Pork Ribs......what am I doing wrong here?


 
Ted from Bristow

Ted from Bristow

TVWBB Member
After three failed attempts to smoke St Louis cut pork ribs......I'm finally going to ask for help.
I'm using an 18.5 WSM, water in the pan, and getting the heat up to about 275*. I smoke for 3ish hours over Kingsford blue, with hickory and/or cherry wood. Then I foil them for another 2 hours. Each time, I take them out of the foil only to find that the bark and outer layer of meat have become tough and leathery.....and the meat is falling off the bone. I've been trying to use the "3-2-1" method, but it seems that I am over-cooking the ribs after only 4-4.5 hours.
What would you try next time? Less heat or less time? Or both?
TIA
 
Maybe your thermometer is off and your smoker is running hotter than you think?

I don't do the 3-2-1 method, I just throw them on there, shoot for a temperature between 225 and 275 and just start checking them around the 3.5 hour mark.
 
People will do their ribs so many different ways, but I have found that 3-2-1 is way too much for any sort of rib...

I used to stick to full slabs of spares, and even then that was too much and would usually lead to overcooking/falling off the bone.

I usually do 3-1-1 or 2.5-1-1 at around 230-260 (dome temp)... and even that can get a little too much foil time. The foil is just there to help break down the tough stuff, if you don't need it, then you have plenty of humidity in the pit via the water pan to keep the meat moist. i always go by the bend test and sauce at the last 20 minutes or so.

Essentially you want to foil once your color is the way you want it, and then keep it foiled to tenderize it up a bit (steam/braise), and then finally unfoil to get the rest of the cook and sauce just perfect. It takes some practice, and I usually try to perfect my technique for a certain cut, baby back, spares, st. louis etc. After a few cooks, you'll get a good feel for if you need much time in the foil or not.
 
Ted,

I dont have a ton of experience with this but from the feedback ive seen
3-2-1 is better for temps around 225 or maybe 250. Even then, many people seem to cut the time down as the last hour without foil is often on an as needed basis

At 275 you might want to cut your cook time down. 3.5-4 hours total might be all you need.

how are you measuring temp? The dome thermometer or a grate thermometer? If its 275 the grate temp could differ and you might be cooking at a different temp then you think you are.

STL cut cook faster than full spares so that could be factor.

Do you sauce, mop or spritz? This might help retain some moisture if the outside is getting overdone.

The fall off the bone tenderness is a result of the foiling. If they are too tender then less time in foil might work better for you.

Hickory might be a little too strong to some people. Sometimes Apple or pecan chunks aren't as strong and are less likely to get as over smoked. The amount of wood might be an issue as well.

For the maiden voyage on my new WSM i loosely followed Aaron Franklin's rib cook:

Ribs Part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eSFdddaRnk
Ribs Part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMQ7g2EJMoM

Like you, I was also using STL's and he used full spares so mine should have come off a bit sooner then his. Mine were a tad over smoked, and were a tad too tender but were still good.

One other thing: How was the meat arranged on the rack? When you use a water pan, the strongest heat is deflected to the outer edges of the smoker. if your ribs were laying flat then its likely
 
I thought 3-2-1 was for a 225 cooking temp. I can't say I've mastered ribs but I think maybe that's too long in foil. Not sure why your bark was that tough after foiling. I would adjust your times. Its hard to tell doneness when they are wrapped so its possible you overcooked them. I think spritzing is a pretty good way to go, but my WSM doesn't really like the lid off, so the temp wants to overshoot.
 
Ted from Bristow said:
After three failed attempts to smoke St Louis cut pork ribs......I'm finally going to ask for help.
I'm using an 18.5 WSM, water in the pan, and getting the heat up to about 275*. I smoke for 3ish hours over Kingsford blue, with hickory and/or cherry wood. Then I foil them for another 2 hours. Each time, I take them out of the foil only to find that the bark and outer layer of meat have become tough and leathery.....and the meat is falling off the bone. I've been trying to use the "3-2-1" method, but it seems that I am over-cooking the ribs after only 4-4.5 hours.
What would you try next time? Less heat or less time? Or both?
TIA
Click to expand...

