Ribs Doneness Test

dawsonhull · September 2012

Hey guys! I'm trying ribs for the first time - using Car Wash Mike's method. I'm about two hours in. The method says to "pick the slab up and fold them in half" to check for doneness. I'm sure it's going to make perfect sense when I actually do it, but what does that mean? Do I hold both ends and fold them up in a V? Should it bend all the way to where the two ends can touch?

lousubcap · September 2012

The doneness test you refer to is the bend test-with a set of tongs, pick up one end of the full rack and eyeball the bend of the rack in mid air. Around 90* and you are there-others use the toothpick test-insert a toothpick into the meat near the bone-no resistance in or out in several places-done. The toothpick is about the best way if you have to cut the racks to cook them. Enjoy the journey and the ribs.

dawsonhull · September 2012

That's what I needed to know! Thanks for your help!

SmokeyPitt · September 2012

Something like this ;)

Bear02 · September 2012

Doing same recipe just started.......did u spray. I don't have apple juice

Skiddymarker · September 2012

SmokeyPitt said:

Something like this ;)

A picture is worth a thousand words.

dawsonhull · September 2012

Yes I'm spraying with 50/50 apple juice and apple cider vinegar. Just sprayed my last time.

dawsonhull · September 2012

Thanks, @SmokeyPitt!

dawsonhull · September 2012

Should I coat just the meat side with bbq sauce or the bone side, too?

lousubcap · September 2012

Cook 'em any way you want but keep track and change only one variable at a time til you get the set-up that works best-here are some notes about rib cooks when you see the X-X-X cook mentioned-FWIW- "Basically ribs are cooked as usual (bone side down for me) for the first X hours. Then they are removed from the cooker and wrapped with liquid (Q sauce, some other liquid for flavoring etc) in a foil pouch with the meat side down. This becomes step -0- mentioned above. The sealed ribs are then returned to the cooker. At the end of the "0" time-frame, the ribs are removed from the foil and then put back on the BGE for the final "0" time-frame. This is when sauce is added if your desire. X-X-X defines the cook cycle. Those of us X-0-0 run without any of the above extras. It's all in what you like-experiment and enjoy the journey"

dawsonhull · September 2012

I was very pleased with the turnout! Moist, smoky, tender, sweet...very good! I used Butt Rub for the rub and Sticky Fingers Carolina Sweet for the sauce. Wish I had Dizzy Pig and Blues Hog - aren't any dealers local, so I'd have to order online. Gives me an excuse to try again! Thanks again for all of the input.

@Bear02 how did yours turn out?

P.S. Don't worry, the gas tank is for my mower, not the BGE!!

Bear02 · September 2012

1 hour to go here. Pizza not ordered yet!!! Wish me luck

dawsonhull · September 2012

Haha - I hadn't really added up all of the hours yet either when I was cooking. Didn't know it would take 5 1/2 hours but it was all worth it! Best of luck!

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Ribs Doneness Test

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