Extending Rib Cook time?

[gizzygone]

We're celebrating Father's Day a week early this year: and I'd like to grill up some ribs.

The problem is that I'm working a good chunk of tomorrow, and the wife is busy with a baby shower.

I know 6 hours is around the time most of you cook: but is there a way to extend it longer? I'd like to put them in around 9:30am tomorrow and have them done around 6:30-7

 

[cliffcarter]

300° degree cook temp, foil with brown sugar and bbq sauce after 2 hours cook for another hour and they will be done. This is assuming loin back or St. Louis spares in the 3 pound range. Smaller will be less time larger a bit more. 

Lengthening the cook time risks drying out the meat IMHO.

 

[gizzygone]

ah.... my MES doesn't go to 300. I believe 275 is the highest?

 

[lancep]

Hey, Buzz Killington here, I just don't see a nine hour rib cook turning out the way you want. Now if your wife will be around @ 2ish you could have her wrap them in foil and stick them in a dry cooler. Then you can throw them on a hot grill to finish when you get home. Or, you may consider downshifting to a pork shoulder or butt than you can throw on in the morning and pull it when you get home.

 

[gizzygone]

Haha. Buzz killingtons are often needed. I wasn't sure if there was a way around it

 

[chef jimmyj]

No good way to extend the cook but no reason not to do them ahead, if you have time today, Then just reheat on the grill and get a nice bark on the outside...JJ

 

[SmokinAl]

If you can run your smoker at 200-210, and don't foil them they may take 9 hours.

I have done them that way before. The problem is they tend to dry out a little on such a long cook.

Al

 

[cliffcarter]

ah.... my MES doesn't go to 300. I believe 275 is the highest?

At 275° 3 pound racks will take an extra half hour in the foil.

Chef Jimmy J's reheat method is a good option if you can cook today. 

 

[gizzygone]

I would kind of like to try the fast method.... So 3.5hrs at 275?

Does the foil increase time or decrease time?

 

[chef jimmyj]

Foil, with liquid, cuts time. The high moisture Braises the meat more effectively converting connective tissue than Dry heat. A full rack at 275, no foil, takes 4 hours to tender but not FOB. With Foil, 3 to 3.5 hours tops for FOB...JJ

Foiling Juice

For each Rack of Ribs Combine:

1T Pork Rub, yours

1/2 Stick Butter

1/2C Cane Syrup... Dark Corn Syrup...or Honey

1/4C Apple Cider... Juice or Cola

1T Molasses

Optional: 2T Apple Cider Vinegar for less sweetness. Add 2T Mustard and 1/4C Ketchup to make it more of a KC Glaze.

Simmer until a syrupy consistency.

Allow to cool for 5 minutes, pour half over foiled Ribs and

run your 2 hour phase of 3-2-1. For the last phase return

the ribs to the smoker BUT reserve any Juice remaining

in the Foil. Simmer the Juice over med/low heat to reduce to a saucy thickness. Glaze the Ribs for presentation or service.

 

[gizzygone]

Just curious: since I'm new at this: by fouling the meat aren't you going to lose the smoke flavor? Or do you foil at a certain time?

Also; what's the best way of checking the temp for ribs? I don't need my guests getting poisoned!

 

[lancep]

No, you're not going to lose smoke, after a couple hours they'll have plenty of it. Also, by the time ribs are ready they are way past safe. Smokin Al has a great method of cooking ribs to temp so you might check that out. I can't seem to get a good read so I just use the bend test or a modified version of 3-2-1.

 

[chef jimmyj]

Here is the scoop on foiling ribs. Measure temp with a quality instant read therm. 195 is tender bite thru and 205 is fall off the bone. Other methods to test doneness is a probe will slide in with no resistance, a bone will twist out with a small effort and you pick up near the mid point from one end, they bend 90 degrees and the meat cracks and frays...JJ

Smoked Ribs as easy as 3-2-1

A full rack of Spare Ribs will take about 6 hours at 225*F...The 3-2-1 smoked rib recipe is a good way to smoke ribs and tends to turn out perfect ribs every time whether you are using the meatier Full rack spare rib or the Saint Louis cut. Baby Back ribs use a 2-2-1 method. The ribs are smoked at 225 - 250 degrees for best results...
The 3 stands for the 3 hours that you initially smoke the ribs with nothing but your favorite rub on them and some smoke with your favorite hardwood such as hickory, apple, pecan, etc. After the 3 hours you remove the ribs and quickly double wrap them in heavy duty foil.. just before you seal them up add some Foiling Juice or Apple Juice and close the foil leaving some room around the ribs for the steam to be able to flow around the meat and the juice to braise the meat which Flavors/Tenderizes it.

The ribs cook in the smoker wrapped for 2 hours undisturbed. There is no need for Smoke at this point... After 2 hours remove the ribs from the smoker, unwrap, saving any juices in the foil, and place back into the smoker for the final 1 hour, with smoke if you wish.This firms them up, creates a nice Bark and finishes the cooking process. You can add a glaze or sauce at this point if you like. The meat will be pretty close to fall off the bone and be extremely juicy, tender and flavorful...JJ

 

[newbie2 smoker]

I am trying the 4-2-2-1.5 method as we speak. Smoke for 4 hours, foil st 225 for 2 hours, turn down heat to 200 fof 2 hours, finish at 170 until FOB for about 1.5. I will report how the czme out afterward.