I just got done cooking some spare ribs. In the past, I've had some trouble with my ribs being a little too tough, so I tried a longer cooking time to see if that would help. I cooked non-trimmed spares (which were pretty big) for 7 hours total at 250-275 measured at the grate. During the last hour of that cooking time, I foiled the ribs. The final product was delicious and tender, but the bark was kind of thick and almost seemed to slide off from the meat as I cut them up. Did I go too far?
Can the bark on ribs be too thick?
- Thread starter Pete D.
- Start date
Larry Wolfe
Closed Account
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Pete D.:
I just got done cooking some spare ribs. In the past, I've had some trouble with my ribs being a little too tough, so I tried a longer cooking time to see if that would help. I cooked non-trimmed spares (which were pretty big) for 7 hours total at 250-275 measured at the grate. During the last hour of that cooking time, I foiled the ribs. The final product was delicious and tender, but the bark was kind of thick and almost seemed to slide off from the meat as I cut them up. Did I go too far? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
The amount of bark is determined by the amount of rub and you apply. A little rub will give you less bark and a lot of rub will give you more bark.
The rub slid off the ribs while you were slicing due to you foiling the ribs during the last hour. The moisture in the foil softens the bark. Next time foil earlier in the cooking process leaving you enough time to finish the ribs unfoiled over a little more moderater heat to firm up the ribs and bark.
I just got done cooking some spare ribs. In the past, I've had some trouble with my ribs being a little too tough, so I tried a longer cooking time to see if that would help. I cooked non-trimmed spares (which were pretty big) for 7 hours total at 250-275 measured at the grate. During the last hour of that cooking time, I foiled the ribs. The final product was delicious and tender, but the bark was kind of thick and almost seemed to slide off from the meat as I cut them up. Did I go too far? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
The amount of bark is determined by the amount of rub and you apply. A little rub will give you less bark and a lot of rub will give you more bark.
The rub slid off the ribs while you were slicing due to you foiling the ribs during the last hour. The moisture in the foil softens the bark. Next time foil earlier in the cooking process leaving you enough time to finish the ribs unfoiled over a little more moderater heat to firm up the ribs and bark.
Larry is right about the amount of rub on ribs. I never foil my ribs and have found that the more rub I put on the crunchier the crust. Next time I would try less rub and use a thick finishing sauce to give it that great looking shine. Put it on just before you take off the grill
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Pete D.:
but the bark was kind of thick and almost seemed to slide off from the meat as I cut them up. Did I go too far? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
IMO, I don't think you had too much rub on, don't think that's possible, if it was on there that thick, most of it would fall off when you picked up/moved the meat.
The longer meat is cooked, the thicker the bark becomes because of the outer layer of meat dries out during longer cooks, and adds to the bark/rub. This is why many don't like to do High Heat briskets, as you don't get the outer layer of meat drying out, getting crispy and adding to the bark/rub, because it's only in the heat for 2 hrs. then the brisket gets foiled. My guess is as said above, that the foiling softened the bark up. Also maybe your knife wasn't to sharp, and caused the bark to tear/shred instead of getting a clean cut? A serated bread knife works very good for slicing ribs if you don't have a very sharp slicer knife. HTH
but the bark was kind of thick and almost seemed to slide off from the meat as I cut them up. Did I go too far? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
IMO, I don't think you had too much rub on, don't think that's possible, if it was on there that thick, most of it would fall off when you picked up/moved the meat.
Larry Wolfe
Closed Account
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bryan S:
IMO, I don't think you had too much rub on, don't think that's possible, if it was on there that thick, most of it would fall off when you picked up/moved the meat. </div></BLOCKQUOTE> HUH??? What is in your water Big B? If your rub is full of paprika or chili powder, etc, sure it will probably fall off. But if it contained salt and sugar (both aid in creating bark), there 'should' be sufficient caramelization to form a solid 'crust' of bark that should not fall off. In either case, once foiled will soften the bark due to the contained moisture.
