cooking ribs....


 
T

Todd G

New member
I made my first mistakes tonight on the WSM. I would like to learn from my mistakes so I do not repeat them down the road. Do many people use rib racks to cook ribs? I tried and the bottoms became over cooked. I was under the understanding that you mustard the ribs, rub the ribs, then place them in the rack and let the cook for 4.5 hours. I basted them 2 hours in with apple juice and then glazed them with bbq sauce the last 15 minutes. When using a rack, do you have to flip the ribs? Do many people just place them on the grates and flip them? Do you have timeframes for when they should be flipped?

Thanks for your help!
-Todd
 
Hi Todd. It sounds like you did everything right. I sometimes use a rack, sometimes not. What do you mean by overcooked? Burnt? Dried out? That can happen if the temp is too high at the end -- a little crispy (not necessarily a bad thing). You could put foil under the ribs for the second half of the smoke, if that bothers you, and then remove foil for saucing.
 
Most of the time I cook ribs with water in the pan (unless planning on foiling) at about 250*. I don't turn 'em, whether rolled, flat, or in a rack. No issues with uneven cooking unless I try to cook whole slabs in my 18.5" because of the outer heat zone, but that's not your issue.

Regarding mustard and juice spritzing, I feel both are overrated and needless for really good ribs, at least if you have a good rub.
 
If they fit lying flat don't use the rib rack. I use a rack sometimes and never had a problem with uneven cooking. I never flip them, mind you I don't normally sauce them either.
 
I use to use a rack but now I just roll them. I do flip them mid cook. I don't find the bottoms (whatever part is touching the grate is the bottom) to be the problem, but I flip and rotate the ribs to get the ribs away from the heat coming up from the sides. So I'm looking to move the meat that's near the outer edge into the center when I flip.

Note: Rolling for me works better than a rib rack because I don't like cleaning the rack. When I used a rack, I did the same type of flip moving the outer ribs into the center to even out the cook.
 
You provided a lot of information, but did not mention temperature. I do min at 275 no foil, no basting and no flipping. I lay mine flat if doing 3, I use my rack if i do more the 3. I have 22, I never got into cooking on both racks, I like to cook everything at the same level.
 
Thanks for all your help. The temp was from 230-250. I believe I cooked them too long. I had them in for almost 5 hours but should have pulled them at the 4 hour mark. I should have listened to my thermometer and not the cooking directions.

Thanks,
Todd
 
I don't use a rib rack. I like to lay them flat, and usually able to get three on top rack and 3 on the bottom. I always cook meat side up and never flip.
 
I don't think 4.5 hrs is long enough. If they were tough than I would say cook them longer (6 hrs+) If your not sure check them with a thermometer, 180-190* internal would be good.
I just lay them meat side up on the grate and I never flip (my brother in law flips and swears by it. I can't find a difference between the 2). BBQ'n is all relative to ones personal opinions.
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