Newbie with smoker, and newbie on ribs...post-cook advice.

[cobrar97]

I just got a RecTec Stampede pellet smoker and am new to everything here. I've been reading alot and trying to become educated.
I tried some baby back ribs over the weekend and need some feedback on improving.
I had ordered 2 racks from the local butcher, but when I went to pick them up; someone had forgotten to order them...SO, I was forced to go to the local Meijer and get some there (not my first choice by far, but I wanted to still at least try). The ribs didn't say baby back, but rather "top loin back ribs". I assumed that's the same, as they looked the same (yet a bigger version) of the butcher's type.

Here's the cook directions I used:
Trim any hard fat and remove membrane.
Slather with mustard and liberally apply rub.
Preheat smoker to 225 and put ribs on.
Smoke for 3 hours.
Remove ribs and place meat side down in aluminum foil. Put 1 tbsp worth of butter pads and 1/4 cup of brown sugar across rack. Add in 1 cup apple juice. Seal foil around rack and place back on smoker.
Smoke for 2 hours...same 225.
Remove ribs and open foil. Disgard foil, juice, etc. Place ribs bone-side down back on smoker and apply favorite BBQ sauce as desired.
Smoke for 1 hour...same 225 so BBQ sauce get set and become sticky.
Remove ribs, allow 5 minute rest, and eat.

Ok...so the flavor of the ribs was awesome. All the meat came clean off the bone. The only part that wasn't perfect (I'd say) is that the meat didn't just "fall off" and melt in your mount. The mean did come off the bone easily and clean, but it didn't fall apart in your mouth like I've experienced at good BBQ joints.
Maybe this is the best I'll get, but I just feel like something's missing on the finished texture of the ribs.
Is it the ribs I bought, the smoker time/technique, or something else?
Any advice on a better final-product would be greatly appreciated.

 

[JC in GB]

Sounds like you made competiton style ribs. The competition rib isn't fall of the bone tender, it is supposed to have a tender bite through while leaving teeth marks on the meat while cleaning the bone. If you want fall off the bone tender, leave them in foil longer.

 

[cobrar97]

Sounds like you made competiton style ribs. The competition rib isn't fall of the bone tender, it is supposed to have a tender bite through while leaving teeth marks on the meat while cleaning the bone. If you want fall off the bone tender, leave them in foil longer.

How long would you say to leave in the foil?
The cook directions I found just looked good because I like the sweet jalapeno bbq sauce instructions that went with it. Not knowing otherwise, I just followed what it said for the cook. This is why I want to learn. The ribs were very good...just not what I had in my head that they'd be like.

 

[pit of despair]

Cobrar97,
You are following the 3,2,1, method for ribs. There are many recipes and ideas here to read and hone your method.
As JC said longer in the foil (the 1 hour) should produce the fall of the bone ribs you want. This is a ball park set of suggestions. Some prefer 2,2,1 for baby backs...ya just gonna have to play with it...keep good notes on time,temp sauces, and you will hit the sweet spot and you will be able to reproduce the results. Good luck!
Teddy

 

[krj]

BBQ joints normally cook to FOTB because it's difficult to get/maintain the competition bite, and more people seem to enjoy FOTB over the little tug that you get from a comp rib. Easiest way to get FOTB is to extend the amount of time in foil. Next time try 3-2.5-1 on your times and see if they don't come out the way you like. I highly advise just making only that change next go around. Do everything else the same that way you know what small portion of the process your getting results from.

 

[cobrar97]

BBQ joints normally cook to FOTB because it's difficult to get/maintain the competition bite, and more people seem to enjoy FOTB over the little tug that you get from a comp rib. Easiest way to get FOTB is to extend the amount of time in foil. Next time try 3-2.5-1 on your times and see if they don't come out the way you like. I highly advise just making only that change next go around. Do everything else the same that way you know what small portion of the process your getting results from.

Great...that's an easy adjustment.
When it comes to the ribs themselves; is it better to buy butcher product versus grocery store?

