banderson7474
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Bumping this thread b/c I'm going to do Al's ribs this weekend. Got a rack thawing in the fridge as we speak!
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SmokinAl
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I followed this to the letter. I used a Camp Chef Woodwind pellet smoker. I set the temp to 225. The spare ribs hit 190 in less that 2 hours! Why is this? Anyone?Many of you who knew me in the past know that I have been tinkering with my rib recipe for years. This comes from the fact that everybody around here likes fall off the bone ribs except me. I like tender juicy ribs, but what I don't like is taking a bite & having the bone slip out & a big chunk of meat hanging down on my chin. So my task was to find a rib that would satisfy the fall off the bone group & me too. I achieved that a few times, but could never do it 2 times in a row, that is until now. I now smoke the ribs by TEMP, not time. For the ribs that satisfy all of us the finish IT needs to be 195. Now if you try this recipe I would shoot for that same IT the first time. Then you may want to adjust for your particular taste. Maybe 200 or 205, or even 185, but the thing is they will be the same every time you smoke them. It doesn't matter if your a foil or non foil guy, whatever way you cook the ribs your focus should be on the finish temp. Personally I like to put the ribs in foil for 45 minutes to an hour, but I determine that time by the IT at 3 hours. Rub, foiling liquid, smoker temp, sauce. These have an effect on the final taste, but the thing that determines the final texture of the ribs is the IT. You will need a good therm like a thermapen, it has a real thin tip & will go between the bones real easy.
Next you need to start out with a good piece of meat. I stopped buying the cryovac 3 packs at Sam's because you really can't see what your getting. The one sandwiched in the center is usually not a rack I would buy if I was only buying 1 rack. So I get my ribs a our local grocery Publix. They have a good meat Dept. & will get you the rack your looking for. Second I DON'T TAKE OFF THE MEMBRANE. Why, because I think it holds the moisture in. I always finish the ribs on a screaming hot gas grill for a couple of minutes and that turns the membrane to dust. So now that you know the secret to perfect ribs everytime. Lets get the show going. Here's the rack that I'm starting with. Thick, meaty, with good marbelling.
Coat with mustard & my pork rub. It's just a simple rub. Use your favorite rub or PM me for mine.
Next wrap with plastic wrap & into the fridge for a couple of hours. I stopped leaving them in the fridge overnight, because I thought the rub tended to overpower the pork flavor.
Out of the fridge & into the smoker. Since this is a relatively short smoke I'm going to use the Smoke Vault. Red oak for wood.
Here it is ready to go.
I always leave the ribs in the smoke for 3 hours, then check the IT. Doesn't matter what smoker I'm using. Smoker temp is 225. At 3 hours I pull it out & foil.
Now is when I check the IT for the first time. This is how I determine how long to leave the ribs in foil.
As you can see the IT is 168. If I foil for about 1 hour the IT should be in the 190+ range, which would be perfect.
I just use butter, raw sugar, some pork rub & about 1/4 cup of water in the foil.
Ribs go on the foil meat side down.
This is why I don't take the membrane off. You can see all the juice accumulated under the membrane.
It's actually so full of juice that it's bulging out.
Now just a little water on the bones.
Into the smoker.
I guess Judy is getting ready to eat some ribs!! Are they done yet??
Checking them after about 1 hour in the foil.
193! Perfect!! Now for Al's famous BBQ sauce.
Next into a really hot grill for just a couple of minutes. You have to watch these real close so as not to burn them. I like to see the BBQ sauce bubbling on top before I take the ribs out.
OK there done, lets just check the final IT.
That's what were looking for. Perfect ribs again! WOO HOO!!
Great bark, super juicy, but not quite fall off the bone.
Here's the money shot!!!
We stood at the cutting board eating ribs. Never got them on a plate.
I hope some of you will try this. I know it goes against everything we have been taught, but I'm always looking to reinvent the wheel.
Thank-you for looking and happy smoking!
Al
pellet grills usually have a hot and a warm side... where did you put the ribs?
Also, were you using a digital thermometer to check the cooking temp?
Also, were you using a digital thermometer to check the cooking temp?
Sammybones
Fire Starter
- May 28, 2018
- 35
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Sammybones
Fire Starter
- May 28, 2018
- 35
- 30
banderson7474
Smoking Fanatic
Sammybones
Fire Starter
- May 28, 2018
- 35
- 30
banderson7474
Smoking Fanatic
SmokinAl
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Wow guys!!
You both made some incredible looking ribs!
Nice work!
Al
SmokinAl
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As indaswamp said " Did you have a temp probe on the grate near the ribs to see if it was running at 225?
Also did you probe the ribs in several different spots?
If your probe gets next to a bone it will give a wrong reading. I use a ThermoPop, cause it has a very thin probe needle. If your not sure on the placement then go by the feel of the probe entering the ribs, it should go in pretty easy.
Al
I used the digital thermometer that the original poster uses. I was cooking six racks at a time and you are correct some hit 190 well before the others. But I was extremely surprised to see some racks hit 190 at the 2-hour mark. The good news is most of the ribs came out very good and I got good reviews. I just don't understand how they got to 190 so fast and what do I do to fix this in the future or do I need to fix this in the future?
I did not use the temperature gauge inside the grill I went by what the camp chef grill itself told me. It was set at 220 and 225 for the whole cook. I did test the ribs and several different spots as you said. I'm glad I checked at 2 hours because the ones that were at 190 already couldn't go into the foil but it alerted me to check the others and get them in the foil. Most of the racks came out great so I'm thankful for this walkthrough. I'm just concerned about using this new camp chef woodwind correctly.
banderson7474
Smoking Fanatic
Most of us have found that using a gauge that is near the meat gives a more accurate reading. For example, on my ok joe, my gauges run hotter than my gauge I have at meat level b/c both of my gauges are higher (see profile pic)
I'm guessing your set up is the opposite of mine b/c if I ran at the temps my grill says, it would take me much longer to cook.
Sammybones
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- May 28, 2018
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SmokinAl
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If it were my grill I would do a trial run with a couple of temp gauges at different locations on the grill grates. That is the only true way to find out if the controller on your smoker is accurate. I suspect that when you set it to 225, your really cooking at a much higher temp.
Al
txflyguy
Smoke Blower
- Apr 29, 2009
- 134
- 147
This may be incorrect, and verboten, but I have never taken the temp of my ribs. The standard is a four hour smoke, at 210-220, then a foil wrap with 6 oz. of Coke added, then in the oven at 325 for 1 to 3 hours (depending on how tender you want them).
This is known as the "Texas Cheat". It works every time for me.
This is known as the "Texas Cheat". It works every time for me.
SmokinAl
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This may be incorrect, and verboten, but I have never taken the temp of my ribs. The standard is a four hour smoke, at 210-220, then a foil wrap with 6 oz. of Coke added, then in the oven at 325 for 1 to 3 hours (depending on how tender you want them).
This is known as the "Texas Cheat". It works every time for me.
This thread was started so guys that were having trouble getting their ribs right could have a reliable way of having consistently good results. If your method works for you, then I certainly wouldn't change a thing. BTW, foiling is also known as "The Texas crutch". Also your ribs look very good!
Al
txflyguy
Smoke Blower
- Apr 29, 2009
- 134
- 147
Thanks! Yes, these were good...but not as good as these! Same smoke, but the prep (dry rub) was different.
SmokinAl
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Thanks! Yes, these were good...but not as good as these! Same smoke, but the prep (dry rub) was different.
Very nice!!
Al
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