First Attempt At Ribs

TheDiscerningGlutton

I have been breaking in my BGE slowly over the last couple of months, trying new items as I go along.  Today, I had pretty good success winging it with a rack of pork ribs, and thought I'd share what I did in case anyone can offer any tips for improvement.

Yesterday, I made my own rub, which I applied generously to both sides of the ribs.  I then wrapped the rack in plastic wrap and kept in the refrigerator overnight.  Today, around mid-day, I took the ribs out and let them adjust to room temperature while I prepared the egg.

For my egg setup, I put in a healthy amount of lump charcoal, with a middle layer and a top layer of mixed woodchips (about 2/3 hickory, 1/3 cherry).  The woodchips had been soaking water since yesterday as well.  I used the plate setter in the inverted position for indirect heat.  On top of it, I sat a very large drip pan, which had a mixture of water, apple juice, and cider vinegar in it as well to add moisture and flavor to the ribs.  Then, on top that, I placed the grill piece only (no V-rack).

I cooked the ribs for a total of about 8 hours at around 235 degrees.  They heated up relatively quickly (over the first couple of hours) to around 145 degrees, had a slow climb into the 160's, and then stalled for a couple of hours around 163/164.  Around 6 1/2 hours into cooking, they broke through the stall and began to slowly climb in temperature.  When the internal temp was around 170, I moderately basted the ribs with a homemade barbecue sauce.  From there, it took about another hour and half to reach an internal temperature of 195.  I allowed the egg's temperature to go up to around 260/270 in the last hour or so of cooking.

When the meat was fully cooked, I wrapped the ribs in foil and placed them in my kitchen over (turned off, but intended to lock in the heat), since I did not have a cooler available.  I used the still hot egg to roast some corn on the cob, while giving the ribs another half hour in the foil.  After that, I unwrapped and enjoyed a late dinner.

All in all, I thought that the ribs came out pretty well.  The smokey flavor was abundant and the rub seems to have provided a good balance of flavor, with a touch of spice.  The meat was very tender, although I might have liked for it to have been a little bit juicier (though it was far from dry).

The attached picture was taken just after I first basted the ribs, and about an hour and a half before I took the ribs off of the egg.

I very much welcome any thoughts, criticisms, or suggestions for future attempts at ribs.

Ottawa_Eggman

Pics did not attache. I don't have much experience with ribs but 8 hrs seem a bit much to me
 

TheDiscerningGlutton

I was wondering if it attached.  I'm trying again with this comment...

tazcrash

I didn't see the pic earlier, but can see it now. 

Do you have an ingredient lists for the run and sauce? 

boatbum

Sounds like you are happy with the results - bravo.  It's all about cooking what you like to eat.

Sounds like you hit all the key points - my personal process with ribs is not so much cooking to temp - but cooking till the meat pulls back from the bone and they fold over when picked up from one end.  Briskets and Butt are all about the temp - rib's more of a poke and pick to determine when they are done.

The rubs, basting, and glazes are personal preferences, sounds like you are more advanced than I am.   I have never made my own rub.

I used to soak my wood ( chips or chunks ).   Was in that habit from my previous smoker(s).   Have found that with the Egg, no need to soak the wood.   I do prefer chunks over chips, unless its something that I want an immediate, shorter duration smoke.

MikeP624

I did two racks of baby back ribs a few weeks back and it took about 5.5hrs.  The extra time could have started to dry out the meat.   I followed Car Wash Mike's method.  They were great.  His method seems to be pretty popular on this site.

Egg Juju

They look good... never tried temp on ribs either, but it sounds like it worked!

lemonade

I did two racks of baby back ribs a few weeks back and it took about 5.5hrs.  The extra time could have started to dry out the meat.   I followed Car Wash Mike's method.  They were great.  His method seems to be pretty popular on this site.

As a complete newbie  (egg arrived yesterday!), it's sounding like despite the capability of the egg, you can get great ribs without cooking for 10-16 hours?!   That's good news!  I expected to find  (and yet have not ) rib recipes requiring lots of basting, spritzing with cider/juice, and really really long cook times, like you see on the TV shows on BBQ contests.     

That said,  I'm still looking for a good way to approach the 3 racks of ribs in my fridge I'm dying to --but scared -- to throw on the egg.    I might just start with Car Wash Mike's, since I bought the egg cook book.  I"m just surprised that the recipes I've seen so far are for "short" cook times....

spotco2

Car Wash Mikes method is pretty fool proof for getting fantastic ribs, but if you are in more of a hurry, search for Turbo Ribs here and you can be eating in about 2 hours.

Turbo is almost as good as Car Wash Mikes but not as smokey...still very tender and juicy though.

I've got 3 racks on right now.

lousubcap

I feel obligated to point out at least one down-side to anything with "turbo" in front of the cook-less time to stabilize the adult beverage consumption-to each his/her own:)>-

stike

hard to screw up ribs. accidentally went 9 hhours on spares, and they were fine.

ribs and butts aren't really 'mosit', because you have pretty much driven off all the water.  you're left with collagen, well, gelatin made from the collagen.  that's succulent, and 'moist' in a way.  but you won't even get moist meat like you do with a steak.

if they were spares, i could see going as long as you did.  no worries.  they are pretty forgiving

paqman

Do you foil spares?