Ribs-fail

Tom67 · April 2014

Tried ribs for the first time. Slow cooked 2-2-1 method at 225f. Everything looked great, until I served them up. Ribs were a little dry and tough. Paid good money for the pork backs. Wondering where I went wrong???

Smokinpig · April 2014

I think 2-2-1 is to long for baby backs thus the dryness. Unfoiled I cook mine 4 hours, maybe 2-1-.5 would be better for baby backs.

Tom67 · April 2014

Makes sense. I started to get pullback after 2 hrs. Ok I'll change up that time. Cheers

Ktim · April 2014

My first cook on my new egg were baby back ribs I tried the 3/2/1 method witch I had read was the best way to go.Holy cow,what a bad mistake.I now never wrap babybacks in foil.I cook them at 250 dome temp for about 3 hrs. do the bend test,they are getting close to being done I sauce for about 20 to 30 mins. until sauce is a little bit carmalized. Good luck with your next cook.

Tom67 · April 2014

I'm not really a competition style rib guy. I like when they fall off the bone. Did the three hrs then sauce finish this way?? Thanks for the comments.

Brisket_Fanatic · April 2014

I do mine baby backs around 5.5 to 6 hours depending on the meat. I never foil and they are never dry when cooked 225 to 250 dome temp with sauce the last hour. Just my .02 as they is more than one way to skin a deer.

gdenby · April 2014

Dry and tough usually means underdone. If you were cooking indirect w. a dome of 225F, even w. foiling the meat might not have finished. The grill temp is often 25 - 30 degrees less for several hours.

Rely on the bend test. Whatever procedure is used, at around 3/4 of the expected time, gently lift the rack of ribs in the middle. perfectly done ribs will almost bend in half, or even start splitting in half.

I stopped foiling long ago. I don't like infusing extra flavor and sweetness by adding extra fluid. I've moved more towards "dry" ribs w. sauce on the side.

Some "fall of the bone" is good, some, not good. The way I look at it, great ribs have bones falling out of the meat. The thin sheath of connective tissue has completely dissolved, and the heat has traveled along the bone, draining moisture from the bone. Over cooked, often par-boiled ribs produce meat that is rather mushy, and doesn't come clean off the bone. The mushiness is due to the muscle proteins being over denatured, which causes all water to be squeezed out. W/o sauce, that meat, tho' tender, is likely to be gummy and dry in the mouth. At the same time, not all of the collagen may have converted to gel, shown by the meat still sticking in small shreds to the bone. Its the gel which is what gives 'Q its real succulence.

cazzy · April 2014

gdenby said:
Dry and tough usually means underdone. If you were cooking indirect w. a dome of 225F, even w. foiling the meat might not have finished. The grill temp is often 25 - 30 degrees less for several hours.

Rely on the bend test. Whatever procedure is used, at around 3/4 of the expected time, gently lift the rack of ribs in the middle. perfectly done ribs will almost bend in half, or even start splitting in half.

I stopped foiling long ago. I don't like infusing extra flavor and sweetness by adding extra fluid. I've moved more towards "dry" ribs w. sauce on the side.

Some "fall of the bone" is good, some, not good. The way I look at it, great ribs have bones falling out of the meat. The thin sheath of connective tissue has completely dissolved, and the heat has traveled along the bone, draining moisture from the bone. Over cooked, often par-boiled ribs produce meat that is rather mushy, and doesn't come clean off the bone. The mushiness is due to the muscle proteins being over denatured, which causes all water to be squeezed out. W/o sauce, that meat, tho' tender, is likely to be gummy and dry in the mouth. At the same time, not all of the collagen may have converted to gel, shown by the meat still sticking in small shreds to the bone. Its the gel which is what gives 'Q its real succulence.

This! 225 dome put you at about 200 grid for the ribs. Your ribs were 100% under done.

Tom67 · April 2014

Thanks for the insite to this newbie bge

jhl192 · April 2014

Don't fret. There are more mistakes in your future. At least there were in mine. Bend test is the key to ribs. The egg is not fool proof. As your expectations rise so do the little nuances that change a poor cook into an outstanding cook!

cazzy · April 2014

SenecaTheYounger said:

Somewhere along the line the 3-1-1 method got misremembered and repeated as 3-2-1, probably because it sounds like a count down, and is easier to remember. Two hours in foil is too much I think.

