labor day beef back ribs, a lesson in humility

[fxsales1959]

Hope everybody had a great labor day weekend. A slab of beef back ribs hopped into my buggy during Friday shopping. I hadn't done beef ribs in a minute so I scoured here and the interweb for guidance.
The results of a google were far ranging. So I decided to "wing it". It was my first cook on he WSM with Cowboy briquets but that's another post. I removed membrane and did a hearty coat of SPG. Got the WSM going and was holding a steady 240-250. From what I read beef backs @250 should be about a 4 hour cook or so.
Ribs on at 1:30pm. didn't peek or the first 3 hours. Took a peek and they were starting to get the color I wanted.
I quit wrapping pork ribs a ways back s I didn't wrap. In retrospect I wish I had. about 5:30 I did a bend test and they bent some, but I wasn't sure about beef rib bend.
Let them go another hour still at 250. I decided to try and probe them with my instant read. Was getting 170-ish.
I never head of a stall on ribs, but they parked there for another hour.
I was getting a liitle pull back and about 180. at 7pm (6.5 hours in) they "looked" good so I pulled thrm and let them rest. They sliced up pretty good. mama made corn on the cob and butter bread.

sat down for my first bite. I like a bit of bite on ribs, but I had to gnaw the meat off the bones.
The flavor was great but the chore of eating them was excrutiating.
Almost had to cut the meat off with a knife.
So lesson learned. even with my dislike of FOTB ribs, they will get wrapped next time.




3 hours in:

done and sliced.

 

[sawhorseray]

I SMOKE BEEF RIBS UNTIL THEY HIT A IT OF RIGHT AROUND 203º, USE A TOOTHPICK TO PROBE FOR BEING DONE RIGHT FOR ME. USUALLY TAKES RIGHT AROUND SEVEN HOURS ON MY 22' WEBER KETTLE. I DON'T WRAP RIBS, PORK OR BEEF, TRIED IT ONCE AND GOT FOTB, NOT WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR. RAY

 

[gmc2003]

Live and learn. They do look good from where I'm sitting John. I don't get beef ribs up here very often, but I think they're done in the 200*ish range and probe tender. Also I wouldn't think the bend test works with beef ribs - To thick.

Point for sure
Chris

 

[bbqbrett]

I haven't done beef ribs for a while but I do wrap. Put some extra seasoning, butter and a little beer in when I am set to wrap. Never had FOTB with beef back ribs though.

 

[TNJAKE]

You definitely needed more time. Looks good though

Beef Ribs!

Evening fellas and non fellas and as usual those on the fence. Beautiful day here in Tennessee. 80 and sunny Had some beef back ribs gifted to me by @tx smoker for our Christmas exchange a while back. Thanks for that Robert! 2 racks rubbed up with Roberts beef rub and on the smoker at 250 using...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

 

[civilsmoker]

FX, I cook these ALL the time and my go to is 3 hours at 265 then wrap and hold at 145-165 for a min of 30 minutes, if you want a little softer then 45 to 60 mins and they will be tender with a bit of a pull bite. The wrap and hold after the 3 hours is a must if you want the tender.......

 

[yankee2bbq]

They look good. But, like everyone else said, the meat temperature needs to be around 200-205.

 

[SmokinEdge]

Two ways to go here.
First is to cook to about 130-140 IT And eat like rib roast, which is where these ribs come from.

The other is to go long for a more fall apart flavor and texture. Would you do that to a rib roast?

Those back ribs from beef I will generally cook to about 130 and naw them from the bone. The meat is tender and medium in doneness. That’s just me.

Most all of my rib roast cooks are pulled right around 130 and the rib cap is saved for another meal. Delicious.

 

[fxsales1959]

thanks all.
I was a bit impatient. Last time the WSM was a bit hotter, and I was ciphering based on pork ribs, which these are obviously not. Now I have to make them again.