Rib Questions-Chewy?

[Guest]

I would have to consider my first cook a success. I used the BRITU recipe and they had a wonderful color on the outside and had a nice pink ring on the inside. They were however a little chewy. Does that mean they were a little over-cooked or under-cooked. Water pan was full and I smoked for approximately 4.5 hours and did have some temp deviations from around 200 to 300 (measured through upper vent with candy therm). Spent the majority of the time reading 220-250. Any thoughts?

Thanks again for all the help.

Darrell

 

[Ines Burriola]

Hi Darrell, what kind of ribs were they? If they were spares they might have been undercooked. Spares usually smoke for about six even seven hours. However, I did a rack of spares with a rack of babybacks they both cooked for the same amount of time, a little over four hours as I got side tracked and the temp crept-up on me and they were done early, to perfection. Anyway that's what my four year old and seven year old daughters thought, and they are rib experts you know. Anyway let us know what kind they were.

Chach

 

[Kevin Taylor]

Darrell....

As Ines mentioned...undercooked. Any time a rib is tough or chewy it is a sign of undercooking.

Here is a tip for future cooks.....weigh your slab of ribs before cooking, then cook at the SAME temp and weight every time you cook ribs. I am quite anal about keeping cooker temps at 225? on the grate. What this allows me to do is cook ribs every single time to perfection.

For over 6 years now I have cooked ribs for exactly 6 hours every time. I use 2 1/4lb. loin backs of 2 1/2lb. St. Louis spares. I cook at 225? and they come out perfect every single time. This is another thing I learned when competing...be consistent in ALL aspects every single time you cook.

Hope this helps!