, it could be your 200 to 225 temp. I like 225˚ to 235˚.

Yours look Great!

Bear
Thanks, they were. After reading another thread, I think opening it to spray them with apple juice or check the temp may added a bunch of time.

I could probably bump the temp some too.
 
Thanks, they were. After reading another thread, I think opening it to spray them with apple juice or check the temp may added a bunch of time.

I could probably bump the temp some too.
Double "yup".

It just keeps getting better.
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Now your ribs in the picture look pretty good you have some pull back an all. But I too would chunk the thermo meter and just keep it on the smoker to check the inside temp. But I would stick withht e 2-2-1 method on BB. Now if you like your ribs with a little pull to them then I wiuld just reduce the foil time. I do I only foil mine for maybe an  hour to hour and a half. Now thats how I roll. 
 
This week I did some of the basic mods I found here. I extended the chimney down to the grates. I found some SS plates at work, they are about 1/8 inch thick. I bolted them together to make some tuning plates. I also made a coal basket for the SFB out of some expanded steel. The plates worked great, the temp was within 5* when I checked the two ends, it was actually a little hotter on the end opposite the SFB. I couldn't believe how much easier it was to maintain the temp where I wanted it, I'm assuming that was the chimney extention. I also started with a little bigger fire and didn't need to add coals as often. I added a Charbroil thermometer in the front down near the grates (the $7 one) but found that it is as useless as the one that came with the smoker.

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 I used the SS quart pan for the apple chips and it worked perfectly. 

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Before -

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During -

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After - I was able to keep the temp at 225 - 230 and cut way down on my spritzing and being nosey. They still had a nice crisp bark and came out perfect again. When I took them out of the foil after two hours they were already coming apart. Very happy with the results. My daughter was home for the weekend from UF so I really wanted to get them right. She approved.
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Who wouldn't approve . They look perfect and I like ribs .In fact I had ribs 3 times last week while I was in Des Moines IA there is a place that really does it right. I can't help myself kind of like a moth to the light . Nice mods and a great job on the ribs.Bill  
 
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