Urgent Help Needed - Temp. Problem w/Ribs on my egg

Zilm-disabled · July 2006

I threw my 4 slabs of ribs on the egg about 8:30 this evening and at that time I had the temp stabilized around 160-180. One hour into the cook I opened the lid to rotate the V-Rack and since that time the temp has been steadily rising. It's currently at 310.[p]The lower vent is about 1/4" open and the daisy is closed with the slots fully open. I have tried several combinations but just cannot get the temp down. Any suggestions as to combinations that might work so I can get the temp to somewhere around the 180-210 range.[p]

thirdeye · July 2006

Zilm,[p]I wouldn't worry about going as low as 180°, that will take a long while. Close the bottom vent and hope for the best. If you can get it down to 250° that is a good start. If you want to avoid the high temp all together, put the rack of ribs on a half sheet pan and move into a 180° oven while the Egg comes down, then finish off on the EGG.[p]~thirdeye~

The Virginian · July 2006

Zilm,
Close the slots most of the way, say two thirds, and monitor and adjust as needed to get the temp down to about 250-260 dome (could even be 275 for ribs). Make sure it is stabilized, as it could go down low again over time. [p]If you are cooking at 160-180 it will take forever, plus the internal temp of ribs get up to 190-200 or so in my experience by the time they are done (a little floppy when you pick them up with tongs, and meat pulled back from the bones by a half inch to an inch), which will never happen at such low cooking temps. Add to that the fact that dome temps are lower than grid temps, and you are probably actuall cooking at 150-160 when the dome temp shows 180. [p]Good luck! [p]Brett

RRP · July 2006

Zilm, I'm being polite here - OK? but where did you get this idea of a 180 degree cooking temp? A good rule of thumb for ribs is they are done at about 194 MEAT temp between the ribs, but cooking at 180 is a dangerous pastime for pork.

Zilm-disabled · July 2006

The Virginian,thanks for all of the advice. The temp is running around 230-250 right now and am hoping that is where it will stay for the rest of the cook. Still undecided about whether to pull them and wrap them in foil around the three hour mark. The last time that I cooked ribs I used this method but was disatisfied with how much the ribs were falling off of the bone. Great flavor but to tender.

Zilm-disabled · July 2006

RRP,sorry bout that was a wee bit unclear with my post. Ideal smoking range would be around the 210 to 220 since that is what has worked best for me in the past. Chaulk it up to pending surgery. Had to go to the hospital today for pre-op.[p]
The ribs are looking great right now and the temp is where it should be around the 220-250 range. Currently around the three hour time frame and from the looks of them probably at least another three to finish. I would like to pull them around 1:00 or 1:30 this morning that way I can heat the egg back up in the morning for the remaining part of the cook and sauce them before we head out to the Lake for the fourth.[p]Long standing family tradition of getting together with some cousins who are more like Aunts and Uncles and cooking que. Been doing this since we were small boys and having turned 51 this year and older family members aging it has come to mean even more to me.[p]Have a happy fourth!

Urgent Help Needed - Temp. Problem w/Ribs on my egg

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