Beef back ribs trouble

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ozdave

Newbie
Original poster
Jan 6, 2010
19
10
Hi all, well im having some trouble getting my beef back ribs right. 

I'm going for fall off the bone beef ribs. I have had these before elsewhere and been told low (about 200) and slow (longer than 10 hours up to 16) but im also not sure my source isn't afraid of giving his secret away as its his business!

I'm cutting the ribs into pieces of 2 ribs

I've had 2 runs at it now. first time i did them about 220 for 7ish hours and they just dried out around the edges, although the centre was nice and tasty and the fat and connective tissue all melted nicely so I figured I had just cooked them too hot for too long. I wrapped them this time for a couple hours

Second time i dropped my temps to 195/200 and did them for about 11 hours. Not too much pull back, nice bark, but the fat and connective tissue hadn't yet melted :( I had to give up and go to bed rather than press on with it any longer... I didnt wrap them at all this time.

So what have I got wrong? Do i need to just press on to 12, 13, 16 hours or something? or is the temp all wrong (perhaps ive got both wrong?!)

Thanks for your wisdom!

Dave
 
Not sure about doing these ribs, but you never mentioned the meat temps.  I know generally for fall-apart tender beef you need to be up near 200* on the meat thermo reading.  I would also make sure you don't run out of moisture in the water pan.
 
Ok to be honest, I didnt measure the meat temp. Maybe thats my problem, and i just need to get a thermometer so I can measure the meat temp.

I threw them in the oven this morning when I got up for about 4 hours on 300 and they got to where I wanted them, but then the bark was over done. inside was lovely though... fall apart and juicy just how i wanted.

Maybe its this science in this im not understanding. How long would it take the meat to get to 200 in a smoker at 200? is it really going to be a really long time? (i know it probably depends on the thickness of the meat) Does the meat heat really slowly and i am just underestimating it? Or should i just get a thermometer and give up the guess work???

How do others do beef back ribs for fall apart and off the bone

Thanks!
Not sure about doing these ribs, but you never mentioned the meat temps.  I know generally for fall-apart tender beef you need to be up near 200* on the meat thermo reading.  I would also make sure you don't run out of moisture in the water pan.
 
Try smoking at 225 and do the 3-2-1 method and add some liquid at the foil stage. I never use a thermometer in any ribs too hard to get a good accurate reading
 
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If the ribs your cooking are anything like the ones I just did, there's plenty of meat for a good reading. I did 3-2-1 and I think they needed more. They look good but weren't as tender as I'd have liked. Next time I'll measure 'em and cook to temp, not time like pork ribs.

b5a4d1d7_DSC_4077.jpg
 
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Guess work doesn't work when smoking low and slow. Get a couple of good thermos and use them. It will improve the end results .
 
Yep! thats them. Ok i think i'll get a thermometer and give it one more go. Although I like a bit more bite in pork I'm really after that fall apart meat for beef. Some might say thats over done but they are lovely when done nicely.

Thanks guys
If the ribs your cooking are anything like the ones I just did, there's plenty of meat for a good reading. I did 3-2-1 and I think they needed more. They look good but weren't as tender as I'd have liked. Next time I'll measure 'em and cook to temp, not time like pork ribs.

b5a4d1d7_DSC_4077.jpg
 
Try smoking at 225 and do the 3-2-1 method and add some liquid at the foil stage. I never use a thermometer in any ribs too hard to get a good accurate reading
What Jerry said is short and sweet advise.
 
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Try smoking at 225 and do the 3-2-1 method and add some liquid at the foil stage. I never use a thermometer in any ribs too hard to get a good accurate reading
Piney said it. I just did some this way over the weekend and they were beautiful. I stayed between 225 and 250, foiled at 3 hrs with beer. I had great pull back and the most tender beef ribs I've ever done. They weren't mush but pulled right off the bone with very little resistance.
 
 
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