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Ribs: Toothpick Test fail

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Theophan
Theophan Posts: 2,654
in EggHead Forum
I put on some ribs this afternoon, smoked them cooler than usual for a while, around 200°-215° for close to an hour, thinking surely it would get hotter at my vent settings, but it didn't, so I opened them up a bit more.  I didn't write any of it down, but I cooked them at 250°-275° for an hour or so, thought it was getting a little late, kicked it up to 300°-315° for another hour or so.  I kept probing with a toothpick, which I've successfully done in several previous cooks, but probing several places it just never felt like it was going in easy enough.  I had it up to 350° for a while because it was getting late for dinner.  I finally said this is crazy and tried the bend test...  and they not only bent 90% but started to rip in half!!!  They were OVERDONE!

They were very tasty anyway -- my wife said she loved them and insisted they were juicy!  But they were a bit charred and crispy in too many places, and not juicy enough.  I don't know what happened.  I'd like to rely on the toothpick test because sometimes I like to cut the racks in half and put them in a V-rack, so the bend test can't be done.  Oh well.

I used DP Crossroads for the first time, but they were so overdone that the flavor of the rub really was swamped by the overly charred exterior, so it wasn't a good test of Crossroads.

Anybody have any thoughts about why the toothpick test has worked well for me in other cooks, but somehow I really misinterpreted it this time?






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Comments

  • Hans61
    Hans61 Posts: 3,901
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    Outlier meat is my guess...
    “There are three rules that I live by: never get less than twelve hours sleep; never play cards with a guy who has the same first name as a city; and never get involved with a woman with a tattoo of a dagger on her body.”
    Coach Finstock Teen Wolf
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  • Hans61
    Hans61 Posts: 3,901
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    Meaning keep with what you know! Just a statistical  anomaly 
    “There are three rules that I live by: never get less than twelve hours sleep; never play cards with a guy who has the same first name as a city; and never get involved with a woman with a tattoo of a dagger on her body.”
    Coach Finstock Teen Wolf
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  • bhedges1987
    bhedges1987 Posts: 3,201
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    I have never done a toothpick test. Only bend test here. 

    Kansas City, Missouri
    Large Egg
    Mini Egg

    "All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us" - Gandalf


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  • Jstroke
    Jstroke Posts: 2,600
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    My bet is the bark was throwing you off.
    Columbus, Ohio--A Gasser filled with Matchlight and an Ugly Drum.
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  • Theophan
    Theophan Posts: 2,654
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    Many thanks for the ideas!  I've found the toothpick test as helpful and reliable as the bend test, and especially when I cut the racks in half to cook them in a V rack (easier to fit 2 racks on a large that way, plus they don't extend past the plate setter where the ends overcook), there's no way to use the bend test anyway.  But I kept poking these in several places, and it just kept feeling like there was too much resistance, but I sure misjudged it this time somehow.

    Thanks again for the ideas!
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  • jlsm
    jlsm Posts: 1,011
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    To use the bend test on a half, hold at the first rib or so. Works for me. 
    *******
    Owner of a large and a beloved mini in Philadelphia
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,393
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    I am also a big believer in the toothpick test.  Sounds like any obvious issues have been addressed above.  No new pearls of wisdom.  Give it another go-
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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  • logchief
    logchief Posts: 1,415
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    In my limited experience the toothpick has always worked well for me.  I think maybe consistency on the temp and time may help or it could be just that piece of pig.  Nobody's gonna get a perfect cook every time.
    LBGE - I like the hot stuff.  The big dry San Joaquin Valley, Clovis, CA 
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  • dmchicago
    dmchicago Posts: 4,516
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    jlsm said:
    To use the bend test on a half, hold at the first rib or so. Works for me. 
    Agreed.

    Cooked 3 halves the other day and picked up by 2 ribs and the thing almost broke in half.


    Philly - Kansas City - Houston - Cincinnati - Dallas - Houston - Memphis - Austin - Chicago - Austin

    Large BGE. OONI 16, TOTO Washlet S550e (Now with enhanced Motherly Hugs!)

    "If I wanted my balls washed, I'd go to the golf course!"
    Dennis - Austin,TX
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  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
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    I've never been to good w. the toothpick test. Besides the bend test, I also do my variation, a tug test. Assuming the bone ends start sticking out (doesn't happen every time), I pinch the last one, and lift up and twist a little. When the meat next to it starts tearing, I know its about ready.
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  • KiterTodd
    KiterTodd Posts: 2,466
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    Those are no good.
    Send them to me.
    I'll take them off your hands.   ;)
    LBGE/Maryland
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  • Theophan
    Theophan Posts: 2,654
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    Many thanks for the feedback and suggestions!  I never tried a bend test on half a rack, just assumed it wouldn't work.  I'll definitely try it next time.

    And I've found the toothpick test very helpful and reliable -- I just don't know why it didn't seem to work for me this time.  Weird.  But I think next time I'm going to cut them in half (it had been a while since I did a whole one, and I'd forgotten how "extra crispy" the extreme ends can get), and do the toothpick again but also try the bend test  on them as some of you have described.

    Thanks again!  Love this forum!  :)
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