Spare Ribs help and advice

[DeRail]

so I am looking for help on my spare ribs. I have been doing the 3-2-1 method and the flavor I am getting with rub and wood combo is great. But they always seem to really dry out. Everyone who tastes likes but it seems like they could be better.

After wrapping them for 2 hours with a little butter they are as tender as all get out. They often fall apart trying to get them out of the foil. That next hour is there they seem to dry out.

Any thoughts or advice is appreciated. Also if that is just how spare ribs are then fine too but I have watched some videos that seem to show them not so dry.

 

[jake0531]

If you don’t like them falling apart, shorten your time in the foil, and shorten your time after unwrapping them to keep them drying out, or spritz/mop or put sauce on. 3-2-1 is IMO a “guideline” if you’re doing them real low and slow. I do my ribs at 250-275 unwrapped til I get the color I want, wrap until I get tender, but not fall off the bone. I like to be able to cut them and not have bones fall out, but have a clean bite. Then I sauce/glaze if I’m going that route or pull them and rest then eat.

 

[chilerelleno]

Falling off the bone ribs are ribs already overcooked.
Then you take what little moisture out of them that was left from the braise (crutch) when you try to repair the damage done to the cooking unwrapped the last hour.


I recommend cooking ribs naked and only until they're cooked to tender, juicy perfection.
That being a bite referred to as a Light Tug that takes meat cleanly off the bone.

If you cook by timed methods you need to modify those times to meet your tastes.
Try 3 1 1 or some such till you find what works for you.
Step out of the box and into your own comfort zone.

Also, some in the know cook ribs to temp for their idea of eating perfection,
Again, that Light Tug bite.
And that temp is right at 195° +/- a degree.

 

[tallbm]

so I am looking for help on my spare ribs. I have been doing the 3-2-1 method and the flavor I am getting with rub and wood combo is great. But they always seem to really dry out. Everyone who tastes likes but it seems like they could be better.

After wrapping them for 2 hours with a little butter they are as tender as all get out. They often fall apart trying to get them out of the foil. That next hour is there they seem to dry out.

Any thoughts or advice is appreciated. Also if that is just how spare ribs are then fine too but I have watched some videos that seem to show them not so dry.

Hi there and welcome!

Like already mentioned, you are overcooking the ribs but you can easily fix your issue.
Ribs are a cut that is done when it is tender, so when they are already wanting to fall of the bone they are super tender. Going beyond that is going to just dry them out.

Most BBQ is cooked using the meat's Internal Temperature (IT) as an indicator of being done or an indicator to check for tenderness where tenderness tells you it is done. Pork ribs, pork butt/shoulder, brisket, and beef ribs are all cuts that are done when they are tender.

A simple tenderness test is to stab all over with a tooth pic or a wooden kabob skewer and when it goes in all over with no resistance then these cuts are tender and therefore done.

A member SmokinAl figured out that pork ribs are generally bite off the bone tender (the way competition ribs are cooked) at an IT of 195F.
I like to do mine to 198F where they are on the verge of getting to fall off the bone but just not quite there all the way. I have found them to be fall off the bone at around 200F+

Also my preferred method is to cook them unwrapped with no spritzing, mopping, massaging, fondling, insulting, assaulting, or otherwise messing with them . When the IT hits 198F I check them for tenderness with a toothpic (sometimes my probe placement is off) and if they pass the tenderness test then they are done!

I hope this info helps :)

 

[jaxgatorz]

Falling off the bone ribs are ribs already overcooked.
Then you take what little moisture out of them that was left from the braise (crutch) when you try to repair the damage done to the cooking unwrapped the last hour.


I recommend cooking ribs naked and only until they're cooked to tender, juicy perfection.
That being a bite referred to as a Light Tug that takes meat cleanly off the bone.

If you cook by timed methods you need to modify those times to meet your tastes.
Try 3 1 1 or some such till you find what works for you.
Step out of the box and into your own comfort zone.

Also, some in the know cook ribs to temp for their idea of eating perfection,
Again, that Light Tug bite.
And that temp is right at 195° +/- a degree.

This

 

[SmokinAl]

In my opinion ribs are the second hardest thing to cook, next to a brisket flat.
But with a few cooks you will find your method & be able to repeat it time & time again. My method goes by the IT of the ribs & I can consistently turn out ribs the same way time after time. You will be able to do that too after a few cooks!!
Al