Baby Backs on BGE - cant get it right

SGH

blakeas said:

I have tried 4 times now in the last 2 months and I cant get it right.  

I'm going to help you out my friend. Just try this simple method and see what you think. Pull the membrane off of the back of the ribs. Rub with salt, pepper and I like to add a hint of cayenne just because. You can skip the cayenne if you so chose. Do not foil the ribs at any point. You can chose what temp you want to cook them at. That's totally up to you. I have ran them as low as 200 degrees and as high as 425 degrees with exceptional results. However I recomend that you stay 350 degrees or lower until you get proficient at turning out good ribs. Simply cook the ribs until they let loose or pass the bend test. Do not try to cook to a exact time. Time is merely a guide. Just cook until they are done. No foil, no magic, no voodoo. Just salt, pepper, heat and meat. Works every time. Good luck in the future my friend. Here is a pic of ribs that have let go.

JohnH12

SGH said:

blakeas said:

I have tried 4 times now in the last 2 months and I cant get it right.  

I'm going to help you out my friend. Just try this simple method and see what you think. Pull the membrane off of the back of the ribs. Rub with salt, pepper and I like to add a hint of cayenne just because. You can skip the cayenne if you so chose. Do not foil the ribs at any point. You can chose what temp you want to cook them at. That's totally up to you. I have ran them as low as 200 degrees and as high as 425 degrees with exceptional results. However I recomend that you stay 350 degrees or lower until you get proficient at turning out good ribs. Simply cook the ribs until they let loose or pass the bend test. Do not try to cook to a exact time. Time is merely a guide. Just cook until they are done. No foil, no magic, no voodoo. Just salt, pepper, heat and meat. Works every time. Good luck in the future my friend. Here is a pic of ribs that have let go.

Now that's the perfect K.I.S.S. formula!

mgillia

SMOKED BABY BACK RIBS: MODIFIED 2-1-1 METHOD

 

3 Racks Baby Back Ribs

Rib Rub (Slap Ya Mama – yellow container)

Bone Sucking Sauce (found in Lowe’s or Pepper Palace)

Wood (fruit mixed w/hickory - for at least 1 hour of smoke)

Brown Sugar

Honey

Apple Juice

 

2 hours “unwrapped” bone side down or on Rib Rack

1 hour “double wrapped” in heavy duty foil, bone side down

1 hour “unwrapped” bone side down

 

Trim ribs.  Remove membrane from bone side of ribs.  Apply Slap Ya Mama Rub and let them sit on counter until smoker is ready.

 

Wood chips soaked 1 hour or wood chunks not soaked.

 

Smoker - 250 degrees until last hour then kick it up to 275.

 

First 2 hours are unwrapped – either bone side down or on a Rib Rack (might have to trim ribs to fit or cut them in half).

 

After 2 hours, spread honey & brown sugar on a double sheet of heavy duty foil.  Place ribs bone side down on foil & spread more honey & brown sugar on top. Pour a little apple juice inside then wrap semi-tight. Remove Rib Rack from smoker (if previously used).  Put ribs back on smoker for 1 hour, bone side down (may have to stack them).

 

After 3rd hour, unwrap ribs and put them back on smoker for 1 hour (bone side down -  may have to stack) - increase heat to 275 and mop on sauce if you want wet ribs -- reapply midway through, then pull them off and eat like a pig!

 

NOTE:  Do not apply sauce if you prefer dry ribs.  You can always have sauce on the side for dipping.

 

NOTE:  Slap Ya Mama Rub (in yellow container) is by far the best rub we’ve used for ribs, thus far.

 

NOTE:  For BGE: indirect, oval stone, adjustable rig (remove top extended rack), foil oval ring, 2 apple & 2 hickory chunks.

 

These are by far the best I've ever smoked!

 

Sunny side up, rubber side down!

mgillia

Ooops.  Shiny side up, rubber side down!

Brisket_Fanatic

Baby backs I like to let go 6 hrs straight through at 250 degrees dome temp, saucing the last 45 mintues or so. I pull the membrane off, then rub them down with canola oil, coat liberally with your favorite rub. Use a mix of pecan and cherry and they are o so delish!

blakeas

ok - So I tried the baby backs on the egg again after a full year of Just using the oven when the egg didn't work.  I did the 2-1.5-30 minute.  My egg would be between 250 and 300.  Could not get it stabilized.  used an oakridge rub.  Did 2 hours bone down indirect.  then 1.5 double wrapped in foil with apple juice and when I went to get them out after 1.5 hours the meat was lready coming off the bone.  So I took them out of the foil carefully and put them on the grate.  However, it was all pulling off the bone so basically is just left them on for another 10 to 15 minutes and then brought them inside.  They were delicious!  guess I didn't do the foiling right before.