Ted, if your themometer is accurate, ~275 is fine. Decrease the cooking time to not overcook. 3-2-1 method at that temp is always too long for me. I cook at ~285, and usually foil around 2 hours in, remove foil after 45min to an hour (whenever I see the meat on bones start to pull back, and they are 85-90% tender), then cook unfoiled until my desired tenderness (normally another 20-30 min give or take). Hope it helps.

EDIT: Also, when they are wrapped in foil, I'm checking for tenderness via toothpick directly through the foil. No need to unwrap everytime unless you want to check the pullback on the bones.
 
I am one of those guys who just can't do things exactly like everyone else. I foil for the first hour, never longer.
Then let them go til they are ready. Doing ribs by pre set times would work if all slabs were the same size and cooked
the same way But they are not. After the first hour out of the foil I watch for the bend test. Ribs are done when they are done.
 
Thank you Gents. I took the "3-2-1" thing too literally.
It sounds like most of you are getting this done in about 3.5ish hours. Next rack, I'll foil after 1.5 hours, then de-foil 1.5 hours after that. We'll see how it goes.
 
86 the foil step. I had a similar issue and just let them go unfoiled for the entire cook. I'll spritz with a apple juice/bourbon mixture (so so good), but definitely dont do foil anymore.
 
Ted from Bristow said:
Thank you Gents. I took the "3-2-1" thing too literally.
It sounds like most of you are getting this done in about 3.5ish hours. Next rack, I'll foil after 1.5 hours, then de-foil 1.5 hours after that. We'll see how it goes.
Click to expand...

I think you got the right idea. Just play with the times til you get something that works.
 
I can pretty much guarantee great ribs with a 225 temp and no foil. when you're learning to cook ribs, I think no foil works best because it's so easy to see what's going on with the meat. A 225 temp is very forgiving. Get a couple of good cooks under your belt and then try experimenting with foil.
 
Foiling is but a tool in the pitmaster's arsenal.

If foiling, consider it a 3 step / phrase process.

First phase is the smoking / bark building / smoke ring building phase. This phase is complete when you like the rib color or the bark is fully set or a combination of the two.

The second phase is braising. Here you can add some additional flavor using your choice of braising liquid. (btw, use very little liquid) This phase is complete when your ribs test correctly for tenderness, be it fully tender or at something close.

The final phase is to help firm up the ribs and, more than likely, add some sauce or glaze to your ribs.

Nothing is time dependent. But it is fully pitmaster dependent. The pitmaster chooses when to move to the next phase.
 
I use to foil but never do any more, i think they get a way better texture without. I shoot for around 250-275 with ribs. Coat with a little olive oil or mustard if im out of oil and then the rub. Once they have developed a good bark that cant be easily scratched off i start basting them with a pinapple juice/ tiger sauce mix about every 30-45 minutes until i do the bend test and they are almost breaking, usually about 4.5 hours for spares... never fails for me at least. The times and temps get more lenient depending on how well the beers are sliding down:)
 
Get yourself two racks of SLC's and trim / rub them up. Get your fire going and stable around 275*. Place both racks on the smoker and close the lid. Two hours later, grab one rack, take it inside, foil it up (don't add anything), and throw it back on the grill. One hour later, go grab the foiled rack, unwrap it, and throw it back on the grill. Starting about 30 mins later (3.5 total cook hours), check the racks for tenderness via a toothpick between the bones or the bend test. Mine are usually done in just under four hours. Slice ribs and test which way you like it (wrap or no wrap).
 
I agree. The 3/2/1 method is settled on 225F. I usuallt smoke a little hotter at 250 F to melt any fat layer better. 3 hours unwrapped and 2 more hours in butcher paper. Then I unwrapp and sauce and serve.
 
I skip the foil during the cook, then wrap the racks in foil and let them sit for 15 minutes or so before serving. This usually results in a nice "bite-thru" bark.
 
Ted from Bristow said:
I'm using an 18.5 WSM, water in the pan, and getting the heat up to about 275*.
TIA
Click to expand...

If shooting for 275ish I would skip the water and go with an empty foiled pan with an air-space. St Louies usually take me 4 hrs at 275deg measured at the top vent with a turkey fryer therm ( no foil).

Tim
 
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