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First cook on Baby Backs

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Timba
Timba Posts: 34
in EggHead Forum
I'm cooking a rack of baby backs tomorrow. This is just my third cook on my LBGE.  Planning on doing a 3-1-1 at 250F.  I did notice on my last cook it took one hour for the smoke to clear.(which was Pork Chops @ 350F IT 145F cook time 28 min firebox half full). So my question is how long should it take (full fire box) in getting light blue smoke@250F before adding the BB's. I'm using Richwood lump.  Thank you in advance! 
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  • pgprescott
    pgprescott Posts: 14,544
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    Depends on what you cooked before, but if chops you should be good @1/2 hr. I always leave extra time when doing low and slow cooks cuz it's best to sneak up on the temp. I feel everything cooks faster on the egg. I would consider reducing the foil time unless you desire fall apart ribs. Good luck
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  • YukonRon
    YukonRon Posts: 16,989
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    BBs I do for 5 hours, bones down indirect low and slow. Last 30 mins I add sauce then shut it down. Pull and serve. I never foil on the egg.
    They pass the toothpick test, I pull. Always awesome.
    You will do fine.
    "Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

    XL and MM
    Louisville, Kentucky
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  • Mikee
    Mikee Posts: 892
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    I've had some bad luck, in the past, with Baby Back Ribs. Seems I was always over cooking them. I backed down the amount of cooking time. One of the keys to a good rib is for it to be tender but still retain some of the chewiness. Over cook them and they are mush and lack flavor.
     
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  • Timba
    Timba Posts: 34
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    Thanks YukonRon and Mikee. I will let you know the outcome. 
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  • SSQUAL612
    SSQUAL612 Posts: 1,186
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    Remember....pics or it never happened.  
    Tyler, TX   XL BGE 2016, KJ Classic 2019,  MES, 18.5 WSM,  Akorn Jr,  36"&17" Black Stone, Adj Rig, Woo, Grill Grates, SS Smokeware Cap, KAB,  FB 300, Thermapen 
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,396
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    @YukonRon hit on the key to the finish-line.  Toothpick test for the win.  Insert in the between rib meat and no resistance means you are there.  
    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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  • Battleborn
    Battleborn Posts: 3,359
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    YukonRon said:
    BBs I do for 5 hours, bones down indirect low and slow. Last 30 mins I add sauce then shut it down. Pull and serve. I never foil on the egg.
    They pass the toothpick test, I pull. Always awesome.
    You will do fine.
    I threw a Costco pack on yesterday and did just as @YukonRon advised. Sauced two racks and left one dry. 5 hrs at 250 is just about perfect. 
    Las Vegas, NV


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  • YukonRon
    YukonRon Posts: 16,989
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    Battleborn said:
    YukonRon said:
    BBs I do for 5 hours, bones down indirect low and slow. Last 30 mins I add sauce then shut it down. Pull and serve. I never foil on the egg.
    They pass the toothpick test, I pull. Always awesome.
    You will do fine.
    I threw a Costco pack on yesterday and did just as @YukonRon advised. Sauced two racks and left one dry. 5 hrs at 250 is just about perfect. 
    I tried turbo once. Edible, good, not great. I must have done something wrong. I just flat out prefer L&S on ribs. Better taste, better smoke, much more tender, on my cooks.
    "Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

    XL and MM
    Louisville, Kentucky
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  • Surge
    Surge Posts: 56
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    I tried cooking BB ribs at 225F, but the fire died after about 4 hours. What did I do wrong?

    - cleaned firebox and used all fresh lump, filled to top line
    - let fire burn with lid off for 30 min. 
    - set bottom vent about .75" open. Top was barely open
    - temp gauge showed 225F for the first 4 hours


    Large Egg
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,396
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    @Surge - Seems that most BGE's have a sweet-spot in the 240-260*F range.  Trying to run 225*F w/o a controller is a bit of a challenge due to the low air-flow and fire volume.  You likely did nothing wrong other than the fire did not travel around and find the next lump to feed it.  Perhaps lump pieces too large??  
    Next time dial it up a bit and see what happens.  BTW you will not notice any change in the flavor profile.  FWIW-
    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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  • Timba
    Timba Posts: 34
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    Well here is the final result. 3-.45-.30. 255F definitely better than oven cooked ribs. Since this was my first try I foiled one so I could compare wrapped vs not wrapped. Both were a little on dry side for my taste but the wrapped was not as dry.  Not much of a smoke ring.  Both were seasoned with Dr Dre Sweet Butt Rub. Refrigerated for one hour.  Do you think if I had a drip pan with apple juice or water would have helped the dryness? Definitely room for improvement.  Thanks to all who commented. 
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  • Surge
    Surge Posts: 56
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    I'll let others with more experience chime in; but dryness is a sign of under, not over, cooking. 

    Also, I've never seen the top damper open fully and the bottom barely open. Is this common? What have I missed?
    Large Egg
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  • Timba
    Timba Posts: 34
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    This being just my third cook I will listen to any advice. With this setting it settled in on the temp I wanted between 250F and 270F. I used the toothpick and there was very little drag. 
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,396
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    @Timba-  if your thermo was calibrated and you had " very little drag" you likely pulled a bit early.  Your cook time would support that conclusion although all protein cooks behave as they wish.  Regarding the ring-a bit elusive with the BGE but presence or absence has no impact on the taste.
    Water pan-definitely not needed because of the moisture retention ability of the BGE.  However, if you decide to go down that road, just be mindful that it is a heat-sink.  Keep liquid in it or your steady-state temp will rise once the pan is empty.
    I would just crank out the next batch and run until you get where you want.
    For your first run at ribs you did a great job-remember it is a journey.  
    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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  • Timba
    Timba Posts: 34
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    @lousubca Would more cooking dried out the ribs more? Do you correlate dryness with BB being under cooked? 
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,396
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    I'm all about the feel-never have ended up with "dry ribs" on the BGE.  I run nekked for the duration.  Prep with dry rub, then on til done, usually around 250-260*F on the dome.  
    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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