Your 2-2-1 might have been enough at 250 or higher, with the extra hour in foil making up for the loss of the hour up front, but your temperature of 225 was probably just a tick too low. I've had loin back ribs take seven hours sometimes.

I no longer do 3-1-1, but when I did, I found it often needed to go longer anyway. They are done when they are done, and pull back from the tips as well as flop and bend easily.

Overcooked ribs will be dry, but still pull apart easily. If they are tough, they are underdone.

I agree with you, 2 hours is too long. However, 3-2-1 was an actual rib technique created by someone way back when.

Here is a good article from amazing ribs...he actually touches on the 3-2-1 and agrees that it is too long too!

http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/texas_crutch.html

nolaegghead · April 2014

All ribs are dry. Tough = undercooked.

Tom67 · April 2014

So from most advice, I'm hearing bend test is more important then pull back on ribs?? And what would optimal internal temp be?

nolaegghead · April 2014

Tom67 said:

So from most advice, I'm hearing bend test is more important then pull back on ribs?? And what would optimal internal temp be?

Internal temp doesn't work on ribs. The bend test is the best.

stevesails · April 2014

try 325 dome for 1.5 to 2 hours, or when the bend test passes. works great for my family.. I just don't have 5 hours

caliking · April 2014

Ditch the foil. Unnecessarily complicates things. If you are pressed for time, try the turbo method, which also yields good results. @Mickey should be along shortly with a great pic he has of turbo ribs and the bend test all in one!

SenecaTheYounger · April 2014

Somewhere along the line the 3-1-1 method got misremembered and repeated as 3-2-1, probably because it sounds like a count down, and is easier to remember. Two hours in foil is too much I think.

Your 2-2-1 might have been enough at 250 or higher, with the extra hour in foil making up for the loss of the hour up front, but your temperature of 225 was probably just a tick too low. I've had loin back ribs take seven hours sometimes.

I no longer do 3-1-1, but when I did, I found it often needed to go longer anyway. They are done when they are done, and pull back from the tips as well as flop and bend easily.

Overcooked ribs will be dry, but still pull apart easily. If they are tough, they are underdone.

lousubcap · April 2014

In addition to the bend test and if you have cut your racks, the toothpick test is a great finish-line indicator. Insert into the thickest section of meat and get no resistance either way=finished.

stevesails · April 2014

if the ribs bend they will have plenty of pull back.

Tom67 · April 2014

All I have to say is wow. Lol. I'm an egghead forever. Love the support. Cheers to all.

KennyLee · April 2014

Agree with what others have said, definitely underdone. I cook mine for 5 hours (sometimes 5 straight, sometimes 2-1-2) at 250-280 and they always turn out perfect.

ShadowNick · April 2014

If a thick bamboo skewer will sink right through with hot butter like resistance, they are ready...

Mickey · April 2014

Bend test: Passed

henapple · April 2014

I use the .5.5.5.5.25.75.5.5 method. Work my ass off but they're great.

Mickey · April 2014

The above ribs:Baby Back Turbo Ribs 350 indirect for 1hr 40 min. Before cooking: Pull membrane , rub. Put on at 350 and leave the hell alone for about that time. This is called turbo ribs and I will never go back to 4 and 5 hour ribs. Note: with or w/o mustard works .. I like Bad Byron's Butt Rub / I like cherry & pecan mix for wood. If you want sauce: opened 15 min early and sauce. I like the sauce on the table.

henapple · April 2014

@Tom67‌ ...did you pull the membrane?

LBC Dawg · April 2014

Mickey said:

The above ribs:Baby Back Turbo Ribs 350 indirect for 1hr 40 min. Before cooking: Pull membrane , rub. Put on at 350 and leave the hell alone for about that time. This is called turbo ribs and I will never go back to 4 and 5 hour ribs. Note: with or w/o mustard works .. I like Bad Byron's Butt Rub / I like cherry & pecan mix for wood. If you want sauce: opened 15 min early and sauce. I like the sauce on the table.

+1. Just don't see the need to cook something 4+ hrs when you can have it in 2 tops. plus they come out the way i like em.

probe1957 · April 2014

henapple said:

@Tom67‌ ...did you pull the membrane?

This.

chainsaw19 · April 2014

Another vote for turbo! 350 degrees check them at 1:45, these were two hours , ill never go back to 4-5 hours for ribs, it isn't necessary.

Tom67 · April 2014

Those look awesome!

coachsteve · April 2014

What is 2-2-1

Ribs-fail

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