Indirect cooking times way off - baby back ribs example

grin_phi

Still getting to grips with my medium BGE.

I'm trying to understand why indirect cooking is taking way longer than expected each time. I know that no two pieces of meat are the same and times are only estimates, but my cooking times seem to overrun standard estimates by hours and hours.

On my previous post Low and slow pork - help for a beginner I got some real great help and advice. I'm fortunate that butt can handle ramped up temperature because otherwise i would have needed another 6 hours at least over the 2 hours per pound estimate. On that post I also mentioned spare ribs that took way more that five hours to cook.

Today I cooked a 1.8lb rack of baby back ribs following the method on amazingribs.com. The general thinking seems to be that a rack takes between 3 and 4 hours at 225f. But today, after four hours I don't feel my ribs were nearly ready  - edible but not ready.

The bark hadn't really developed. The rack bent when picked up but the bark didn't crack. The meat was tasty but way too chewy. There wasn't much pull back either :(

I feel like something must be wrong with my process if everything takes hours more than the experts estimate given I follow their processes quite carefully.

Has anyone else experienced this or got any ideas what the general cause could be? All help appreciated.

Here are some pics of the ribs at four hours to illustrate.

Tjcoley

A lot of folks cook ribs 3-2-1. That's 3 hours indirect, 2 hours wrapped in foil with liquid, 1 hour out of the foil. Last ribs I did were 4-0-1. Four hours indirect, no foil, 1 hour direct, and they were great. At 225' 3-4 hours is not usually long enough. Either bump up the temp, or cook Em longer.

smbishop

From my experience, a 225 dome temperature will make your cooks very long.  I do ribs and butts at 235 Grid, which balances out to 250 or so dome temp.  I also will  bump up the temp at the end of the cooks..And of course, have you calibrated your thermometer?

nolaegghead

I would estimate 6 hours at 225F.  Cook them hotter or foil them.  Also, check your thermometer.

SGH

@grin_phi‌
I cook BB ribs pretty often on my egg at 225 degrees. Depending on the size of the slabs and a few other variables you are looking at a 5-6 1/2 hour cook in my experience on the egg. You have to take several things into consideration when you read posted cook times no matter what the source. Examples-
What type cooker did they use.
What was their set up. Direct, raised direct, indirect, quick sear then indirect.
Quality, quantity and fat content of meat in question.
How high in the dome.
Water pan or no water pan.
Drip pan.
Size of meat in question compared to yours.
How well was temp maintained through out the cook.
How often was the cooker opened.
Wrap or no wrap.
These are just a few examples of many things that can and most certainly will affect cook times.
I hope I have at least helped a little my friend.

grin_phi

Yo Tjcoley - Thanks. Trying to avoid foiling (for some unknown reason, hassle probably). Am going to have to make an adjustment obviously. More time I think.

grin_phi

Thanks smbishop - I have not calibrated my themometer (gulp) but am using a dual probe so the temps I quote are always grid temps. Funny how lots of sources recommend 225 as a cooking temp when it seems to cause such problems.

Thanks nolaegghead - gonna give them six hours plus next time. Crazy.

grin_phi

Cheers SGH - Fair point, not all methods I am following are explicitly for BGE. Guess I have to allow more time and be more patient!