Crust/carmalized Ribs

[rzavala]

I'm pretty new to smoking so I have a lot to learn.  I smoke a lot of ribs but can't seem to get that good dark color and crust on the outside.  Any good tips or secrets?

 

[dward51]

What method are you currently using for your ribs?

 

[rzavala]

I mainly do baby backs so I do a lot of the 2-2-1 method.

 

[dirtsailor2003]

Are you saucing, just rubbing, etc. If so with what? What type of wood are you using for your smoke? We need more information to help you out.

 

[pgsmoker64]

Are you saucing, just rubbing, etc. If so with what? What type of wood are you using for your smoke? We need more information to help you out.

Yep....

 

[bruno994]

Higher sugar content in your rub, different types of wood (cherry will darken up meat quite well), a spritz containing sugar every hour or so using a spray bottle (my spritz is 2 cups apple juice heated up with 1/2 cup of brown or dark brown sugar until dissolved), a good glaze or sauce during the last phase of a rib cook (I like Sweet Baby Rays thinned with apple juice with brown sugar, heated up to blend together), brush on the ribs after the foil stage, back on the heat to set the sauce / glaze so you don't have a messy rib, gives a great color every time, guaranteed.

 

[rzavala]

I usually use apple wood and tend to put the sauce on when I wrap them in foil. More often than not I'm using a famous Dave's sauce. I try to keep a temp of 225. Would it help if I smoke at a little hire temp? Bruno thanks for the tips!

 

[bama bbq]

That cherry should put a dark color on them -- maybe you shouldn't wrap them so soon.  Let them get to the color you want them before you do.  2-2-1 is a guide, not a rule. 

 

[JckDanls 07]

I would suggest just using a foiling juice and then put the sauce on during the last one hour phase... what does your rub consist off? as others said.. sugar will give you a better bark.... the foiling stage actually kinda ruins your bark but it will come back some during the last hour... I wouldn't worry about raising temp as that will not help any in creating bark... you would also have to adjust your 2-2-1- phase if you were to raise temps

 

[rzavala]

Thanks everyone for the advice! Officially my new favorite site! Now to wait for the weekend to try again!

 

[JckDanls 07]

Thanks everyone for the advice! Officially my new favorite site! Now to wait for the weekend to try again!

so much my favorite... I made it my home page.. LOL

 

[dirtsailor2003]

I usually use apple wood and tend to put the sauce on when I wrap them in foil. More often than not I'm using a famous Dave's sauce. I try to keep a temp of 225. Would it help if I smoke at a little hire temp? Bruno thanks for the tips!

If you wait to sauce until the after the wrap you'll get a better bark and color to the crust. The last ribs I did the smoker cruised around 235* using the 2-2-1 method. Sauced after the foil (1-2 table spoons of apple juice is only addition at foiling, doesn't need much if any at all). I also put the foiled packs in the smoker bone side down. I don't know if that makes a difference but it works for me. I will mention that my initial rub contains no SUGAR. Just salt, pepper, onion, garlic, chile powder, paprika. The sauce has brown sugar and molasses, ketchup in it, among other things.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/134427/first-daylight-smoke-for-the-mini-wsm-2-2-1-baby-back-ribs

 

[bruno994]

Yep, I'm with you guys, this is my fav of all the sites I visit daily. 

Higher temps will help in the carmelization of the sugars faster and will get you to the color your looking for prior to foiling, but if you like the results (except for color) at 225, by all means stick to it.  I cook pretty much everything at 250, so I'm a bit hotter, but not by much.  I know there are several here and on a comp forum that push cooking ribs at 275 for both color and tenderness, never done it, but it's on the list. 

 

[chef jimmyj]

As others have pointed out Cherry gives a nicer color faster than other woods. Using 225*F as a smoking temp is fine but a heavy Bark with a Dark Color only happens over a fairly long period of time. A 20 hour Butt or Brisket gets a nice dark Bark with or without added sweetener. When smoking a short time 5-6 hours like with Ribs and Foiling, keeping the surface moist, you need a combination of Time to Dry the surface of the meat and to choose the best Sweetener for the temp you choose to smoke at...Example, Fructose a simple sugar in Fruit Juices and Honey will begin to Caramelize at 230*F, if sufficiently dehydrated, so brushing the Ribs with Honey or 100% Pure Apple Juice, cooked down until a Syrupy consistency will give an nice brown bark near the end of the last hour as long as the Smoker is over 230*F and the meat surface is dry. In comparison Sucrose, White, Brown and Turbinado Sugar have a higher Caramelization temp, 320*F, so along with being dry, need a higher temp to get the job done. This is why may Smoker's choose Turbinado Sugar because they can smoke at high temps and Not burn the sugar making the Bark bitter. Above 350*F and once the moisture is removed all sugar will burn fairly quickly...JJ

 

[flash]

Red Oak also gives a nice color to meats, especially beef.

Another option is to finish the ribs on a hot grill. I do that alot now.  Do a 2-2- the onto the grill. Maybe for 10 to 15 minutes. Pour on some sauce and they will caramelize up real nice.

Some spares I did this way.

Ribsfallapart0077.jpg

• flash
• Mar 27, 2013