Dissapointing ribs

Essex County

I cooked some baby racks over the weekend. They went for about five and a half hours at 230, indirect. I then wrapped and held them for another hour. Bottom line? They should have gone longer.[p]Now I have a couple of racks of leftovers. Can I just put them back on for a couple of hours wrapped in foil with a little moisture? Anyone have a successful rib rehab program?[p]Paul

guavawood

Essex County,[p]Throw them on the grill cut into idividual ribs. A chunk of wood for flavor, sear them and cover on and off to keep smokey. Slather some secret sause on them. Good as new![p]Works for me![p]Aloha,[p]Greg

RRP

Essex County, ask 20 people and you'll get 20 answers - but IMHO at 6.5 hours you way, way overcooked them. Next time try the 3/1.5/1 method or some variation. Better yet is to learn to read the ribs - I mean when the meat starts pulling away from the bone you're about done. Also consider buying a Thermapen, quick read thermometer and check the meat temp between the bones - should be 195°.[p]There is another possible factor too - were they "injected" ribs like from Tyson?

guavawood

RRP,[p]Ok...I'm clueless. What are "injected" ribs?[p]Learn'in new stuff every day!

RRP

guava wood, it's an unfortunate trend by meat packers such as Tyson to inject a 12 to 15% solution "to enhance the taste" that's pronunced as "screwing you by charging you 12 to 15% more for the water weight that is added". The topic has been a hot one from time to time.

Mark Backer

RRP,[p]My new jihad is to tell all of my meat illiterate friends about the "solutioned" meats. It's my mission to see that my friends by non-solutioned meats from reputable people and not those folks at walmart.

Essex County

RRP,
The thermapen suggestion is a good one. However, these were not overdone. (I've done that too!) If anything, they were underdone. Cook time was 5.5 hours and then they rested for an hour in foil. I had pulled a piece from the corner of one rack and it was perfect. But other than the ends, they were still a bit mushy and definitely didn't pull clean from the bone.[p]I've had success with the 3/1.5/1 technique but wanted to try a more consistent low temp approach for this batch.[p]Don't know if they were injected. They were repackaged (I assume) by the grocer. I have had some in the past that had a hammy taste and was told that's a sign of injected pork. These didn't taste that way.[p]Paul

egghead2004

RRP,
I wanted babybacks ribs sooooo bad yesterday I went to 5 different grocery stores, not one had fresh babybacks, they all had the prepackaged 12% solution ribs. Even BJs, who normaly was plenty of fresh ribs, had nothing but the "enhanced flavor" BS ribs.
My second choice was a couple tenderloins....guess what, only pre packaged dipped in solution cuts available. It is frustrating, all I want is an unadulterated piece of meat!
So fianly I settled for a center loin roast. It turned out great, but it didn't satisfy my craving for ribs.[p]

fishlessman

Essex County,
the super shop and save and the shaws market both repackage. they are hormel ribs and are not stated on the new stickers but are solution added. im guessing that the demoulas is also the same.

RRP

Essex County,
excuse me - but unless you stuck them in the refrig for the hour they were in foil - they were still cooking at that stage and that's why I said 6.5 hours. Actually I think the temp of 230 was too low for too long - try 250 in the future. My last guess is yes they were injected ribs - they always seem mushy to me - perhaps what you called undercooked.

Essex County

fishlessman,
...or Market Basket! Know any fresh pork purveyors north of Boston?[p]Paul

fishlessman

Essex County,
you probably live near the best one with the butcherboy, but those prices are up there.they have some good looking babybacks but no big ribs and the price when i was there last time was just sky high.their tbone steaks cant be beat though and great bacon. thwaites in methuen has pork butts and chuck roll in the back if you ask. never asked them if they had ribs though. they are a small old shop that is on my way home so i pick up an occasional pork pie (very good) and their sausage is good.

Charles in SC

Essex County,
Was the temp you stated at the cooking grid or the dome thermometer? In my egg the dome reads hotter than the grate level. I would guess that you need to boost your temp about 30-40 degrees. To finish the ribs off after slow cooking all you need to do is run the heat up to about 350 dome and cook till the meat pulls back about 3/8-1/2 from the end of the bones. Add sauce about 15 min. before you are going to take them off the cooker.

YankeeBBQ

Essex County,
Go to Costco. I think the brand is Swift.[p]Steve

Salmon

Essex County,[p]What I've done in the past was to wrap them in plastic wrap and then in foil to re-heat. The plastic wrap will keep all your moisture in. [p]A good way to determine if your ribs or done is to grap a slab about 4 bones up. Take ahold of two ribs and pull, if it starts to tear then they are done.......easy peasy!!![p]Rick[p]

Essex County

Charles in SC,
It was the dome temp. Next time I will try a higher temp and pay more attention to the meat pulling back on the bone. I ended up putting them back on at 300, covered with foil, for about 90 minutes, then boosting the temp to 350 for the last 15 minutes. They were great! [p]Thanks to all for suggestions![p]Paul