Chewy ribs?


 
i guess the point i'm getting to is: maybe, just maybe your wife does not like ribs... it's not THAT weird...
i like ribs fall off the bone and i like ribs chewy... butt i like ribs.
or, perhaps your wife is "just" happy with the oven ribs and REALLY your ribs off the WSM are fine...
Do you understand what i'm trying to say...?
Not that your wife HATES your ribs or doesn't like grilled or WSM'd ribs, maybe she just likes oven ribs.

I hope i'm not getting my arse in a sling here...
I guess i'm saying is some folks are not or do not care for fired foods...
 
Easiest thing to do with back ribs is to just cook 'em how you like and then say, "I like 'em this way." But if you want truly tender and juicy thick and meaty back ribs, you need to foil them for part of the cook. They'll start drying out in the thick and lean part before they get tender if you try to cook them the same as spares sans foil.
 
I've had similar problems in the past. You might want to try finishing the ribs on the grill for her. Slap on some sauce and put them over direct heat to get the char on the outside. That will give her the texture she craves;-)
 
Dave Russell said:
Easiest thing to do with back ribs is to just cook 'em how you like and then say, "I like 'em this way." But if you want truly tender and juicy thick and meaty back ribs, you need to foil them for part of the cook. They'll start drying out in the thick and lean part before they get tender if you try to cook them the same as spares sans foil.
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I couldn't disagree more with this statement. 99.9% of the time I don't foil ribs and I've never had a problem cooking nice thick juicy BBs with just a bit of tug to them
 
Bob Sample said:
99.9% of the time I don't foil ribs and I've never had a problem cooking nice thick juicy BBs with just a bit of tug to them
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Bob, no need to disagree. Your ribs aren't the ribs in question, so continue to cook them as you please, as I already suggested. Since the thread was "chewy ribs" though, I think it's pertinent what they say regarding baby backs in the Memphis BBQ circuit. "If you're not foiling, you're not winning." I'm almost positive that the 3-2-1 method was first created for BACK ribs, and there's good reason for it's popularity and so many folks using some version of it.
 
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Not at all Jim!

I hear what you're saying. I'm just going to keep cooking them, and I'll try foiling. Foil for 1 or 2 hours?

Jim Lampe said:
i guess the point i'm getting to is: maybe, just maybe your wife does not like ribs... it's not THAT weird...
i like ribs fall off the bone and i like ribs chewy... butt i like ribs.
or, perhaps your wife is "just" happy with the oven ribs and REALLY your ribs off the WSM are fine...
Do you understand what i'm trying to say...?
Not that your wife HATES your ribs or doesn't like grilled or WSM'd ribs, maybe she just likes oven ribs.

I hope i'm not getting my arse in a sling here...
I guess i'm saying is some folks are not or do not care for fired foods...
Click to expand...
 
Stat with one and if not tender enough go 1 1/2. Make sure you add some liquid in the pouch with the ribs.
 
I don't want to sound like an arsehole here so don't take this the wrong way.

@Dave, You did make a statement saying that the only way to get tender juicy Baby Backs was to foil them which is kind of misleading. My statement is pertinent to the original post about chewy ribs, there is more than one way to cook a rib. You want fall off the bone just cook longer. No doubt the braising/steaming effect of foiling ribs will give you fall off the bone ribs but it's not the only way to do it. I also said earlier that when I had a friend over that wanted FOTB ribs I foiled them. This is mainly so those ribs will cook to how I want them in the same time frame as the tug off the bone ribs.
 
Dave Russell said:
But if you want truly tender and juicy thick and meaty back ribs, you need to foil them for part of the cook. They'll start drying out in the thick and lean part before they get tender if you try to cook them the same as spares sans foil.
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Bob, I don't see what's misleading with what I said, and especially if you're equating "truly tender" with "falling off the bone".... but everyone's got their opinion. I kind of figure that anyone that's done much rib cooking knows how to achieve FOTB without foil. Pop a top, drink, and repeat. :)
 
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I just can't agree that there is only one way to get "truly tender" baby back ribs. You get them by foiling and I get them without foiling. I agree you can get them tender by many different methods so why are you telling people foiling is the only way you can do it?
 
Dave Russell said:
...But if you want truly tender and JUICY thick and meaty back ribs, you need to foil them for part of the cook. They'll start DRYING out in the thick and lean part BEFORE they GET TENDER if you try to cook them the same as spares SANS foil.
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What I already said in my OP, caps added.
 
alright you knuckleheads

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Mike aka Sewer said:
My wife won't eat my ribs, says they are too chewy. I have a WSM 18.5 and am cooking at a temp of roughly 225-250 for +- 5 hours. I am basting, turning end over end, etc. All the things I'm reading I should do and I still can't get 'em right.

Any help is greatly appreciated!
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May I recommend changing only on variable at a time? Maybe use the same time but increasing temp to 275*. Do it the way you want: foil/no foil, etc. Then do the different tests: pull test, bend test, toothpick test, taste test, etc and see if that helps. Better yet, let her do the test. If they're not done let them go a bit longer. Most of all: don't give up - you'll get it. She'll probably appreciate that your trying different stuff to please her. Good luck.
 
Thanks Dwain, very good suggestions!

Dwain Pannell said:
May I recommend changing only on variable at a time? Maybe use the same time but increasing temp to 275*. Do it the way you want: foil/no foil, etc. Then do the different tests: pull test, bend test, toothpick test, taste test, etc and see if that helps. Better yet, let her do the test. If they're not done let them go a bit longer. Most of all: don't give up - you'll get it. She'll probably appreciate that your trying different stuff to please her. Good luck.
Click to expand...
 
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