Baby Back Ribs - Big Screw Up! Ideas?


 
S

Scott Hammock

TVWBB Member
Well, Ive done ribs on many occasions, but yesterday I really screwed them up and it was for a big family function. They were dry as a bone and fell apart.
Here is my setup: WSM 22.5 and a Pitmaster IQ.
I set it up like always. Empty pan and the IQ set to 250.

I did 3-2-1 method. I did 3 racks on top and 3 on the bottom rotating after the 3 hr mark. Wrapped with apple juice for the 2 hr mark. Opened and sauced for the last 1 hr. The temp hung in the 250 area the entire time.
When I pulled them, they were really dry. Luckily, the family is used to restaurants who advertise "fall off the bone ribs" so they thought they were great.....they weren't.

My thinking is that the heat on the bottom with no water or heat diffuser got too high. I've never cooked with the IQ/No water and used the lower grate.

Ideas?
 
Yesterday I had 1 SLC smoking for 3h at 250F w/water, than wrap in foil for 1 h w/ butter+honey+ligh brown dugar+1/3 cup of apple juice. Than I unwrapped and let it dry for 1 h more at 250F w/o water. For me it was perfect in texture but a little dry. Last time I did the same except for water in the last h: they were better in moistness and texture was the same good. This could be the reason why this ribs were a little dry. OR I have to shorten the dry phase to only 30'. I have to practice more.
 
Were they baby back or full loin backs? For me 3-2-1 is too long, I like 3-1-0.5 better, but that's for loin backs. May have to shorten it even more for baby backs or lower the temp.
 
If it fell apart and was mushy, then overcooked. If it fell apart and was dry, then way overcooked.

As a suggestion, try cooking at about 275 and reduce the time in all phases.
Instead of 3 hours, start looking at 2 hours. Once your ribs have a good, set bark and the color you like, wrap (which begins the second phase) with your choice of braising liquid, sugars, etc.
At an hour into the wrapped phase, check for tenderness. If not tender, continue cooking. If tender, unwrap and begin the third phase.
For the third phase, you are only looking to set any sauce (if used) you have applied and to finish off the cooking cycle.
 
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Seems like you diagnosed the problem yourself with the lower rack and no water in the pan. Sounds like they were overcooked and the apple juice leaked or cooked out.

If I remember correctly, the original 3-2-1 method as developed by Stogie was designed for WSM to be controlled to 225° for the entire cook. If cooking at 250, then all times need to be shortened, especially the time in foil. I just did a rib cook yesterday that used Harry Soo's method, which is a 2-1.5-.5 that is held at 275 with no water in the pan.
 
Yup, wayyyy too long. Probably should be looking at 4 1/2 hr total. Foil wrap really accelerates cooking so shorten the time to max 2 1/2 first step and max 1 hr foil. After the foil, you can always put them back on to another half hour to tighten up the bark..

Remember, don't rely strictly on time at the end of the cook. Pullback and "pull apart-ability" is key.

Temps are 225 (sometimes 250 but that's a spike, not constant).
 
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I agree. I learned that BB's don't do well using 3-2-1. I adjusted to 2- 1.5- .5-ish. A total of about 4 hours is usually more than enough for a rack or two if BB's. FYI, I never use water. I use a foil-wrapped terra-cotta base.
 
Invest in a rib rack, either the Weber or a Traeger, it's a big honker from what I hear. Either way you'll be able to keep them all on the same grate. The next time try checking both grate temps just out of curiosity.
 
Ron A said:
FYI, I never use water. I use a foil-wrapped terra-cotta base.
Click to expand...

Same here. The lower grate doesn't get "as hot" as you think it does. Then again, I've never ran the bowl without the terra cotta.
3-2-1 method is very common --- for spare ribs. For baby back or loin back, that's WAY too long. 4 hours is all I figure on time.
Like a few others mentioned, sounds really overcooked.
 
Bob Bass said:
As a suggestion, try cooking at about 275 and reduce the time in all phases.
Instead of 3 hours, start looking at 2 hours. Once your ribs have a good, set bark and the color you like, wrap (which begins the second phase) with your choice of braising liquid, sugars, etc.
At an hour into the wrapped phase, check for tenderness. If not tender, continue cooking. If tender, unwrap and begin the third phase.
For the third phase, you are only looking to set any sauce (if used) you have applied and to finish off the cooking cycle.
Click to expand...


Grate (<====== See what I did there?!?! :cool:) advice. Thank you sir!

Smoke on! :wsm:
 
Just to re-iterate what everyone else says, 3-2-1 is too long for BB. I do mine at 275. 1.5 in smoke, 30-45 min in foil with apple juice and 1 hour back on to firm up. Then I sauce them and throw them on a high heat grill for 5ish mins to caramelize the sauce. In lieu of the grill you can just open up the vents and leave the ribs on the smoker and put the sauce on for 10 mins or so

Pretty close to what Bob Bass recommends
 
I've done BB for 3-1.5-.5 at 250° and thats not bad, but the last one I did was a little bit dry. Not bad, just a little bit dry. I think I'll try the 2-1.5-.5 at 275°ish on Saturday this weekend. Ever try it with the water pan removed? Tuff to control temps at first, but it settles in after a while.
 
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