Pineapple Juice sped my cook up

[Darrell J.]

I did some BB's a week ago and I wanted to try sort of a pineapple theme. I used it in my sauce as well. My rub had a bit of a spicy edge so that the overall effect could be somewhat of a sweet & spicy flavor. My mop was very simply pure pineapple juice and melted butter whisked together. I also, for whatever reason, put one part pineapple juice to about 5 parts water in my pan. I noticed the meet started to pull back on the bone very early in the cook (around two hours at 220 degrees). I was determined to go the full four. I even foiled it with grape juice and rub following a 2-1-1 method. The ribs came out very tender but the ones on the end were a little mushy. I've read that because of the Bromelin in pineapples that it breaks down protein pretty fast. My family absolutely loved the ribs. Perfect tenderness with well complimented flavors. Only I noticed the slight mushiness in a couple ribs. I guess I just want to give people a heads up that you need to be careful how much juice you use, either in basting or your water pan. I'm gonna tweak my amounts the next time and see what happens.

 

[Larry Wolfe]

Pineapple juice contains enzymes called "proteases" that naturally tenderizes meat and if you use too much for too long it will make your meat mushy.

 

[Jeff T Miller]

When I foil my ribs I use pineapple juice. I haven't foiled in over a year though. It leaves a great flavor. Probobly about the same as moping with it. Looking back I kind of miss it. I am about due for something different.

Others may have different comments, but I doubt the pineapple juice in the water pan does anything but cost you more for the juice. I suspect you could leave it out and do everything else the same and get the same results. If you try it post your results.

 

[Doug D]

Bromelain was not the culprit, unless you were using fresh pineapple juice, or juice that had not been pasteurized at a high enough temp to deactivate the enzyme. And even so, I'm not sure a baste would be enough to effect a through-and-through tenderness, but I would think the heat of the cooker would kill the enzyme before it could do anything anyway. I'd also agree about the water pan-- don't waste anything in it but water. Ribs sounded tasty, though.

 

[K Kruger]

I love pineapple and smoked pork. Half my rib sauces contain pineapple and I often use it in the foil.

Bromelain enzymes are deactivated ~165. I suppose if you were using fresh pineapple it might be possible that there would be enough enzymatic activity (however short-lived) with repeated applications were the liquid cold but it doesn't seem likely. Enzymes don't aerosolize so juice in the pan would not have played a part. Any aromatics in the juice are too volatile to do anything to the ribs from the pan so juice in the pan wastes juice. I agree with Doug--your ribs sound tasty.

 

[JimT]

Y'all just talked me in to it. The next rib cook will have pineapple. I love it, the wife hates it.

Lots of ribs for me, maybe a pizza for her. Hey, I never complain about HER cookin'!!!

JimT