Why do my pork ribs taste like ham?

[Guest]

I can think of few things more delicious than pork slowly cooked for many hours over hardwood coals. I bought a WSM (based on helpful info from contributors to this fine site) and fired it up for the first time yesterday. I was hoping to come closer to duplicating the flavor, texture, and aroma of what I consider to be world-class ribs. My results were less than impressive. I'm not blaming the WSM (a fine tool in the hands of a novice can't create what a lesser tool in the hands of an experienced craftsman could). Can any BBQ craftsmen out there help me understand what I did (or didn't do)?

My ribs tasted like BBQed ham, not pork ribs. I bought a three slab cryovac pack of pork back ribs from a warehouse club (rhymes w/ Ham's) and followed BRITU procedures on this site---membrane removal, light dusting w/ rub etc.

I had a very difficult time getting smoker up to temperature. Used Nature-Glo hardwood charcoal started in Weber chimney then added additional unlit charcoal to fill fire ring 2/3 full. Added 1.5 gal water to (Brinkman Charcoal) water pan and 4 chunks unsoaked hickory. After an hour, temp at top vent read 170F w/ all three vents closed. Over the next hour, progressively opened all three vents to 100% (top vent fully open throughout cook). Top vent temp. climbed to 210 but never got hotter. Grate temperature must have been 15 degrees less. Three hours into the cook, added chimney full of different brand (Maple Leaf)of unlit hardwood briquetes to try to get temp up into 240 range--- no luck. Air temp outside was 46 degrees with strong (25mph) winds. After five hours, expectant diners were growing restless. Opened lid to evaluate ribs. Meat had only pulled back from long bones about 1/3 to 1/2 inch. To placate demanding diners, I pulled ribs off grill, wrapped in heavy duty foil, and placed in 400 degree oven for 30 minutes. Sauced w/ 5:1 KC Masterpiece/Sourwood Honey. Ribs had a final internal temp of 170, were nicely browned, but were tough, dry, with an overly smokey flavor, a disturbingly unnatural red/orange color and a "chunky" ham taste-- not at all what I wished for. I won't let this disappointing experience keep me from trying again. It seems to me that my problems may be a combination of the wrong meat cooked at too low a temperature for too short a time. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you.

 

[Jim Minion]

Couple of questions for you, first, how long before the cook did you put the rub on?
2nd were the ribs solution added? Those two things can cause the hammy flavor.

Heat control, the wind was the biggest part of the problem, a wind break would have really helped.
Read the fire-up section and that should also help with temp control.
http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/fireup1.html
Jim

 

[Don Marco]

Howdy David...

I?d rather not tell ya the storys of my first attempts with my weber kettle...too scary... /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif
Anyway, i?ve gotten used to preparing ribs when i finally got my WSM and things improved rapidly.
I might say perhaps the meat was not the quality of what you?ve longed for ?
Happened to me quite a few times, but now i?ve got a good and cheap source which has never let me down.
Regarding the temperature there?s two things that might be responsible (imho...).
First you should check the thermometers for accuracy.
Second : Did you add the hottest water that you could get ?If you add cold water, espc. in the large brinkman pan, you?ll have a hard time of ever getting the temps over 212 F.

Hope this helps,

Don Marco
Germany

 

[Pat Trammell]

My experience is that if you don't get a good 200+ temperature during the first three or so hours you can dry them out pretty good. That has happened to me before. I think the wind may have been your biggest problem.

Jim Minion, out of curiosity what is an appropriate time for letting the rub stay on before cooking? Could leaving it too long before the cook, or not long enough cause the problem?

Just curious...

Thanks and hang in there David!!!!

 

[Ken Nelson]

Welcome to the forum. Sorry your first post is a report of yesterday’s “limited success.” Don’t get discouraged. We’ve all had our share of flubs but that’s part of the learning process. The combination of the high expectations of using a new smoker and the performance anxiety of cooking for a hungry mob can be a character building experience!

I think you’re on the right track with your suspicions. A combination of factors worked against you. Low temperature problems, the wind, a dirty burn, and perhaps bionic meat may have played a role in yesterday’s disappointment.

The ribs could taste something like ham if they had been “doctored” variety. My local Sam’s doesn’t sell these bionic ribs but perhaps yours does. Check the label on the cryo package. By law, the label must state the percentage of "enhancement" they got from the processor.

If the ribs check out, your temperature problems are the next most likely cause for the off taste. Two things come to mind regarding your temperature problems.

First, as others have mentioned, protect your bullet from the wind. It’s a bigger enemy than the outside temperature.

Second, after starting your coals and assembling the bullet, you stated you kept the bottom vents closed for an hour. This means the coals were being starved for oxygen when they needed it most to bring your WSM up to temperature.

Completely open at least two of the bottom vents (closing the windward vent helps if your bullet is exposed) until the temperature climbs to near your target. Then make small adjustments to the vents to control the temperature. Allow a few minutes for those adjustments to be reflected. Don’t fret about hitting your target exactly. A few degrees high or low won’t make any real difference.

Expect the temperature to drop when the relatively cold meat is put into the bullet. The temperature will bounce back within 20 - 30 minutes if you have a good hot bed of coals burning cleanly.

Keep your spirits up, relax, and have some fun during your next cook on the WSM. You’ll get lots of good information here.

We'll look forward to hearing raves next week!

Ken

 

[Preston Davenport]

My local Sam's here in the greater Daytona Beach area has "Enhanced" ribs and they come out tasting "hammy". They are packaged with 3 slabs to a cryovac.

Now they also have like a butchers window and you can get fresh cut ribs with out the enhanced juice. I am going there cause I do not like the enhanced flavoring/solution they added.

PrestonD

 

[Guest]

Thanks for all of your words of encouragement and suggestions to improve my "hammy" ribs.

The ribs were "rubbed" the day before then refrigerated in ZipLock bags. This was about 28 hours longer than the two hours suggested in BRITU procedure.

The three slab cryovac package DID seem to have a fair amount of juice inside. I'll pay close attention to the label to avoid "solution added" ribs.

I was concerned that a new WSM would burn hotter than the range (240-250F) I wanted, so COLD H20 was added to a larger capacity pan and bottom vents were initially closed-- in hindsight, a mistake. A windbreak would have helped as well.

Again, thanks for everyone's generous input.