Tough baby-backs, what did I do wrong?

[Guest]

I need some guidnance here. I started the fire using the Minion method. Prepped the ribs as per Chris's instructions. I used my new Trend 6" stuck through the top vent and soaked hickory chunks as smoke wood. All vents were open, temps outside were high 70's with no wind. I put 2 boneless turkey breasts on the bottom grate and the 3 slabs on the top when the temp on the Trend showed 240. Planning on 4 hrs. for the turkey and 5 hrs. for the ribs. 2 hrs. later I noticed the trend was showing about 200, I still had all bottom vents opened from when I started. I turned and basted the trukey with apple juice, I did this through the access door to keep from taking the lid off and loosing more heat. I put my polder probe in at the top grate after 4 1/2 hrs. to check the temp there. Here's when I discovered the temp at the top grate was 23 degrees hotter than the Trend showed through the top vent. I let things cook for 6 hours, the turkey was very tender and good. The ribs were very tough. I turned and basted at 3 hrs. again at 4 1/2 hrs. I know now that the Trend was way off. I noticed after the cook the same Trend showed 50 degrees when at room temp. Did I cook to long at too high a temp? Or What?? Thanks!

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JT

 

[Kevin Taylor]

Johnny..........

Tough ribs are almost always a sign of being UNDERCOOKED as opposed to cooking too long. Were they all crusty and burnt at the tips of the bones? These would be signs of overcooked or cooking at too high a heat.

It sounds to me that the temps were much lower during the first several hours of cooking. I guess a good lesson in why to check your thermo's before EVERY cook.

I cook my baby's for 6 hours at 225?....if I were to drop that temp to 200?, it would take forever.

In my thermo-driven rookie years, I measured the temp of ribs to gauge when finished.....Rib meat is usually done at 205?...so if you are cooking at 200? and are aiming for 205?.........

When this happens, you can finish them off in the oven or on the grill. Or even the next day.

One more lesson learned is this.....With that quantity of meat, I always fire up more lit coals, ala Jim's method, and let my smoker come to 250? at the grate and then I put my meat on. That amount of meat will suck the heat out of too small a fire resulting in temps at the grate under 200?. Also, I would put boiling water in the pan to help the heat stay up......nice time to check the thermo's as well!

Anyway, you'll nail it on the next cook!

Good Luck!

Stogie

 

[Guest]

Thanks Stogie,
Your reply opened my eyes to several things. The bone ends were very crusty, black and hard. My therm was showing temps at 200 and below during the whole 6 hrs. It had to be higher than that because the thermometer was off. And you're right about the amount of meat I had in the smoker, that hit me like a ton of bricks when I read your reply. I didn't have near enough coals in the smoker for that amount of meat. Would it be a good rule of thumb to err on the high side of amount of charcoal and regulate temp by using the vents? Seems like it might. Thanks for your kind advise and help. This site and all you knowledgeable Q'ers here have helped me a lot. Thanks!


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JT

 

[a galarneau]

My diagnosis is definitely too much heat for way too long.

Looks like you discovered you actually cooked for 260+ for 6+ hours. I say, nail 'em to the wall as a reminder and try again.

Remember: When the meat looks like it's done, there's a good chance it is, no matter what hours-and-temperatures calculations you may have outlined. When you opened after 4 hrs to baste, I bet those poor doomed baby backs were just crying out for help.