Back Ribs tough on the outside

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I just got my Weber Smoker and have tried back ribs three times. I am using a candy thermometer in a cork located in the top hole of the top vent. It protrudes into the smoker about 5 inches, so I would say that it is about 7 inches above the grill. I am cooking at a reading of 250 degrees. The three times I have done ribs, I cooked for 6 hours, 7 hours and 8 hours. I use a store bought rub. I start basting (apple juice based) at half way through. I have started with the meat side up and the meat side down. The ribs are okay. They are tender enough, but they have not been very moist and the out side is tough. What am I doing wrong, or is this just the way they are?
 
Martin,
No so long.
Try 4-5 hours around 235-250 works pretty good for
me.
Good Luck
John
 
Might also try mixing some olive oil with your AJ.
A 50/50 mixture maybe.

Did two racks of St Louis's on Sunday, 5 1/2 hours, 245-250 lid temp, sprayed with AJ/OO mixture after first couple of hours, put on some Iron Works sauce about twenty minutes from pulling, yum.
 
Martin,

I have only ever used the BRITU (love it THAT much)so I don't have anything to compare it with, but would highly recommend it.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Martin Kennedy:
[qb] I just got my Weber Smoker and have tried back ribs three times. I am cooking at a reading of 250 degrees. The three times I have done ribs, I cooked for 6 hours, 7 hours and 8 hours. They are tender enough, but they have not been very moist and the out side is tough. What am I doing wrong, or is this just the way they are? [/qb] <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>I would think drop your temp to 225-235, measured at the top grate, and 4-1/2 hours-- 5 hours max.
 
I just did two racks today. Costco back ribs are extra meaty /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif Rubbed with Creole mustard (Spicy Brown Mustard) don't use the french stuff yuck. Sprinkled with rub cooked for 3 hours at 300f with Cherry Wood. Turned out great /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif Back ribs are about 4 hours tops and spares 6 hours tops IME. Tenderness is the goal not time in the smoker. I often don't turn on my digital thermometer, I just care about how easy the probe slides in.
HTH,
 
at the four hour point tug gently on on of the bones - I remove mine at the point the bone pulls real easily from the meat.
 
My BB ribs turn out great every time. I drop a Weber probe into the top vent and settle it at 250 degF. BB ribs are usually on the top grate. I usually go for 5 to 6 hours, but never any more than that. I have found that they will start drying out if I leave them on for more. When I do spares, I leave them on for approximately 8 hours.

I know that foil is a bad work for some, but you can also foil with an hour or two to go. I rarely foil, but if I do I put in about a 1/3 cup of pineapple juice with the foiled ribs.

Good Luck.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>When I do spares, I leave them on for approximately 8 hours. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Wow Mike, 8 hours for spares? I don't think I've ever cooked 'em for more than 6. I'm not a fan of the "falling off the bone" ribs, so of course YMMV /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif . I also tend to run spares a little hotter; 260-275.
I don't think I've ever had to cook BB's more than 4 hours.
Not knockin'you Mike, just curious. /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

PS: Yeah, foil is kinda a dirty word around here.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>PS: Yeah, foil is kinda a dirty word around here. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Qualifier: By "around here" , I meant my house, and not this forum. /infopop/emoticons/icon_redface.gif
Jim
 
Jim N.,

1 thing I have learned over the years is how different the meat is that everyone cooks. My loin backs take 6 hours at 225? with 2 1/2 of that in foil. My spares take between 8-9 hrs. as well. When folks ask for my advice on the loin backs, many are amazed at how long I cook them.

The biggest reason for the different times is the thickness and weight of each rack. My loin backs weigh 2 1/4lbs. per rack and the spares I used to cook were upwards of 3 1/2lbs/rack. Both are also pretty thick which adds to the cooking time. In my "Grad party" post you will notice I cooked spares that weighed 2 1/2lbs. and they cooked exactly as my loin backs did, so the weight and thickness per rack does make a difference in timing.

Ribs seem to be all over the board as far as weight/rack, so I always tell folks to be aware of that as it will make a big difference in cooking times.

And of course, everyone seems to like theirs at various degrees fo tenderness.....small tug vs. fall off the bone. This will also make a difference in timing.

BTW, glad to have you on board!
 
Well, yeah Stogie, I can see how the differences in meat and personal preferences can result in widely varying times and techniques. I think that's one thing that makes our little hobby/obsession so interesting. So much to learn, so many ways of doing things. There's no way I'll live long enough to learn it all.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>BTW, glad to have you on board!
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Thanks.
Jim
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Jim N.:
[qb]
PS: Yeah, foil is kinda a dirty word around here. [/qb] <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Foil should not be a dirty word. Many very succesful folks like Mike Scrutchfield and James and Lola Rice have had great success with foil. It is a tool and it can come in very handy in the bag of tricks.
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Foil should not be a dirty word. Many very succesful folks like Mike Scrutchfield and James and Lola Rice have had great success with foil. It is a tool and it can come in very handy in the bag of tricks.
I'm not contesting the use of foil by others, be they backyard cookers or competitors, Konrad. If it works for you ,great! This was just a personal opinion. I don't care for the texture of meat that has been cooked in foil(even for a short time). I prefer not to use it. I've never found it necessary.
Which is why I said:
Qualifier: By "around here" , I meant my house, and not this forum.
I've only been Q'in for five or six years, and I surely don't consider myself to be an expert, in any way, shape, or form. What I express here is my own opinion, my own preference, and from my own experience. Nothin' more, nothin' less /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif .
Jim
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