Babybacks that took longer than normal


 
D

Darrell J.

TVWBB Fan
Yesterday, I made some BB's on my American offset cooker. Now, I must say that I typically do a hot and fast cook from 315-350 and usually finish around the 4 hour mark. However, for bark purposes, I decided to go without foil and just spritz throughout. I did not peek until the 1.5 hour mark and that was just to spritz and rotate, which I finished in about a minute. Thereafter, I opened the pit to spritz once every 45 min. For the first half of the cook, I kept temps around 250. However, it was taking longer than normal to get good color on the meat and so I surmised that this could end up being a long cook. At four hours, I boosted to my normal 315-350 range. It still took me a total of seven hours on this cook! Has anyone esperienced this before?? The weather was nice and warm and the winds weren't wild at all.
 
I've never experienced that with BB Ribs. If you're confident your temps were what you thought, the only thing I can think of is these ribs had more moisture in them than usual, and they "stalled" until the moisture was gone

Were they tender and tasty? That's the bottom line, although nearly doubling the cook time is frustrating
 
Odd....I did two racks of BB's on my WSM, 280 degrees no foil and I would take the lid off every hour to spritz and they were done at 4.5 hours. What are you using to measure your grill temp?
 
After opening your offset to spritz, how long did it take to get back up to temp? My baby backs without foil take 4 hours @ 250. Also are you sure your thermometer is correct?
 
I may have to check the thermometer, but I always get good temps as far as ambient air temp goes. One thing that helps is to put the ribs in a rack. I cooked these slabs flat on the grate, but when the air can rise on the front and back it speeds things up. Wondering if the combination of a lower than normal grate temp (250) and not foiling combined to make this a long cook. This was the first time this has ever happened to me. Granted, I typically do foil so I'm forgetting how long it took my previous, sans foil cooks. A little baffled. Ha! Sorry for the pun. ;)

I have a solid pit. 1/4" steel on the firebox and the cooking chamber is solid with a nice baffle for air flow. Don't know what it is. I was very satisfied with the end product though. I didn't think they'd be tender enough at first because there was not a lot of bone pull back and the bend test was a tad stiff, but everyone said they clean, bite-through ribs. Used a combination of a Memphis and a St. Louis rub. Glaze was a combination of my sauce with apricot preserves, honey, and tiger sauce, blended in my food processor. Flavors balanced out extremely well. Nothing cloyingly sweet. Spicy and savory rub with a sweet and tangy sauce.
 
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Darrell, Is your thermometer at grate level? Most offsets have it up higher. Usually that is a recommended modification to move it to grate level.
 
Yes sir. I always go with grate temp. Pretty much above the baffle. Wondering if that could be it. Perhaps moving it center grate is more accurate.
 
Bill Farmer said:
It has to be the thermometer itself then. Do a boil test
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You might be right. I'm going to test it out this evening. Funny thing is that it takes forever to cook when I don't use the "crutch". Wondering if there is inconsistent heating in my pit. I see other people that cook at 250 on different cookers and their ribs look more mahogany and farther along than mine even though I'm cooking at a higher temp. I like watching Killer Hogz Youtube videos on occasion and I use Malcom's ribs as a touch stone.
 
I quit using foil this year. My ribs are still moist, tender and look good, and still cook BB or St Louis cut in 4 hours @ 250
 
Bill Farmer said:
I quit using foil this year. My ribs are still moist, tender and look good, and still cook BB or St Louis cut in 4 hours @ 250
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Bill, you are my idol :cool:!

I'm giving it another go this weekend, although I'll probably use my rib rack this time. I find it cooks faster when the heat can distribute evenly on both sides of the slabs.

Pic is of a rib cook I had just prior to that one.

4AE4CEAB-BF93-4E6B-BA2D-9323D10DA995.jpg
 
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3:45-4 hrs for racks @220 seems to be the sweet spot for me. No foil or mopping (each opening of the lid/door seems to add a few minutes to the cook). I like my ribs naked other than my rib dust at the start. :)
 
Tom Golden said:
3:45-4 hrs for racks @220 seems to be the sweet spot for me. No foil or mopping (each opening of the lid/door seems to add a few minutes to the cook). I like my ribs naked other than my rib dust at the start. :)
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm going through a bit of a non-foiling period myself. Love a bark with character.
 
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