 

[krj]

Great...that's an easy adjustment.
When it comes to the ribs themselves; is it better to buy butcher product versus grocery store?

So there's no cut and dry answer to that. Honestly, most grocery stores now generally carry some pretty decent product. The upside of going to a butcher is they will usually let you look the product over, and will trim/prep it any way you like. But with those services come a higher price. For me, I have no issue with buying cryovac grocery meats. I just look them over as best as I can.

 

[fivetricks]

Sounds like you finished out at about 195 on your ribs. If you like them more FOTB, stick a thermo in them in the last "hour" and take them to about 203.

Also, butcher v grocery store? As far as Meijer goes, i usually get pretty good baby backs from them so. Not worth the extra butcher price compared to Meijer I suppose. But every store has their good days and bad days when it comes to meat selection.

 

[cobrar97]

Great temp information here...I think this will really make a difference in my next attempt. I had smoked two racks. One thing I'll say is that one membrane came off perfectly, but the other was basically impossible. I was able to knife-pry it at the bones, but each meat section I could not get it off...it was crazy.

 

[fivetricks]

Meh, don't stress about the membrane. There are some here who don't remove at all. It's a personal preference thing.

If I can get it off without much fuss, then I take it off. Otherwise, I leave it be. But I'm lazy like that. Never heard any complaints about it

 

[chef jimmyj]

Right there with, longer in foil for FOB...JJ

 

[JC in GB]

I agree with KRJ. Start by leaving them in the foil for 30 minutes longer then I would increase by 15 minute intervals until it hits the tenderness you want. Usually over 200 F on pork gets it nice and tender. Also, you can gauge tenderness by probing the meat with your thermometer.

 

[Jonok]

Others may disagree, (and they've probably cooked a heck of a lot more ribs than I have) but I think that getting BB ribs super tender and juicy is a lot harder than doing the same with spares, just because there's a paucity of fat in the big chunk of attached loin.

 

[fivetricks]

I would say it's harder because of the lack of collagen in the attached loin meat as compared to a "spare rib" cut. It's like trying to tenderize a pork chop at 200 degrees.

 

[Jonok]

Well, it's too bad that you don't have a solution either...
I can cook them like Chili's if I essentially boil them in barbecue sauce, then throw them on the grill to make them sticky, but at that point, why bother having the ribs. None of that really requires a smoker.
Buy a loin for 1/3 the price and do what you will with it. It's essentially like making supermarket frozen pulled pork, or a McRib. It came from a pig, and has barbecue sauce and something smoky tasting on it...

 

[chef jimmyj]

You want Melt in your Mouth, bone falls out, Pork? Make Pulled Pork. Similar textured muscle to Spare Ribs, Cheaper and if you cut an 8 pound Butt into 1.5-2 lb pieces. They will cook in less than 6 hours at 250. Lots of Bark too...JJ

 

[Jonok]

Yeah, but WHY cut it up... All of that collagen/fat/delicious-essence stuff will run out instead of being there when you pull it.

"Bone In Country Style Ribs" are usually cheaper than whole butts around here, and give you the chance to play with them in the smoker or on the grill with uniformly palatable results over a very wide cook time. (usually "done" in 20 minutes on a grill with direct heat, 2 hrs in a smoker at 250, but as long as you sort of start stacking them up on top of each other so they don't dry out, they can be spritzed, mopped, and otherwise fiddled around with and candied up for hours longer without negatively affecting much of anything.

 

[chef jimmyj]

Dang Dude, totally forgot about CSR's. Great call...JJ

 

[JC in GB]

I generally can hit baby backs to the doneness I like. Usually I make them more tender than I like them because everyone else wants them fall off the bone.

I have had a couple of outings where they turned out tough but that was my fault for pulling them too early in every case.

 

[fivetricks]

I remember when CSR's used to be real cheap too. Now they're expensive around here. North of 4.00/lb I'm not sure what changed.