Cooking baby back ribs, help please

mdelton

I tried cooking ribs for the first time on my egg, I was told to cook them for 90 minutes over low heat. I cooked them around 250 and they came out coked but too tough, anything but fall off the bone. Does anone have any advice to lend?

Mark

Avocados

At 250 I usually slow cook my ribs for about 5 hours. You might want to check out www.greeneggers.com for some recipes and advice. Many more experienced cooks there willing to answer questions and give advice.

Kew_el_steve

Try the 3-2-1 method for ribs; guaranteed perfect texture. You might want to check out www.greeneggers.com for some recipes and advice. Many more experienced cooks there willing to answer questions and give advice.

FSM-Meatball

90 minutes nowhere near long enough. You need indirect, 250 dome temp for around 5 hours.

Here's a good guide.
http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/2002/06/baby-back-rib-class.html

BENTE

i'm with fsm-meatball. his link is to the car wash mike methoud and that is the only way i cook pork ribs. they always come off the egg awesome

rujolish

I have only had my  BGE for about 3 weeks. My first effort at babybacks was using the method I found on the BGE Forum "Car wash Mike's Babyback Ribs."  When I checked them at the interval recommended I picked up one slab and the center rib bone literally fell out of the slab on the grill.  Best I've ever had!! One word of caution, don't leave the rub on longer than recommended because the salt in the rub will start to draw moisture out.  Although tempted to do so I followed Car wash Mike's instructions and they were "juiceylicious."

rickjrt

Guess I could use a suggestion or two with my baby back rib cook, please.  Prep was about standard, mustard, dry rub, let stand ect.  Fire at about 250, plate setter in place, wood for smoke, and all seems well.  I put my cast iron grate on the legs of the plate setter then my drip pan on top of that and my rib rack, with some water and apple juice in the drip pan, then my v-rack and the ribs in the rack.  Closed the lid, and at 1hr I sprayed with apple and apple cyder vinegar.  Did this for the next 5 hrs, the ribs were looking just great, But when I pulled them off and checked them they seemed no way near done.  What to do, we had other things going on so we went ahead and took them off.  Needless to say they were not nearly tinder enough.  Maintained fire at about 250 the whole time.  Others say that at that amount of time they are really fall of the bone tinder.  Does someone have a suggestion or two to help me out.  I was just sick over the outcome.  Seems every time I use the plate setter something goes wrong or something.  Yes the BGE is somewhat new to me and I am in the learning process.

boatbum

I cook till I see the meat sliding up the bone, looks like the bone is protruding from the end.   Would wonder if your fire is hot enough at the grill level ( calibration of dome thermometer).

When I first started with ribs, I didnt worry about the basting/mopping during the cook.   I got the ribs done - so I would know what to look for.   Did the meat start pulling back from the bone like in the picture below?  If not, they might not have had enough heat.   I dont remember for sure, then ones below might have gone 6 hours.

 

AD18

On original post you do not say whether the ribs are back ribs or side/spare ribs.  Either way, 90 minutes is no where near long enough to cook them.  I usually go at least 4 hours for back ribs and at least 6 for spares with grate temp of 225, and that is without opening the lid.  I don't foil.  I usually open the lid to check doneness about half an hour before expected done time to see where I stand and adjust cook times accordingly.  It has been stated here that every time the lid is opened to tack on another 15-20 minutes cook time. Using 3-2-1 method on spares is a good start, but backs are closer to 2-1-1 or 3-1 and sauce.  Better luck next time!!!! 

rickjrt

The temp was taken at the grill level and pretty much maintained that temp for the entire time, So why is it taking so long to cook temps taken with 732 I think that is the number.  The meat bones just barely started pulling back.  Every thing I have read says theirs are done within 5 or 5  1/2 hours.  

AD18

Rickjrt there are many parameters in regards to when the rib is done.  It sounds like your cook setup was sound and you followed "procedure" but time alone is not cast in stone.  Bend test is one way to check for doneness.  Grab them at the end and hold parallel to ground.  The other end should be pointing down.  That or grab in middle and both ends should be sagging down.  In either instance if they bend very little cook them some more.  Other test is toothpick test.  Stick a toothpick in between the ribs and if it slides in smooth and easily they are done.  If not put them back on.  If you opened the egg every hour to spritz then you probably added at least another hour or two for completion.  Some say for each time you open the lid you add 15-20 minutes cook time for heat to readjust itself.  As well I always put my plate setter and grate in prior to cooking to allow them to heat up.  Putting them in "cold" will suck up some of your heat as they climatize.  Final issue could be just plane tough old ribs.  Not likely, but possible.  Hope this helps, best of luck next time.

stike

Just undercooked. Some take longer.
Even when foiling, which speeds it, expect five hours.

Like littlesteven, i expect 6 or so with loin back ribs, 7-8 or so with spares