Back Ribs


 
LMichaels

LMichaels

TVWBB 2-Star Olympian
So, as some of you know my lack of success with back ribs (unless the ones from Thuringer in Arlington Hts IL). Well about 2 (maybe 3) weeks ago I bought back ribs at a local meat market (Countryside Meats and Deli) here in Rockford. Thinking perhaps the meat market may have a better quality product. I took them home and cut the slab in 2 pieces. Cooked one that evening. Good, but still left me "cold".
I don't remember who it is on these boards recommended this but used the technique this evening on BIg Z. Slap them on at 250, leave them alone until they temp about 205 and probe tender. HOOOOOOOLLLLLLY COW! Nirvana!!! Whoever it was THANK YOU many times over!!!!.
They were the kind of ribs I have only been able to dream about making. And they were MINE! Meat was kiss off the bone tender and deeelish. Like smoky pig candy on a stick.
I used the temp spike to watch over them. All I can say is WOW! Only fly in the ointment. Something wrong with Big Z's app. Thankfully I did not need to do these remotely. So the app was superfluous especially with the help of the TempSpike
 
I’m curious @LMichaels, what was your method for cooking back ribs prior to this latest success? Were you cooking them at a different temp? Wrapping them? Cooking them to something other than 205? What should I make sure not to do it. 😁
 
I was trying all sorts of things looking for "nirvana". Oddly the only true "success" I've ever had was with those "baby" back ribs on either the Genesis (my own or my dad's), or my Wolf. Generally on the hotter side and faster side. Not ripping hot. Just hotter than a smoker maybe 325-350.
On the pellet grills with the more commercial ribs I was trying really low and slow, (180ish), then tried L&S until a stall, then wrapped. and increased temps to 225-230. All I got then was "rubbery" ribs.
Oddly, I pulled off St Louis spares really nicely. But the back ribs just eluded me. Until today. And so simple. 250, run them till they're done. I made WAY too much work out of them and found out they're simpler than I thought.
 
I've always treated back ribs & St. Louis the same with good results, no matter what method I'm using. IMO, the most important thing is to make sure they're probe tender before declaring them done. Forget the thermometer.
 
LMichaels said:
I was trying all sorts of things looking for "nirvana". Oddly the only true "success" I've ever had was with those "baby" back ribs on either the Genesis (my own or my dad's), or my Wolf. Generally on the hotter side and faster side. Not ripping hot. Just hotter than a smoker maybe 325-350.
On the pellet grills with the more commercial ribs I was trying really low and slow, (180ish), then tried L&S until a stall, then wrapped. and increased temps to 225-230. All I got then was "rubbery" ribs.
Oddly, I pulled off St Louis spares really nicely. But the back ribs just eluded me. Until today. And so simple. 250, run them till they're done. I made WAY too much work out of them and found out they're simpler than I thought.
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I want to hear more about the texture on the rib......
From what I think I read was just rub the ribs and toss them on till 205.......nothing at all done to them......
Generally using foil or foil related products tends to bring some moisture back into the rib..........I always thought something had to be done to them or it might just be a really dry eat....?
I only ask because I generally add some moisture back into the ribs.....butter and apple juice usually.
 
They were incredibly juicy, kiss off the bone tender, great smoke (nothing special used there. Simply $12.99 40lb Kirkland), no saucing no spritzing, no peeking. Nothing. Just Killer Hogs Hot Rub, top rack on Big Z drip pan under (just to make cleanup easier), 250 deg (I used my TempSpike) and set it to alarm me at 205. It's ambient sensor was always 90% within 10 deg of the grill's own RTD and once "dialed in" held steady as a rock Though the ambient on the TempSpike tended to show 5 to 10 deg hotter than the RTD itself. But it was rolling smoke, the meat was cooking and frankly it was close enough for hand grenades, horseshoes and BBQ :D This was an "experiment". Because of how many not so good ribs I've turned out. When the alarm told me 205 internal was reached, I probed them. They probed very tender. And just by probing I already felt I'd made something "special". Took them off and rested them uncovered about 20 min or so. They truly were something very special.
 
I just watched a review of the Searwood by some person on YouTube. For his review he did some back ribs. And he's doing all this stuff, finally slaps the ribs on the pit. Then, takes them off, paces them on foil, then dumps in more rub, brown sugar, and brushes melted butter all over them. Wraps them in the foil (and all this is after they've been in at 275 for like 4 hours), then wraps them and IIRC another 2 hours with all that "stuff", then sauces, adds cayenne pepper, back in the foil. I'm thinking.......................Does it even taste like pork anymore? Yikes
 
I've always found back ribs to be quite variable due to their varying fat content. I find some just come out drier than others - particularly the "meatier" ones.

Side ribs OTOH always seem to come out amazing.
 
LMichaels said:
I just watched a review of the Searwood by some person on YouTube. For his review he did some back ribs. And he's doing all this stuff, finally slaps the ribs on the pit. Then, takes them off, paces them on foil, then dumps in more rub, brown sugar, and brushes melted butter all over them. Wraps them in the foil (and all this is after they've been in at 275 for like 4 hours), then wraps them and IIRC another 2 hours with all that "stuff", then sauces, adds cayenne pepper, back in the foil. I'm thinking.......................Does it even taste like pork anymore? Yikes
Click to expand...
might as well boil them at that stage/process.

some people....... smh
 
LMichaels said:
I just watched a review of the Searwood by some person on YouTube. For his review he did some back ribs. And he's doing all this stuff, finally slaps the ribs on the pit. Then, takes them off, paces them on foil, then dumps in more rub, brown sugar, and brushes melted butter all over them. Wraps them in the foil (and all this is after they've been in at 275 for like 4 hours), then wraps them and IIRC another 2 hours with all that "stuff", then sauces, adds cayenne pepper, back in the foil. I'm thinking.......................Does it even taste like pork anymore? Yikes
Click to expand...

Maybe he was going to debone them and make a McRib? :)
 
LMichaels said:
I just watched a review of the Searwood by some person on YouTube. For his review he did some back ribs. And he's doing all this stuff, finally slaps the ribs on the pit. Then, takes them off, paces them on foil, then dumps in more rub, brown sugar, and brushes melted butter all over them. Wraps them in the foil (and all this is after they've been in at 275 for like 4 hours), then wraps them and IIRC another 2 hours with all that "stuff", then sauces, adds cayenne pepper, back in the foil. I'm thinking.......................Does it even taste like pork anymore? Yikes
Click to expand...
I am convinced that all of that is added in "theater" to make the video watchable. Your method (basically same as mine) would make for a VERY short video.

"Ahem, welcome to garcia's BBQ channel. We are going to do some back ribs today. This is them. Here is my rub, throw some on. Turn on the grill, set to 250. Throw them on. Then eat."

Excellent instructions for real people, but that isn't going to get many views. So we are left with arguments about wrapping with foil vs butcher paper, what to use to spritz, best pellets, and all that, when in the end its as simple as find a good rub, buy whatever pellets are cheapest (I am a Costco pellet man as well) and throw the meat on at around 225-250 depending, and pull it off when its done.

I do find your previous results interesting, I have usually found St Louis ribs to be a pain. Too much icky stuff for my wife and kids to navigate. Since I found out "back ribs" are the more common name in store for "baby back", I buy those at Costco and always have a good time.
 
I trim up St Louis ribs pretty severely. I still cut off the "cartilage" bones. Also I find the end of the bones and where the joint is I run my large knife right down there and take off the tips. All this I save in the freezer, and when my oldest daughter wants to make Sunday Gravy she takes all the packages I saved. So not "icky" stuff on my ribs :D
 
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