second run worst than the first....

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lordisgod

Newbie
Original poster
Jul 24, 2013
13
10
Surprise, AZ
Hello there!

well here it goes. Just ran my 18.5 WSM for the second time this past saturday.

before i go into the problem let me explain what i did on the first run a couple of saturdays ago..

i seasoned the smoker since it was new and my first time smoking. the night before i marinaded a pork loin with an injection and

a dry rub (webers pork rub). left it overnight. the following morning i picked up a pre seasoned pork loin back ribs that comes in 2 slabs per package. fired up the wsm, added a full ring, about 15 lit coals (Kings blue). minion method. added 4 chnks of hickory,

added center piece, filled water pan. waited till smoker got to temp.. around 220-250 varience since i went by stock therm. then put loin on bottom grate and both slabs with one cut in half to fit on top grate. took out loin after about 4.5 hours or 160. very moist for the most part but a bit dry in the ends. as for the ribs at about 3rd hour i wrapped one of the half ribs added a little apple juice, also basted the rest of the ribs unwrapped. 4th hour basted ribs again with apple juice. 5th hour uncovered the ribs and basted them also the other ribs. took out ribs at about 5 1/2 hours. and basted with bbq sauce 1/2 hour before taking out. did the bend test for doness.

 the ribs where the most tender, juciest, tastiest ribs i ever had in my life!! my wife and i preferred the ones that i did not wrap for the reason being that the unwrapped ones had a better flavor i guess due to the bark..

so here i go with last weeks blooper.....

picked up 3 whole untrimmed racks of spareribs from food4less market.  the night before smoking them i took off membrane,

rubbed them with a rub that is in the recipe as tbritu?? or "the best ribs in the universe".. except i substituted with iodized salt since i did not have non idodiezed on hand and also papricka since i did not have cayene powder. put all slabs in the pan and covered over the pan with serane wrap. note i did not trim the whole slap of spares.. i just trimmed off the membrane, and the bottom flap. the tips and everything else i left on...same procedure followed from previous smoke, water to water pan, this time 3 chunks of apple and one of hickory, and basted every hour with cold pressed unfiltered apple juice.this time i had my maverick 732 and temps where mostly

in the 219ish... with spikes coming in during basting but quickly stabelized. this time i also just cooked for the full 6 hours not doing any type of doness test except for about the 4 1/2 hour mark i did a little tear test and the meat tore with slight resistance.. i should have took them off by then but for some reason.... i said to myself it aint six hours yet and left them on... as for the the taste test,

the tips and edges of the slab where very dry and tough could not even chew it... i had to cut those off and toss em. only the meaty ribs where good tasting but not moist and juicy... so i need some advise. please!

Thanks! and God bless

Randy P.
 
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sounds like you did not do the foil process on the 3-2-1 method...3 hours smoke time, 2 hours foil time with juice, butter, seasoning, brown sugar...what ever you like..and 1 hour on the smoker to help firm the pork ribs back up
 
Just my opinion, but sure sounds like the second time, the ribs were overcooked. I might have missed it but did you put these ribs on the top rack as you did the first time you smoked some? 

Could also have just been tough ribs. I still foil my ribs (both baby backs and spares) but mine never take the full

3-2-1 time to cook. 

Hopefully someone else will post better answers for you, as I'm not a rib expert!
 
the 3-2-1 method is for the low and slow..225 degree ....you can cut the time down to 4 hours at 275 degrees with 3 hours of smoke and 1 hour of foil time or 2 1/2 smoke and 1 1/2 hours of foil time...all depends on how much time you have allowed for the cook and how tender you like your ribs
 
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Thanks for the replys and advise!

on the first smoke, i only did 1/2 of the ribs in the 321 method. and the other half regular (not 321). the reason i did not do

the second smoke with the 321 method was that me and my wife thought they (unfoiled) where better tasting and still juicy and tender.

could have been that by not trimming the whole untrimmed spare rack that the thinner edges (rib tips) where done faster so by the time

the six hour mark they where over cooked while the meatier parts where better?   I appreciate all your help!

Randy Pereda
 
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   I think your only mistake was going by time rather than internal temp/doneness. (as temp is hard to do on ribs!)  We use time as an estimate. Each piece of meat is different and will be done when it is done. Try again and as you start to see the meat drawing back from the bones, start testing the meat for doneness. Good luck and let us know how it comes out!

  PS. Welcome to the forum!

  Mike
 
Thanks! That does makes sense. the first one i went by donenes but the second run i went by time regardless the ribs where done before...
icon_cry.gif


I appreciate the responses. next saturday i will go by doness and get costco ribs.( i thought they where meatier too).

Thanks!

Randyp
 
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Randy, evening.....  I have deleted your "references" to what appears to be scriptures.....   I understand you may be a religious individual but, religion and politics are not allowed on this forum......  there are many political forums for folks to join, as well as religious forums....  this forum does not support either...     Please refrain from such references in the future....   

I don't intentionally mean to be an a-hole but that's the way it is here....   Religion and Politics are two subjects that can cause problems.... I don't know why and I don't care....   This forum is for folks to learn the ins and outs of all things related to smoking food and we decide what is related to smoking food....   Have a good evening and enjoy the forum and the long smokey ride.....

Sincerely, DaveOmak
 
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