• Enter the TVWB 27th Anniversary Prize Drawing for a chance to win a Weber Traveler Portable Gas Grill! Click here to enter!

baby back advice

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date

 
G

Guest

Guest
I smoked two baby back slabs in the WSM for 4 hours 15 minutes at about 220. While they were still good they were not very "juicy". I usually have better results on the Weber Kettle (which is how I usually cook ribs). I not sure if I over cooked or under cooked the ribs. What am I missing? Should I be cooking longer/shorter? At a higher temp?
 
The first thing is: don't cook by time. I'm probably the only person here who cooks babybacks at ~325 but I and others here who cook at lower temps cook till tender, not to a point where a specific time has elapsed.

It's hard to know longer or shorter because it's hard to know when and if tender occurred and you passed it--or if it hadn't yet occurred and you hadn't hit it yet.

If you cooked at 220 lid then my guess is the latter. Ribs need not be cooked that low, especially back ribs. You don't have to cook as high as I do (I do because I see no reason to cook lower) but you certainly can cook higher. It will shorten the cook and likely give you a moister finish--but you will need to cook to tender--which means you need to check for tender.
 
Pretty sure they are undercooked. At those temps without foil I would say your looking at around 6 hours or so. That's assuming the racks are about two and a half pounds.

Clark
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jeff Armstrong:
I smoked two baby back slabs in the WSM for 4 hours 15 minutes at about 220. While they were still good they were not very "juicy". I usually have better results on the Weber Kettle (which is how I usually cook ribs). I not sure if I over cooked or under cooked the ribs. What am I missing? Should I be cooking longer/shorter? At a higher temp? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Jeff,
I would definitely increase your temps a little for loin backs. I cook mine in the 245-260* range at the dome for approximately 3.5 hours, then into foil for approximately 45 minutes, then back onto the cooker unfoiled to firm back up and sauce if you like. All the times are basic guidelines, as Kevin stated you can't go by time alone. Good luck on your next cook!
 
Thanks for all of the advice!

It sounds like 220 was too low. I had two chimneys of charcoal going with the bottom vents 50% to 75% open during the entire cook and kept a full water pan with cool/cold water added. 220-225 was a consistent and my max temp. It was about 55 F. outside.

So to run 245 to 285 do I remove the water pan?
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jeff Armstrong:
Thanks for all of the advice!

It sounds like 220 was too low. I had two chimneys of charcoal going with the bottom vents 50% to 75% open during the entire cook and kept a full water pan with cool/cold water added. 220-225 was a consistent and my max temp. It was about 55 F. outside.

So to run 245 to 285 do I remove the water pan? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

WOW, two full chimneys and you were only running at 220?? I would first check your thermometers to ensure accuracy. With two lit chimneys you should have been closer to 320* than 220*.... When I cook in the 245*-260* range I start off with about 10 lit coals and let my temps creep up with the bottom vents 100% and the top vent always open all the way. When the cooker gets to 200* I close the bottom 3 vents by 75% and don't touch them again. The temps will intially drop a few degrees, but will then gradually climb and settle in around 245-260*.

You do not need to remove the water pan. You can either continue to use water or a couple other options are available that will work. You can fill the water pan 1/3 with play sand, 2 fire bricks, balled up aluminum foil or the bottom of a clay pot. I use 2 fire bricks and they work fine for me and clean up is a breeze. Place the bricks in the pan and double wrap the whole pan with HD aluminum foil leaving enough room to catch the drippings. When you're done cooking and the cooker has cooled remove the foil and you're done with that part of the clean up!
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">and kept a full water pan with cool/cold water added. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>This will have an effect too.

When I'm cooking low/slow I Minion the start precisely as Larry describes. I use hot water in the pan, assemble the cooker and load the meat as soon as I dump the lit on the unlit. It is much easier to catch temps on the way up.

The hot water still acts as a heat sink but not so well at the outset that the climb falters or is unnecessarily delayed. Water is easy to me and I don't have an issue with cleanup--but I don't love in the city or suburbs nor do I have a pristine yard. Sand/ceramic/bricks can be easier if you do.

I actually start high heat cooks the same way. Twice the lit though and nothing in the pan.
 
well i like the meat pretty much fallin off the bone so I cook at 225 for about 6-7 hrs and baste them once in a while with apple juice. I had been using the 3-2-1 method until I smoked some ribs for a friend and skipped it cause he wanted them basted. Turned out very well and I perferred them to my normal ribs.
 
Originally posted by K Kruger:
The first thing is: don't cook by time. I'm probably the only person here who cooks babybacks at ~325 but I and others here who cook at lower temps cook till tender, not to a point where a specific time has elapsed.


My last babyback cook I did at 300-325 lid, cooked until done, and they were the best ribs I've done yet. I've also been doing spares at higher temps with very good results.

Steve
Click to expand...
 
I cook more like 325-350. If I Minion the start then I cook around 90 min if I have decided to foil, then foil and check in 20-30, depending on how quick the come-up was; every 5 or 10 thereafter if not yet done (how long I wait depends on the feel). If I foil I always cook till tender while in the foil.

If I don't foil then checking depends on what the average temp over the first 90 min was, i.e., again, how fast the come-up was and how high.

If the ribs go in at the tail end of another cook (so they start cooking at already high temps) then everything happens much faster.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top