Family Problem with Ribs


 
P

PeteH

TVWBB Super Fan
Help! My wife and kids always like the way I used to cook ribs on the kettle - ribs smeared with frozen pineapple concentrate and steamed on the kettle in a covered aluminum pan with a little water for a little more than an hour, and then taken out and on the grill for a little time to brown up. The meat is totally falling-off-the-bone tender, and the kids love that, but I find it a little too mushy.

I'm still new with the WSM and have tried ribs only once. I thought the meat had great flavor from the rub, but were much firmer (even though a toothpick passed thru them like butter), which the kids didn't like so much. I didn't wrap the ribs at all and I'm wondering if that helps with tenderness. I have seen people reference a 3-2-1 method but I don't know what they mean by that. I know I can get tender ribs on the smoker - can anyone recommend the best way to get that?

I really appreciate any help you may have. Peter
 
There are numerous 'best ways'. If you want fall-off-the-bone then foiling will help. 3-2-1 means 3 hours in smoke, 2 hours in foil, 1 hour back in the cooker unfoiled. Try that then tweak from there. (Add the pineapple when you foil.)
 
I've made ribs about 5 times so far on my WSM. Yesterday for the superbowl, I was making six racks of baby backs so I decided to foil three and not foil the other three.

For the foiled ribs, I pulled them after three hours at ~250F and poured in a couple tablespoons of mostly apple juice with a little bit of oj and apple cider vinegar. I wrapped them tightly in the foil and put them back into the smoker for just under an hour. I then removed them from the foil for another hour.

Both versions turned out very good, but I think that I will always foil going forward. They weren't too mushy and had a great tenderness to them that people loved.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I wrapped them tightly in the foil and put them back into the smoker for just under an hour. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Yes, many prefer a foil time of 45-60 min.
 
I think that's my next try, then. Just so I'm clear about this - all phases of the 3-2-1, or 3-1-1 happen in the smoker, correct?

As always, the experience and info from this forum is greatly appreciated.

Peter
 
Pete, you have my sympathy. My wife makes ribs that are steamed in foil ans sauce and then quickly grilled. I call it "rib stew," and it's pretty mushy - way beyond FOTB.

When I make ribs i want her to like, I will foil them. Remember that the longer you foil, the softer and more FOTB the ribs. You might try 3-2-1, and if they're a hit, then slowly cut down the foil time. You're training palates. I also cook my ribs a long time which will also make them more tender.

Cheers
 
Sorry to hear about your troubles. I think your family will learn to enjoy the ribs that are firmer as they get used to them. I used to think that ribs were "tender" when they fell right off the bone, now I feel that FOTB ribs are overcooked. I foil my ribs, but probably only about 45 mins or so. The "2" part of of the 3-2-1 is too long for me.
 
I concur with Mike R. -- 2 hours in foil is too long. Last time I did this the bones were pulling out as I tried to put the slab back on for the last hour. Going 3-1-1.5 next time.
 
I did 2 racks of spares on Wednesday. I cooked unfoiled for 3 hours, foiled for 1:15, and unfoiled for another hour. Lid temp was pretty close to 225 the whole time. They were just short of fall off the bone which is fine with me.

I foiled one with apple juice and the other with brown sugar, honey, margarine, and onion flakes. The one with just apple juice had better flavor which kind of surprised me. Four chunks of cherry wood gave them great smoke flavor.
 
Glad your family loves ribs! 3-2-1 works great for the larger rib cuts like pork loin back ribs. If you trim to St Louis, it will take less time in total.

I've never tried the pineapple juice concentrate before but I bet my family would like that.
 
Thanks all for the input. Next time I do the bb ribs I'll do a 3-1-1 or 3-1-1.5, foiled with some juice, and tinker from there. I'm ashamed to admit my old steaming method, but my eyes were truly blind until I got the WSM. I know the family will come around - I scored big points with them Super Bowl Sunday with some yummy pulled pork and ABTs.

TVWB rocks! Peter
 
pete, it may be texture for your family but it also may be the sweetness/flavor that the pineapple brought to your previous cooking method. maybe try to make a glaze that hs the flavor qualities of the pineapple concentrate. I wold think with a little sugar and a pineapple concentrate you could reduce it in a non stick pan and then use that as a sauce for the last 15 minutes of cooking to glaze on the familiar flavor?? just a thought
 
UPDATE -well, the TVWB comes through again. I was queing a pork shoulder on Saturday for pp, so I added a couple of slabs of Costco pork loin back ribs at the second half of the cook. Cooked at a 2-1.5-1 method, with a little pineapple juice in the foil, and sauced lightly at the last half hour. Finished product had the tenderness that the family loves and a better flavor to the meat than my previous method. And I agree that even 1.5 in the foil is too long. Next time will be only 1 hour and may reduce from there. Never liked the idea of foiling, but there's something to it and the family liked the ribs.

Which is a good thing, since I dropped the pork shoulder when I was removing from the grill and it exploded on the patio! My work table was a few feet away from the WSM and I was sure I could get it their - WRONG! Nothing was salvagable except for a couple of morsels that I had while I was down on my hands and knees! (Delicious, by the way) Anyone ever waste an 11 hour cook like that? That certainly takes the cake for me. It's going to take awhile to get over that.

Peter
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I dropped the pork shoulder when I was removing from the grill and it exploded on the patio! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I feel your pain. My heart goes out to you. Glad you had the loin back-up ribs. Yeah...we all have those horror stories. Mine occured at 3 am with a brisket.
icon_eek.gif
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Ron... L.:
Exploded.

I can picture it.

Thanks for sharing... it was good for a chuckle from me!

Ron </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Hahaha, I shoulden't laugh but I can about imagine what would happen if one were to drop a fully smoked butt on the deck. I probably would have scraped it up and not told anyone
icon_wink.gif
 
"I probably would have scraped it up and not told anyone"

Believe me, I thought about it. But it really did explode and it just could not be salvaged. I wanted to cry, but recovered enough to laugh about it shortly after. But I am still kicking myself over it.
 
Pete, Glad to here your ribs are turning out better.
BTW, expect a call from the government. They are interested in your exploding pork bomb for Afghanistan.
 
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