What Went Wrong?

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

David Applin

Newbie
Original poster
Jun 25, 2018
3
0
Hello!

I gave smoking my first ever attempt today, the results where...Mixed lets say!
I was following a recipe from DJ bbqs new book for Pork ribs, and although they tasted great and smokey, they were really tough and a pain to eat.
I have a feeling i know what went wrong due to my inexperience:
1- I had great trouble at the beginning (the first 45 mins or so) at keeping the temperature at 110oc (which it was supposed to be at during the entire cook), afterwards i took out some of the lump wood and the temperature was pretty much perfect and much more manageable
2- For the last 40 mins, the temperature had dropped to 90oc and i had no lump wood left to raise it back up to 110oc so i wrapped them in foil and moved to the oven to warm through(just to be safe)


however it is worth noting that i did remove the membrane, and also sprayed with cider vinegar every half an hour after the had been in for an hour and a half


I assuming that is what i had done wrong, so would someone please be able to give me some more information as i am very new to all of this!

Thanks
David
 
You were opening your cooker too often. You should keep your spritz interval down to at most once an hour. You lose alot of cooking heat each time you open your cooker.
 
99% of the time , the bones will be sticking out a little when the meat is finished.
IMG_20180625_173022.png
IMG_20180625_173119.png
 
I cook mine for 6hrs @225. I let them smoke for 4 hours (approximately) until the IT reaches 165 degrees. Then I wrap them in foil (with more rub and multiple pats of butter) for about an hour or until the IT reaches 195. Then I finish them (for roughly an hour) back on the smoker, adding a VERY thin glaze of sauce every 20 minutes during the last hour.

RIB1.jpg
RIB2.jpg
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: slapaho_injun
They were undercooked. I agree with the spritz no more than once an hour to maintain temperature. Next ones will be better!
 
I agree with all the above. They definitely sound like they were under cooked. I use the 3-2-1 method. A couple hours in foil with some sort of liquid (I use apple juice) really tenderizes them. But hey, the fun is trying different things till you get it down. If it were easy, everybody would be doing it.
 
Depending on the smoker you have, when you open it up you do loose some heat.
But my smokers just come right back to temp in a minute or two.
I also agree that your ribs were undercooked, I use a therm to determine the doneness of the ribs.
There are several way to check for doneness, but I found that meat temp works the best for me.
195 is where we like them, if you want fall off the bone ribs then you would go to 200-205.
Good luck on your next rack!
Al
 
I agree with all the above. They definitely sound like they were under cooked. I use the 3-2-1 method. A couple hours in foil with some sort of liquid (I use apple juice) really tenderizes them. But hey, the fun is trying different things till you get it down. If it were easy, everybody would be doing it.

I might have missed it somewhere above, but I'm assuming that this are spare ribs, not back ribs.

+1 with oldsmokerdude. I try to follow the 3-2-1 method (3 hours of smoke, 2 hours wrapped, 1 hour unwrapped to finish them) with spareribs and they turn out great. It sounds like you didn't leave them in long enough and didn't have enough continuous heat. I try to keep mine at 225F to 250F (107C to 121C).
 
I use the 3&3 method......that's what I call it anyways. 220-240f for 3 hrs, meat side up. I spray them (designated BBQ spray bottle) with apple juice or a mixture of honey, brown sugar & hot water . Internal temp should be at 165f after 3 hrs. Then I pull them off and lay them meat side down on foil, that I have laid a thick bead of BBQ sauce onto. Wrap well in that first foil , then set onto another foil and wrap a second time, keeping the meat side down. I then set the double foil wrapped ribs, meat side down, back into the smoker for anther 3 hrs........pull them off and let them sit in the foil for 30-45 minutes before opening them up and pigging out. They will fall of the bone ! I also believe in prepping them the day prior also. Remove membrane , rinse, cover with a dry rub and then we set them on a pan and Saran Wrap them and keep the overnight in the fridge. On the day I'm smoking them I pull them out of the fridge and let them sit uncovered on the counter for an hour to bring them up in temp from the fridge.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bangstick
I use the 3&3 method......that's what I call it anyways. 220-240f for 3 hrs, meat side up. I spray them (designated BBQ spray bottle) with apple juice or a mixture of honey, brown sugar & hot water . Internal temp should be at 165f after 3 hrs. Then I pull them off and lay them meat side down on foil, that I have laid a thick bead of BBQ sauce onto. Wrap well in that first foil , then set onto another foil and wrap a second time, keeping the meat side down. I then set the double foil wrapped ribs, meat side down, back into the smoker for anther 3 hrs........pull them off and let them sit in the foil for 30-45 minutes before opening them up and pigging out. They will fall of the bone ! I also believe in prepping them the day prior also. Remove membrane , rinse, cover with a dry rub and then we set them on a pan and Saran Wrap them and keep the overnight in the fridge. On the day I'm smoking them I pull them out of the fridge and let them sit uncovered on the counter for an hour to bring them up in temp from the fridge.

How do they look? What are they like with your method? No bark? I'm interested since I like them fob too. But seems like that last hour unwrapped is necessary to the exterior or to set the sauce.
 
I prep mine the night before as well. Remove the membrane, rinse and pat dry, apply yellow mustard and then apply rub. I don't wrap them though. I put them on a cooling rack and sit that on a large sheet pan and then put them in the fridge. I believe this gives the rub a chance to get pasty and that helps with the bark. At least that's what I tell myself.
 
  • Like
Reactions: slapaho_injun
I don't have pictures but they do have bark, very tender and moist. Next time I do em I will take several pictures and post them. I still have one more rack, vacuum sealed in the freezer, before I will be out and need to fire up the smoker again. If you want to freeze them, do 3 hrs naked and only 2 hrs in foil cause when you go to reheat them at 400 for an hour, they'll be just as good.
 
  • Like
Reactions: KrisUpInSmoke
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Hot Threads

Clicky