First Low and Slow (Ribs) w/Pics!

Hey_Bulldog · January 2015

Well after receiving some advice from some folks va THIS thread, I embarked on my first low and slow my LBGE.

Results were GREAT on taste, leaving some to be desired on texture (a little chewy).

I had 2 racks St. Louis spares and 2 racks baby back. I kept to the system I keep with ribs with some minor alterations based on input.

I went with 4-1-1 with the St. Louis', and 3-1-1 on the Babybacks.

I usually target 3-2-1, 2-2-1 respectively, but I was hearing that the foil wrap was debated with the use of the Egg, so I cut that time in half to see what kind of results I got.

My temperatures fluctuated a bit as I am learning the ropes, and I was on the low side for about the first hour, but after finally learning that the top vent is JUST AS crucial for temperature control as the bottom vent (I kept opening the bottom vent bt leaving top close to closed so my temperatures were not moving much, touched the top vent and up went the mercury), I was much more hands off. BTW - is there any better feeling them walking out several times over a several hour span and seeing something like this EVERY SINGLE time??? (temp read: 250 on the money):

I ddon't know - I never target the fall of the bone doneness, but I do target the easily pulled of the bone - and with these you had to work at it a little bit. I'm thinking maybe just needed some more time and I rushed them a little? The bend test looked good on the spares when I was pulling them off, the babybacks were still a little stiff so I sat tight on them for another 35/40 minutes and pulled them because I didn't want to overcook and dry them out. NOTE - these ribs were not dried out tough, just not rendered fully kind of tough.

Final Results (yes, I know, there are sauce on these 2 racks... what the guests want, the guests get, am I right?):

Closing remarks / food for thought (literally):

* Im still torn on the foil wrap. Im going to have to do a head to head one day to get though that for myself

* I used a foil turkey roaster for a drip / water (Apple Juice) pan and I saw no adverse effects from it on this cook- so I will probably stick to that

* The roasting pan was great to keep the heat off the tips. no overly charred edges to be found

* I'm thinking my tems might have been on the low end so the meat should have taken on more heat to render - or maybe this is a case for reverting back to my old foil wrap game @ 2 hours... hmmm... so torn...

* (just as advertised) The BGE is amazing at keeping a consistent temperature (once the operator errors are put behind you)

Let me know what you all think - Im always up for improving my game!

Ragtop99 · January 2015

Good report.

6 hrs at 250* should be enough time for the ribs to be tender. You can aim for 250* - 275* for the next cook if thermometer is accurate.

Some of the heat in the BGE is being absorbed by the liquid and some is then used up as the liquid converts to steam. That could be a reason why at 6 hrs, your ribs needed a little more time. Just speculation on my part as I don't use a liquid drip pan. I'm also in the no foil camp. I have good luck with simple dry heat and smoke on the BGE.

theyolksonyou · January 2015

I'm a no liquid no foil kinda guy, but you gotta try to find what you like. I find that as long as I don't overcook, the protein is always juicy.

agree, sounds like you need more time on this cook.

Hey_Bulldog · January 2015

Ragtop99 said:

Some of the heat in the BGE is being absorbed by the liquid and some is then used up as the liquid converts to steam. That could be a reason why at 6 hrs, your ribs needed a little more time. Just speculation on my part as I don't use a liquid drip pan. I'm also in the no foil camp. I have good luck with simple dry heat and smoke on the BGE.

Thats a good point about the state conversion - never really thought of it from that angle... point taken - thanks!

So if you don't use a water pan do you just use a drip pan of some sort that is set above the platesetter like with washers or copper pipe so it wont burn? or do you just let the juices hit the platersetter?

theyolksonyou · January 2015

Plate setter copper tees from hardware store then pan. I like to line pan with foil and then cover bottom with kosher salt (thanks @Mickey‌ ) that way the grease gets absorbed and doesn't leak into my pan. I have a 16" deep pizza pan that works great in the large.

you can use washers, foil balls, coins...

theyolksonyou · January 2015

Letting the grease hit the PS can lead to stinky smoke and that'll eff up your meal.

Ragtop99 · January 2015

I generally do something like yolk suggested. A shallow drip covered in foil, resting on 3 nuts to create a small air-gap between the pan and the platesetter/stone, . I haven't tried the salt trick.

Gotta question the use of Kosher salt when cooking pork ribs. :O)

theyolksonyou · January 2015

@Ragtop99‌ not many Jewish folk here in rural GA and the few I know aren't real kosher either. Hell, I use that stuff on pork and even eat cheese with the meat with kosher salt. May even throw in some bottom feeders.

UrbanForestTurnings · January 2015

No right or wrong way to do ribs on the egg. Play with it find out what works for you. I'm a no foil kind of guy low and slow. But I had to do a turbo butt. .wont count that out. See you can teach an old dog new tricks.