IMO, I don't think you had too much rub on, don't think that's possible, if it was on there that thick, most of it would fall off when you picked up/moved the meat. </div></BLOCKQUOTE> HUH??? What is in your water Big B? If your rub is full of paprika or chili powder, etc, sure it will probably fall off. But if it contained salt and sugar (both aid in creating bark), there 'should' be sufficient caramelization to form a solid 'crust' of bark that should not fall off. In either case, once foiled will soften the bark due to the contained moisture.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Larry Wolfe:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bryan S:
IMO, I don't think you had too much rub on, don't think that's possible, if it was on there that thick, most of it would fall off when you picked up/moved the meat. </div></BLOCKQUOTE> HUH??? What is in your water Big B? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
ICE
So what you're saying is that if I put the rub on 1/4" thick, on a rack of ribs, and when I flipped it over to put the rub on the other side, the rub will somehow stay on the ribs and the excess won't fall off? No it won't stay on, the excess will fall off. If it did stay on somehow, alot of it would just melt and run off into your water pan during the cook, Esp if you were using a rib rack. JMO.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bryan S:
IMO, I don't think you had too much rub on, don't think that's possible, if it was on there that thick, most of it would fall off when you picked up/moved the meat. </div></BLOCKQUOTE> HUH??? What is in your water Big B? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
ICE
So what you're saying is that if I put the rub on 1/4" thick, on a rack of ribs, and when I flipped it over to put the rub on the other side, the rub will somehow stay on the ribs and the excess won't fall off? No it won't stay on, the excess will fall off. If it did stay on somehow, alot of it would just melt and run off into your water pan during the cook, Esp if you were using a rib rack. JMO.
Gary Bramley
TVWBB Pro
I think you both are right depending upon the rub.
Gary
Gary
I didn't think I had put that much rub on, certainly no more than other times that I've done ribs. What I did differently was to not put the ribs back on the WSM after having foiled (and cooking an hour longer than I typically do. The cooking temp might have been a little higher than normal also, but not by much. And my knives are always sharp.
To be honest, they were still pretty good, just different.
To be honest, they were still pretty good, just different.
Larry Wolfe
Closed Account
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bryan S:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Larry Wolfe:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bryan S:
IMO, I don't think you had too much rub on, don't think that's possible, if it was on there that thick, most of it would fall off when you picked up/moved the meat. </div></BLOCKQUOTE> HUH??? What is in your water Big B? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
ICE
So what you're saying is that if I put the rub on 1/4" thick, on a rack of ribs, and when I flipped it over to put the rub on the other side, the rub will somehow stay on the ribs and the excess won't fall off? No it won't stay on, the excess will fall off. If it did stay on somehow, alot of it would just melt and run off into your water pan during the cook, Esp if you were using a rib rack. JMO. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
No No No, I was talking about after it was cooked, not while you're applying the rub to raw meat.....AFTER IT CARAMELIZED.
YES, if you put the ribs in a vertical rack ALOT of rub will fall off.
But if you cook the ribs flat, some rub will drip off, you can't prevent that, but most 'should' stay put.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Larry Wolfe:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bryan S:
IMO, I don't think you had too much rub on, don't think that's possible, if it was on there that thick, most of it would fall off when you picked up/moved the meat. </div></BLOCKQUOTE> HUH??? What is in your water Big B? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
ICE
So what you're saying is that if I put the rub on 1/4" thick, on a rack of ribs, and when I flipped it over to put the rub on the other side, the rub will somehow stay on the ribs and the excess won't fall off? No it won't stay on, the excess will fall off. If it did stay on somehow, alot of it would just melt and run off into your water pan during the cook, Esp if you were using a rib rack. JMO. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
No No No, I was talking about after it was cooked, not while you're applying the rub to raw meat.....AFTER IT CARAMELIZED.
YES, if you put the ribs in a vertical rack ALOT of rub will fall off.
But if you cook the ribs flat, some rub will drip off, you can't prevent that, but most 'should' stay put.