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need ribs help

CaCook
CaCook Posts: 68
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I am not new to smoking ribs only cooking with BGE.
I cooked 2 racks of spares .. I shielded the side of the grate with foil carefully.

I used a rib rack to try to place it vertically, but it sags instead of sitting well.

The problem seem thats the bark is too dry in some parts of the rib, not just the sides but the part facing up.

I cooked 5 hrs straight about 275F most of the way.. (my mistake getting it too high! target 250 next time). I did not foil because I don't like the mushy texture. It was still a bit mushy and overcooked.. fall off the bone, yes but I prefer a little bit of chew. The middle ribs is great but I am not happy to serve some of the parts because the meat along the bark has dried up.
If I drape the meat onto the V shape of the rib rack sitting flat would that be better?

Rub is pretty simple, salt pepper paprika. I don't think that is a big problem. At this point I am concerned with the texture more than the taste.

Comments

  • Kailas
    Kailas Posts: 146
    I use the 3-1-1 method and it works really well.

    225 degrees dome temp

    3 hours in the rib rack

    take out and wrap each on in foil and put back in for 1 hour at 225

    Then take them out of the foil and put back in until they pass the "bend test", about 1 hour more at 225.

    I know you said you don't like foiling them, but only one hour and they will be perfect.
  • BajaTom
    BajaTom Posts: 1,269
    You need to smoke ribs indirect at around 250/260 dome. You can also try the 3-1-1 method. 3 hrs indirect, 1 hour foiled with some liquid, then 1 hour uinfoiled direct with sauce the last 20/30 minutes. Good luck to all.
  • CaCook
    CaCook Posts: 68
    also.. how do you lit up the egg so it is at 225 / 250 temperature? I seem to be overshooting mine.

    if I set the shutters to run low then the new charcoal makes too much smoke (not the good kind) as it tries to lit up. Cresole is a problem?
  • Kailas
    Kailas Posts: 146
    CaCook wrote:
    also.. how do you lit up the egg so it is at 225 / 250 temperature? I seem to be overshooting mine.

    if I set the shutters to run low then the new charcoal makes too much smoke (not the good kind) as it tries to lit up. Cresole is a problem?

    I have a Large BGE:

    I find about 1/4" open at the bottom vent.

    Close the slider on the top vent and the daisy wheel about 1/2 open.

    get your temperature stable first and let the smoking end before you throw your "seasoning wood chips" on. Then put in a plate setter if you have one. or you will need to put something in between your coals and your ribs to make it indirect heating.

    Then put your ribs in. If you overshoot, it takes time for it to come back down. So when it's about 20 degrees under 225/250 shut down the vents as I stated. I find it takes about 45 minutes to an hour to get the BGE stabilized.
  • Capt Frank
    Capt Frank Posts: 2,578
    I use a small spray bottle of straight apple juice and spritz my ribs after the first two hours and then again every hour until finished. I don't foil, never have, never will. My ribs are not dry. :)
  • CaCook
    CaCook Posts: 68
    should the bone side be pointing up or the meaty side?
  • Kailas
    Kailas Posts: 146
    CaCook wrote:
    should the bone side be pointing up or the meaty side?

    I always place my bone side down