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super fatty Baby back ribs


 

Mike Dee

New member
I cooked some ribs on my newer WSM. This is the second time cooking with it and I am a beginner in general. Anyhow, I bought baby back ribs, used a nice rub and allowed to sit overnight. I cooked them using the AWARD winning rib's recipe here (seared the last minute over the coals). the first time I cooked with this smoker, I followed the recipe and it worked great! the ribs may have been slightly over done, but it was great.

This time, I did the SAME procedure and when we ate them they were loaded with chewy fat. My wife and I had about 3 "bones" worth from the chunkier side of the rack and could not finish - it was kind of nasty. I have not tested the skinner/ leaner side of the rack yet. I wonder if the meat was bad or it was the rookie behind the spatula.

FWIW - the first ribs were fresh store bought in a deli type cooler. This latest batch was in cryo.

Any thoughts?
 
Well some ribs are just more "fatty" then others...but i always trim off as mutch fat as i can before smoking.

But try to go for tenderness and not time when doing Ribs aah well any Q couse some ribs need more time to render/tender then others.

@ What temp/time did you cook them?
 
It might have just been the rack. I always trim mine very judiciously to make sure that any major pieces of fat are seriously reduced or removed completely. Like Wolgast said, some are just fattier than others. You know they always buy the smallest rack of babybacks you can find under 2lb. if possible.
 
I always buy my ribs at Sams Club.and I get the package that weighs the least(appox 3 racks at 6lbs.)I like to brag I ate a whole rack of ribs..LOL. But I know what you are saying,to much meat on a rack just don't taste that good,and I'm full after 3 ribs.
 
I picked up a few racks like that once, my local grocery store had baby backs on sale. We ate half a rack and threw the other rack and a half away.

I had never trimmed ribs much, previously I had bought ribs from a butcher who sells nicer cuts. Now I know to trim that junk before cooking, so that there is around 1/8" of fat left. I had been afraid that trimming would result in dry meat without fat to protect them, now I guess I'll just drown them in sauce if they dry out. Obviously sauceing them isn't an ideal situation, and I aim for ribs that don't need to be drown, but it's better than the alternative.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">they were loaded with chewy fat </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Seems undercooked to me.
 
I'm with KK. If you have fatty ribs, you need to cook them longer, and maybe be sure the temp's not too high so you can go longer. If they do finish early, you can always keep them in the cooler.
 
I'm with them. If you have bigger fattier ribs go for the long cook. I've done ribs for 8hrs and the fat just melts away. I'm usually drinking and forget to watch the Q but **** as long as it works out right!!
 
I bought 4 racks of Tamworth hog ribs at the Regional Farmers Market several weeks ago that had a lot of fat on them. If I had not preordered them because they are difficult to get I never would have purchased them. I didn't remove any fat and cooked a rack low and slow today and the fat completely rendered out. They are the prettiest Baby Backs I ever cooked! I'll definitely be buying a few more racks in the upcoming weeks.
I think low and slow is the way with fatty ribs.
 
Just following the above. I don't trim ribs at all unless there's an absurd pocket of fat.

With backs, I've found the meatier end takes a little longer. Just wrap the thinner end loosely in foil to offset the heat. Backs tend to have quite a bit of connective tissue in the meaty parts so you need to cook them until pull apart tender.

Just my opinion.

James
 
I smoked some ribs this weekend at 225* for 5 hours. There was very little fat left.

The meat fell off the bones. Just a tad too done, but very good.
 

 

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