electric smoker

[uncle lloyd]

I have a question I bought a brinkman charcoal smoker then I converted it to electric. I smoked a rack of ribs for about 6 hours and they came out very tough. They were over cooked but I couldent get my smoker above 205 degrees that is why I left them in so long. At 205 degree how long should I have left them in. And should my smoker be getting hotter? any help would be great thanks.

 

[flash]

3-2-1 is a total of 6 hours. My GOSM works between 200 to 235 most of the time and the ribs come out great. Did you wrap those ribs in foil for a couple of hours?

 

[deejaydebi]

Are you sure your thermometer is accurate? I've done ribs for 6 hours unwrapped at 225 degrees and they weren't overcooked or tough. Tough is usually undercooked unless they were burnt.

I'd check the themometer in boiling water should be 212 degrees at sealevel

 

[uncle lloyd]

no i dident wrap them i foil. i did aply a rub and let them sit in the frig over knight.

 

[short one]

Question, were you using the therm on the cooker or a digital with probe on the grate. Factory therms are known to be off several degrees. Were your ribs dry? This would tell me the temp was hotter than 205. 6 hrs. at 205 shouldn't over cook the ribs IMHO.

 

[uncle lloyd]

no they wernt dry just tough. i was using the thurm on the grill not a digital therm.

 

[short one]

That being said I would get another therm and check the unit therm. A cheap oven therm from Wally world will work by setting it on the grate and comparing to unit therm. Digitals are great pieces of equipment, you can check grate temp as well as internal temps. I think I will have to agree with Deb with them being undercooked is why they were tough.I believe there is a thread arround about another ECB that was having temp problems. I'll look. Found it, http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...?threadid=7522
It's about a charcoal fired but is there a chance you are using the wrong pan for your water pan.