Tough Ribs

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auballard

Newbie
Original poster
May 28, 2019
9
3
Tried ribs for the first time this weekend. I used the 3-2-1 method and Butt Rub dry rub. Although the taste was good they were very tough. Hard to pull the meat off the bone. The meat itself was mostly tender.

Any suggestions?
 
I am going with underdone as previous posters have said.

What was your pit temp? Can I assume that by using the 3-2-1 method that you wrapped the ribs?

I need a few more details....
 
I am going with underdone as previous posters have said.

What was your pit temp? Can I assume that by using the 3-2-1 method that you wrapped the ribs?

I need a few more details....
agreed... more info needed. what kind of ribs? St Louise or Baby Backs??? the kind of rib makes a big difference.
 
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3-2-1 method, so it is easy to assume they were pork spare ribs, not BBs. We don't know the chamber temp, although I see another post while I'm typing this one.

Holding onto the bone with meat generally tender means they probably only needed another 30 minutes unwrapped in the smoker to finish.
 
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Thank you all. My apologies for not providing more info.

I have an 802 Pit Boss which has a "smoke" setting. I believe the "Smoke" temp is 180 as the next temperature setting up is 200. These were baby back ribs rubbed with Butt Rub dry rub. I cooked them uncovered bone side down for 3 hours. Removed, wrapped them in aluminum foil, and placed back on the smoker meat side down for 2 hours. Removed from smoker, removed foil, and smoked another hour bone side down.

Thank you all.
 
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321 and 221 are just guidelines for smoking ribs at 225*. Did you add any juice to the foil?

Chris
 
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If you repeat your cook and bump the cook temp to between 225 and 250 they will be fall apart tender. Someone else mentioned as well that when you wrap you can put a little apple juice. Alternatively squirt a liberal amount of parkay on the foil and sprinkle with some brown sugar and extra rub.
 
I agree next cook run your 3-2-1 at 250 and your ribs should come out nice and tender.
 
OK. Thank you. I did not add anything.

I will try again. Live and learn. Thank you.

My foiling routine is like jcams except I use real butter. Parkay is hard to come by around here. The braising helps tenderize the ribs. So the longer their in the foil the looser they'll get. We like FOTB ribs here so I usually go the full two hours in foil then put them back on the grill meat side up to set, and sauce if saucing.

Chris
 
My foiling routine is like jcams except I use real butter. Parkay is hard to come by around here. The braising helps tenderize the ribs. So the longer their in the foil the looser they'll get. We like FOTB ribs here so I usually go the full two hours in foil then put them back on the grill meat side up to set, and sauce if saucing.

Chris

I am going to switch to real butter as well Chris. Although parkay squeeze is abundant around here butter is so much better in both flavor and for health.
 
Never understood why Parkay either. I can understand the convenience of a "squeeze butter". Someone must have stock family stake in the brand name at some point, and stuck ever since.
 
Never understood why Parkay either. I can understand the convenience of a "squeeze butter". Someone must have stock family stake in the brand name at some point, and stuck ever since.

I think it started with Johnny Trigg from one of the BBQ shows.

Chris
 
Thank you all. My apologies for not providing more info.

I have an 802 Pit Boss which has a "smoke" setting. I believe the "Smoke" temp is 180 as the next temperature setting up is 200. These were baby back ribs rubbed with Butt Rub dry rub. I cooked them uncovered bone side down for 3 hours. Removed, wrapped them in aluminum foil, and placed back on the smoker meat side down for 2 hours. Removed from smoker, removed foil, and smoked another hour bone side down.

Thank you all.
Hmm... okay I'd suggest increasing the heat to 225º. You also should get a calibrated thermometer and measure your actual grate temps. Internal built-in therms are notorious for being inaccurate. If wrapping babybacks (personally stopped messing with that years ago) many suggest using something closer to 2-2-1. Key is to know when done. The methods (in order of preference) I would suggest are: the toothpick (little or no resistance), bend (grab a third of the rack with tongs and see if it bends approx 45º with cracks in the meat appearing across the rack). Usually the meat by this time has also pulled back from the bone ends a bit. Doneness is also subjective as some like a clean bite while others prefer FOB (fall off the bone). If interested, see recipe in sig below.
 
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Tried ribs for the first time this weekend. I used the 3-2-1 method and Butt Rub dry rub. Although the taste was good they were very tough. Hard to pull the meat off the bone. The meat itself was mostly tender.

Any suggestions?
3-2-1 only works if grill temp is 225-250 degrees. Add some beer for steaming when doing the 2 hr process.
 
In My Opinion, 3-2-1 was for Spare Ribs using 225° to 250°.
However I prefer 2.5-2.5-0.5.

BabyBacks usually call for 225° @ 2-2-1.

Bear
 
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