Ribs Too Dry...

drd24au · May 2016

Hello everyone. I smoked my first slab of baby backs yesterday. They had a decent taste but they were drier and tougher than I wanted them to be. Pictured below.

I followed this recipe from the BGE website: http://www.biggreenegg.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Takeo-Spikes-Ribs.pdf, which is the 2-2-1 method. From previous posts I have read, I may have pulled the ribs too early. They were about 180*F between the bones when I pulled them off. During the foil step, I placed the bone side down and other posters have said to put the meat side down during this step. Not sure how much that matters. The ribs seemed to not have much fat when I purchased them. Also, I had to let them sit in a covered aluminum pan and towel for an hour while other food was prepared.

Any tips for my next ribs so end up with the better results?

Thanks!

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/30/ufgoioone8jo.jpg

Chubbs · May 2016

What temp you smoking them? Did you add anything when you foiled them? Butter, broth, etc? You can skip foil and mist them if they look to be cooking fast and drying. Add moisture

drd24au · May 2016

Chubbs said:

What temp you smoking them? Did you add anything when you foiled them? Butter, broth, etc? You can skip foil and mist them if they look to be cooking fast and drying. Add moisture

Sorry I failed to mention that. 230* cooking temperature. I added 12 oz of apple juice in a heavy duty foil pan with heavy duty foil to cover the pan.

Darby_Crenshaw · May 2016

not done

dry and tough is underdone

dry and brittle is overdone.

Mattman3969 · May 2016

I'm going with underdone. It is very hard to get accurate temp readings from the meat between the bone. You either want the bend test (bends to almost 90° when picked up with tongs) or the toothpick test (toothpick feels no resistance when probed between bones) before you pull the meat off the egg.

drd24au · May 2016

So if they are not done doing 2-2-1 at 230*F, should have I left them on for longer during the final step?

bgebrent · May 2016

Longer for sure or go hotter. Matts done tests above work well.

Darby_Crenshaw · June 2016

230 is low.

3-1-1 at 250 was my loin back rib method for a while. it was often still not quite done.

so yeah, higher temp, and/or longer. longer in the braise step will lead to soup. i would add the time up front, and whatever is required in the last step to finish. throw away the clock. they're done when they bend easily

cheeaa · June 2016

Just dont over think it. If you want to foil do it when they get to the color u want as opposed to a specific time. I feel like 2 hours foiled is too much but I don't foil at all so each their own. Like others have said don't go by time. Toothpick is ur best friend checking for doneness on ribs. Keep practicing. You'll get it. Oh, and get spares. Better fat and more forgiving.

dougcrann · June 2016

Throw meat temperature idea out the window. Probe and bend test. Have been cooking ribs in my Reverse Flow, temperature floats between 260*-290*. Only dry rack I had was when I changed my rub recipe...

dougcrann · June 2016

And don't foil...

Mickey · June 2016

I do this and always get good EASY ribs.

Baby Back Turbo Ribs (No flip)

350 indirect for 1hr 40 min.

Before cooking: Pull membrane , rub, mustard, 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.

bgebrent · June 2016

Mickey said:

I do this and always get good EASY ribs.
Baby Back Turbo Ribs (No flip)
350 indirect for 1hr 40 min.
Before cooking: Pull membrane , rub, mustard, 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.

Drop the Mike and walk off the stage. Absolute agreement. Bookmark.

Austin Egghead · June 2016

Do what Mickey says and you will never go back to any other method.
I am not a mustard fan so I dry brine with kosher salt and one hour before cooking I layer on the Cluck and Squeal.
I cook enough for leftovers...To re-warm them wrap in foil with 2 tablespoons of water and on the egg for 20 minute indirect at 325.

zosobao5150 · June 2016

I do something very similar. Pull membrane, season, and put on indirect at 275-300 degree dome temp. Usually takes between 2 1/2 - 3 hrs. After I notice the meat has started shrinking away from the bone, I use the bend test to check for doneness.

jlsm · June 2016

Looks overdone. I cook only baby backs, 2 1/2 to three hours at 275-300 (grate), except for the time needed to get to temp after putting on the meat. No wrapping. Bend test. I experimented with all the methods and this was the easiest, tastiest method for me. I serve mine dry, sauce on the side. Last bunch I pulled before bend test indicated because I was sure they were done. They were. Mine turn out perfect every time.

billt01 · June 2016

MY two cents...depends on the cut of the ribs

If the ribs are fatty...let them roll for longer and a lower temp....ribs will be very juicy..

If the ribs are lean, this is where is gets tricky and experience rules, you will need to introduce fat....meaning...if I am cooking competition style ribs, I will look for very lean ribs, not fatty at all. Then after 1 hour of cooking I will introduce the fat slurry....i take about two cups of Parkay squirt butter, a half a cup of apple juice, 1 small can of apple pie filling, 1/4 cup of maple syrup, 3 table spoons of white pepper, and 1 table spoon of cayenne pepper,mix that in a blender for several minutes...baste that all over the ribs and wrap for an hour...unwrap and baste with house BBQ sauce to let that set for the next hour to hour and half until done. 3 to 3 and 1/2 hours between 225 and 275 total..

Never had any complaints...but as with any BBQ..this is strictly a template and the bend and pull back tests are what I go by to ensure doneness....

drd24au · June 2016

jlsm said:

Looks overdone. I cook only baby backs, 2 1/2 to three hours at 275-300 (grate), except for the time needed to get to temp after putting on the meat. No wrapping. Bend test. I experimented with all the methods and this was the easiest, tastiest method for me. I serve mine dry, sauce on the side. Last bunch I pulled before bend test indicated because I was sure they were done. They were. Mine turn out perfect every time.

@jlsm interesting. Why do you think they are overdone?

jlsm · June 2016

@drd24au. Cooking BBs for 5 hours even at your low temp seems like a very long time to me. And way too much bone seems to be exposed; my ribs pull up just a quarter inch or so. Finally, they look like they have a very dense crust. Much of the advice on the board deals with St. Louis cut, a different animal.

jlsm · June 2016

@drd24au. Cooking BBs for 5 hours even at your low temp seems like a very long time to me. And way too much bone seems to be exposed; my ribs pull up just a quarter inch or so. Finally, they look like they have a very dense crust. Much of the advice on the board deals with St. Louis cut, a different animal.

NPHuskerFL · June 2016

Underdone. Always probe between the bones in several spots to feel what they're doing. Should probe like buttuh. No worries there is always next time

Darby_Crenshaw · June 2016

jlsm said:

@drd24au. Cooking BBs for 5 hours even at your low temp seems like a very long time to me. And way too much bone seems to be exposed; my ribs pull up just a quarter inch or so. Finally, they look like they have a very dense crust. Much of the advice on the board deals with St. Louis cut, a different animal.

3-1-1 is a common cook for loin ribs. that foiling step actually accelrates the cook too. 5 hours isn't too long really.

Ribs Too Dry...

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