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What is the best way to tell ribs are done

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HAWKEYEGG
HAWKEYEGG Posts: 20
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Made ribs yesterday did a method posted on the forum (Sticky Ribs) I have made these on a few occasions 3 hours open then 1 and a half foiled the last half hour covered with honey and sauce with the foil open. The family likes them but I was not impressed when I went to cut them they fell apart. I wanted more of a solid piece of meat comming off of the bone. I want to perfect these but don't know what direction to go. I am always concerned I am going to under cook them I was always told pork can make you sick if undercooked. Thanks for any help that can be given. My biggest frustration is last weekend my neighbor cooked some on his gasser an I think they turned out better than mine with less effort.
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  • WessB
    WessB Posts: 6,937
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    To me an hour and 1/2 in the foil is to long..they will come out sloppy falling apart...1 hour in the foil and then 45 minutes to an hour "out" of the foil to firm them back up yields good results for me..and that is for babybacks...falling apart is either overdone or not firmed back up enough...you should be able to take a long pair of tongs and go halfway down the rack from one end and pick them up without them breaking apart but having a serious bend to the rack...this is after the last step out of the foil...my website linked below may give you some pointers..
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  • thirdeye
    thirdeye Posts: 7,428
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    UltimateThrowdownA.jpg

    Well if you like that combination of flavor, and don't have a problem using a foil step.... I think all you did was leave them in the foil too long. Using foil is actually a separate part of the cook, and it's used for tenderizing only. The earlier part of the cook is for flavor, color and sweating some of the fats to the surface.

    I often cook loin ribs like the ones above for about 3 hours, then do a 45 minute to one hour foil step with honey (or sauce), sugar and some apple juice. When in the foil, the ribs should be meat down to get the benefit of the braising.

    DSC09692b.jpg

    DSC09694b.jpg

    DSC09695b.jpg

    When they are done just right, they look like this and the meat releases with a slight resistance.

    DSC00206ac.jpg

    DSC09148a.jpg
    Happy Trails
    ~thirdeye~

    Barbecue is not rocket surgery
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  • Bobby-Q
    Bobby-Q Posts: 1,994
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    Just cook them indirect without a foil step until they are at 205° in the meat between the bones. If they get done before you are ready wrap them in foil then in a towel and let them sit until 20 minutes before you serve them Give them 10 minutes to heat up and 10 minutes with the sauce to set it.

    250° is a very good temp for all of this.
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  • HAWKEYEGG
    HAWKEYEGG Posts: 20
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    Thanks for all of the input. It makes sense to me now that I probably left it in the foil too long. What is everyones opinion on the foil stage should I skip it completely?
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  • jetmac
    jetmac Posts: 34
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    I've never used the foil method. 5 hrs indirect on the egg is the same amount of time you cooked with the foil method, only you had the added step of putting them in and taking them out of the foil. Kind of complicates things for me and the results are probably the same.
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  • boston_stoker
    boston_stoker Posts: 794
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    What cooking temp would you recommend for this type of setup? Should I maintain that throughout the cook or vary it?
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  • Isolated01
    Isolated01 Posts: 157
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    I don't foil ribs either, I cook them low and slow for about 5 hours at 225-250. I look for a nice bend when I pick them up and also the creepage on the bones. I know of people who also stick them with a toothpick between the bones to check for tenderness.
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  • HAWKEYEGG
    HAWKEYEGG Posts: 20
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    Do you use a rib rack or cook them flat on the grate? Does it make a difference?
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  • Isolated01
    Isolated01 Posts: 157
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    I use a rib rack when I need the extra space, otherwise I don't think it matters.
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