A little pig help please

big hound · March 2009

I thought I was lucky to get my hands on eight racks of spareribs from a small farm in Iowa that raise saddleback-Hampshires.

After a nice long smoke for 7hrs at 210 indirect I pulled them. They were the toughest ribs I've ever had. I'm thinking that the guy sold me mature pigs. The rack was longer than most of the racks I get in the store, I had to fold the ends up just to fit on my large egg. The bones were and thin and very wide, about an inch to an inch and a half wide. Any pig experts who can give me a clue of weather they were old pigs. Also any suggestions on how to soften them up.
thanks.

Unknown · March 2009

7 hours @ 210 sounds VERY overdone to me.

Can you say shoe leather?

Rollocks · March 2009

7 hours will dry them out pretty well

big hound · March 2009

I've been doing 7 hrs for years never had them dried out before. They weren't really dry, but tough as nails. I can try these ones for a shorter cook time. I do use a pan with a bit of liqued to keep everything moist.

big hound · March 2009

The reason I think the time wasn't a factor was that I also did 2 racks of babybacks along side, and they came out fantastic. That's why I'm thinking that they were mautre pigs, plus the big wide bones.

Unknown · March 2009

So, hire a lawyer and sue your butcher.

Or.....just chalk it up to a bad batch or poor technique.

You *DO* know that "baby back" ribs aren't from "baby" pigs, don't you" They are usually loin back ribs from "mature" pigs or hogs.

sheesh!

stike · March 2009

7 hours at 210 sounds very UNDER done to me. spares take 6 hours minimum on a good day, indirect (no foiling). at 210, that will drag out the cook for a very long time. when i do butts at 220, verus 250, they take almost 23 hours a pound. at 250, butts run maybe 2 hours. so at 210, i'm thinking those spares never got through the plateau

i usually do spares at 250 for as much as 9 hours. the first time, they were an accident. and 9 hours proved almost TOO fall-off-the-bone.

you can't time ribs, and you can't get nervous that 7 hours will dry them out.

if they don't bend (fold in half) when you pick them up, they aren't done, no matter what time and what temp.

underdone ribs are dry and tought. and it takes a lot of trust to cook them beyong that point. but that's what it takes.

the spares sounded very meaty. they won't get much tougher as the hig is older, since they are pretty tough to begin with. but being bigger, they will extend cook time.

even foiled, with liquid, i think you'd plan on 6 to 7 hours. without liquid, plan on longer.

Little Steven · March 2009

big hound,

Did you do the BBs the same duration?

Steve

big hound · March 2009

yes put them on at the same time and took them off at the same time. Babybacks were aswome. Spares were as tough as my shoe

NibbleMeThis · March 2009

7 hours would be long at 225 grate temp but you said 210 (not sure if that's dome or grate level temps). I don't think that would make them tough.

I cooked three spares last weekend. 1 of the three was tough even though they were all cooked the same. Sometimes you just get a bad hunk o' pig.

big hound · March 2009

lol, he's actually got me some awsome beef, prime dexter cattle. I'm just trying to figure out if they're old tough pigs,and not me screwing up my cookin' and judging by the shape of the bones I figured they were. But I'm no expert when it comes to rasin' pigs.... or beef come to think of it.

big hound · March 2009

thanks Strike. I'll do the next ones from those spares I got longer.

Little Steven · March 2009

big hound,

I would guess the spares weren't on long enough as stike said. When I do spares they are usually seven hours at 250*

Steve

tasty tom · December 2009

has anyone tried putting a suckling on the egg.if so ,do you have the recipe

A little pig help please

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