Pork Ribs bone side up or down?


 
T

tmfast

TVWBB Super Fan
I thought I had ribs down pat,
Until I read about a few BBQ vets that say you should start and continue cooking with the bone side up. Hmm! Just when I thought I could not really learn much more about ribs, I have to wonder about this technique.
What do you think??
 
Interesting. I use a rib rack and turn once at 1/2 time.

I am doing the BRITU recipe and I am at the 3 1/2 hour mark. I turned them at the 3 hour mark and some show really good bark. I read that 6 hours is what I should shoot for. Any opinions? I also did not foil because BRITU did not say to.
 
Originally posted by Alexander:
Interesting. I use a rib rack and turn once at 1/2 time.

I am doing the BRITU recipe and I am at the 3 1/2 hour mark. I turned them at the 3 hour mark and some show really good bark. I read that 6 hours is what I should shoot for. Any opinions? I also did not foil because BRITU did not say to.
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Shoot for tender ribs. Don't go by any time recommendations. Check them at about 4 hours and at ~20 minute intervals thereafter
 
Thanks Dave. Glad you are out there and replied. I will do just that. I am taking pics and will post later. Thanks again.
 
I've never done that recipe, but I would imagine that if you wait 6 hours you might end up with the ribs so cooked that the bones are falling out of the slab. Always a good idea to check even if you think it's early. I do baby backs ~250 and they usually take about 4.5 - 5 hours, give or take a bit.
 
Originally posted by Dave/G:
I've never done that recipe, but I would imagine that if you wait 6 hours you might end up with the ribs so cooked that the bones are falling out of the slab. Always a good idea to check even if you think it's early. I do baby backs ~250 and they usually take about 4.5 - 5 hours, give or take a bit.
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That's what is I do as well. I read something somewhere that you should take them off, wrap them in foil, cook in foil, unwrap, cook some more, wrap in foil again and let sit. Or something along those lines. I have a few more months to get my ribs down just right for my cookouts this spring/summer. Any help would be appreciated!
 
Hey what I failed to mention is that I am smoking BBs and Spares in the top rack. I just checked it w/ a toothpick and the BBs appear tender but the Spares are just a bit less tender. I put em in at 11 and checked them at 5 (six hours at 225%). I am going to give em another 30-45 minutes and yank em out of there. I hope that BBs are not too tender.
Is their such a thing as too tender?
 
You're right.
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I've been a bone side down guy.
 
Lotza different techniques....no right/wrong ways..... I like ta keep it simple: Bone side down, 225* about 4 hrs, check for doneness & sauce 'em at about 3+45, check every 15-20 mins 'til done
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...if ya need to speed things after 2 hrs smokin...you can double foil each rack adding 1/4 cup apple juice or wine..throw in a 325* oven 45mins or til done...moist & tender quickly
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If you are barbecueing (as opposed to grilling), you are cooking with indirect heat, and bone side up or down should not matter. Having said that, I cook bone side down, and do not flip.
 
Typically I do mine bone side down. I have tried doing bone side up for the first hour, and then flipping them to bone side down after one hour advised in the book Low and Slow, and really dont notice any difference. Might just keep the smoker closed for the whole time vs opening it up to flip them after 1 hour from now on.
 
That's what is I do as well. I read something somewhere that you should take them off, wrap them in foil, cook in foil, unwrap, cook some more, wrap in foil again and let sit.
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Yes... this produces very tender ribs. I confess that I serve my ribs falling off the bone. This seems to be the popular expectation, so I give people what they want. I certainly understand that one could never compete that way, but its what my family likes. Why force it. My only moral stance is that I refuse to parboil or use the oven indoors. (sorry Rondo, its just my thing)

Brett
 
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