Just wanted to give everyone an update

bhedges1987

oven cooked ribs .... ewww

tgs2401

I have been successful with the 3-1-1 method using baby back ribs.
I prep the ribs a day before and let them soak in the rub.

- 3 hours in the egg at 250 degrees, unwrapped, plate setter legs up, Use hickory and/or cherry or pecan wood for smoke.

- 1 hour wrapped in foil with with a little liquid (beer, apple juice, apple cider vinegar, etc....) This braises the ribs and softens them up a bit (but doesn't make them mushy).

- 1 hour back on unwrapped, still at 250. after 30 minutes, start basting with sauce (or not if you want them dry.

da87

I landed on this simple approach for ribs after digging through the forum - but sounds like I'm still in the honeymoon phase and I fear the slump!  So far my big fail is brisket...
* Remove membrane
* Memphis dust (google the recipe - very easy to make at home) the night before, reapply just before they co on the egg
* I put a mix of water, apple juice, and apple cider vinegar in the drip pan
* 2-1-1 (3-1-1 worked great for me with spareribs but, again for me, baby backs turned out overdone)
* First 2 hours just indirect and the rub over the drip pan
* Next hour in foil, I put about 1/4 cup of a mix of 1/2 apple juice and 1/2 apple cider vinegar in the sealed foil
* Final hour out of foil and with BBQ sauce of choice lightly applied (can always add more at the table)

So far, so good - last effort was with SRF baby backs and they were amazing - due to incredible meat quality, not my cooking approach!

Ladeback69

mgillia said:

SMOKED BABY BACK RIBS: MODIFIED 2-1-1 METHOD

 

3 Racks Baby Back Ribs

Rib Rub (Slap Ya Mama – yellow container)

Bone Sucking Sauce (found in Lowe’s or Pepper Palace)

Wood (fruit mixed w/hickory - for at least 1 hour of smoke)

Brown Sugar

Honey

Apple Juice

 

2 hours “unwrapped” bone side down or on Rib Rack

1 hour “double wrapped” in heavy duty foil, bone side down

1 hour “unwrapped” bone side down

 

Trim ribs.  Remove membrane from bone side of ribs.  Apply Slap Ya Mama Rub and let them sit on counter until smoker is ready.

 

Wood chips soaked 1 hour or wood chunks not soaked.

 

Smoker - 250 degrees until last hour then kick it up to 275.

 

First 2 hours are unwrapped – either bone side down or on a Rib Rack (might have to trim ribs to fit or cut them in half).

 

After 2 hours, spread honey & brown sugar on a double sheet of heavy duty foil.  Place ribs bone side down on foil & spread more honey & brown sugar on top. Pour a little apple juice inside then wrap semi-tight. Remove Rib Rack from smoker (if previously used).  Put ribs back on smoker for 1 hour, bone side down (may have to stack them).

 

After 3rd hour, unwrap ribs and put them back on smoker for 1 hour (bone side down -  may have to stack) - increase heat to 275 and mop on sauce if you want wet ribs -- reapply midway through, then pull them off and eat like a pig!

 

NOTE:  Do not apply sauce if you prefer dry ribs.  You can always have sauce on the side for dipping.

 

NOTE:  Slap Ya Mama Rub (in yellow container) is by far the best rub we’ve used for ribs, thus far.

 

NOTE:  For BGE: indirect, oval stone, adjustable rig (remove top extended rack), foil oval ring, 2 apple & 2 hickory chunks.

 

These are by far the best I've ever smoked!

 

Sunny side up, rubber side down!

This is basically the method I do for baby backs or spares, but add a little squeeze butter and apple juice when I foil.  Come out great every time.  If you want them to be fall off the bones you could modify it and do a 2.0 3-1 or 2.5 to 3 hours of smoke at 250 to 275, foil and add ingredients for and hour.  pull let  sit, pull from foil and the should full off the bone, but not be total mush.

I agree that spare ribs are more forgiving and I like cooking them more.  I don't even mess with baby backs much anymore.  Here is my last spare cook, but I did them on my WSM.  Egg was full of brisket at the time.

Hub

Everyone has their own way and their own preferences.  I've never wanted my ribs to "fall off the bone" but instead to cleanly pull away from the bone when I take a bite.  Additionally, I've not done well with the turbo method.  I'm an old school, low-n-slow man.  I also prefer the baby backs to St Louis or spares ... I enjoy the leaner cut.

Little Steven

rtt121 said:

@carl292 is correct.  250 grate indirect 3 hours.

You are making it too hard.

That seems a bit light. I'm 4 1/2 to 5 hours @ 250. Not an expert by any means but I find they don't get tender till the last hour.

Hans61

I'd up your temp by 25-50degrees and then do the toothpick test or the bend test. The egg will put your oven to shame once you get it down