ribs - over or under done? I can't tell

[Phillip Moore]

I've tried ribs several times, but i've never achieved results as good as even the most mediocre BBQ place. I tried some this weekend 4 slabs, 2 wet and 2 dry and I cooked them on the weber rib rack I picked up, about 250-300 for 3.5 hours or so.

I picked them up with tongs, and the top crust was cracking open like I thought was supposed to, the meat had pulled back from the bones a bit. "Done!" i thought. I take them inside and cut a few off and they were super chewy, like stuck all in your teeth chewy. They weren't dry though, seemed fairly moist, but really really tough.

I made these as experiment, thinking freeze them for lunches for a few weeks, but they dont seem worth saving.

Sound like they are under done maybe? Can I just pop them in oven for a while longer I wonder?

Ribless in Austin,
Wishing I had cooked brisket instead,

Phillip

 

[TroyRedington]

undercooked

baby backs take about 6 hours at 250

 

[Steve St]

I can sympathize. Have tried ribs 3 times without a satisfactory outcome.
Tried the bend test without success and tried testing for temp although I knew this was not recommended. Research has led me to using a probe or toothpick to test for tender on my nest try. I may even try wrapping after the first three hours with some apple juice then to firm up the crust an hour or so out of the wrap.
Best of luck! When you find what works for you please post.
Steve

 

[Russ Sylvester]

Try following the procedure to cook BRITU ribs that Chris has in the cooking topics section. Even if you don't use the rub, the procedure (time, temps, etc.) will get you really close. You can play around and adjust later, get a couple of winning cooks under your belt first.

Russ

 

[Glenn W]

Do not cook for any set time nor temp! Foil nor mopping nor basting nor saucing will help to achieve done ribs! Simply cook til probe tender between the bones, doesn't matter with the pulling back off the bones per se nor bending will get the perfect doneness. Probing is key. Check them after 1.5 hours so you know what tender doesn't feel like. Time with doneness vary with different folks because of come up temps and methods.

Simply start with 10-15 lit and a full ring of unlit and catch 50 deg before your desired cook temp and cook to tender. Once you achieve this then try for foiling, basting, etc....... as in those things are mostly for flavor layers.

Good luck

 

[Pat Smith]

Word of wisdom Glenn! Knowledge condensed into usable form!

What Glenn said!

Pat

 

[Bob Sample]

Hopefully you didn't throw them out. I would have foiled them and finished in the oven

 

[Barry McCorkle]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Russ Sylvester:
Try following the procedure to cook BRITU ribs that Chris has in the cooking topics section. Even if you don't use the rub, the procedure (time, temps, etc.) will get you really close. You can play around and adjust later, get a couple of winning cooks under your belt first.

Russ </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Agree with this approach as it worked for me over 10 or 12 years ago. I made a few bad batches of ribs until I used this recipe which was originally posted on the KC BBQ Forum site. It will definitely get you close if you follow the instructions.

 

[Eric Michaud]

I too struggled at first trying to smoke ribs that met my expectations till I tried this, now its the only way I do ribs, mostly St. Louis spares.

http://tvwbb.com/eve/forums/a/...74&s=98110183&cdra=Y

I also think they were underdone, when they are overdone they just fall off the bone. Keep trying till you find what suits you best.

 

[Chris Bowles]

Everytime I've done ribs has been the 3-2-1 method and it seems to work out great. You can google it but its 3 hours rubbed and smoked the 2 hours foil packed with apple juice or cider then 1 hour basted with sauce. The times aren't exact depending on the meat but you get an idea of it.

 

[Chris Bjork]

I plan 5 hours from on the smoker to done -rested and sauced for good sized BB @ 240-250. 90% of the time, I have to baby them so that they do not rip apart. Im guessing if your taking 6hrs to do BB's @ 250, you must be opening the lid up/moping/ or doing a hell of alot of meat at once. my times are for 3 racks on a 22

 

[Brad Benski]

Sounds like they were underdone and most seem to agree.

The key thing is find a method. I prefer the 3-2-1 method. For me I believe that the foiling period gives me consistency and a predictability on when the ribs will get done. I don't strictly follow the 2 hours in foil, nor the 1 hour out of foil, but have learned to adjust time in foil and after based on experience.

That said, many believe that the 3-2-1 method provides some "overcooked" fall off the bone ribs, and if you leave them in the foil too long you'll sometimes have trouble with the racks falling apart as you take them off the smoker, similar to a Pork Butt falling apart when taken off the smoker.