First attempt at ribs using Mickey's turbo method (with pics)

Stormbringer

I've been wanting to give ribs ago since our USA road trip back in September. Gave it a whirl tonight using @Mickey 's turbo method (described very well in this thread). Got the MM to 350, tossed JD smoking chips onto the coals, rubbed the ribs and cooked them for 1h40m, then brushed with homemade BBQ sauce, cooked for another 10 mins. I cooked them on two levels, don't have the vertical rib cooking device that others on the board have ... yet. Served with triple cooked chips and coleslaw.

The result was decent, a good smoke seasoning flavour. The ribs were a bit dry though. My guess is that they were cooked for too long, maybe because of the type of rib. I'm getting some baby back (loin) ribs tomorrow, I suspect they would do well from the full 1h40m. Also less rub next time, it got in the way of the meat taste. The BBQ marinade was tops though.

I used Dizzy Pig Dizzy Dust as a rub, what do others use as a rub for ribs?



(with pics_

gerhardk

I don't think they looked over cooked you probably needed to cook them a little longer.

Gerhard

Mickey

Looking a little over cooked. 

blind99

Looks pretty darned good from here. 

Mickey

Agreed, looking good. Just a little to long on the grill or grill hotter than you thought. 

Biggreenpharmacist

Cooked too long. Been there done that. 

YEMTrey

Great looking pics though.

Stormbringer

Mickey said:

Looking a little over cooked. 

They did taste good, but a little dry, I was expecting some juice in them. The dome temp was 350F on the BGE gauge, I have only just calibrated that so I'm confident that's accurate.

After sleeping on it, I think that for the type/size of ribs I had (St. Louis?) the cooking time was too long. The 1h40min seems to be used a lot for baby back ribs, or at least ribs which have more meat on them, so would need a longer cooking time? There wasn't a lot of meat on the ones I cooked. Even though, they were tasty and this was the first attempt, so onwards and upwards.

Also I didn't use a V-rack, is this an essential piece of kit for ribs? I didn't take a picture of the ribs cooking, but I cooked them flat using this setup.



The big revelation of the meal was that chips (fries) and coleslaw are a winning combination. Never tried that before.

nolaegghead

If you want to cook them fast, make braising part of the formula - wrap them in foil at some point.

Mattman3969

Stormbringer said:

Mickey said:

Looking a little over cooked. 

They did taste good, but a little dry, I was expecting some juice in them. The dome temp was 350F on the BGE gauge, I have only just calibrated that so I'm confident that's accurate.

After sleeping on it, I think that for the type/size of ribs I had (St. Louis?) the cooking time was too long. The 1h40min seems to be used a lot for baby back ribs, or at least ribs which have more meat on them, so would need a longer cooking time? There wasn't a lot of meat on the ones I cooked. Even though, they were tasty and this was the first attempt, so onwards and upwards.

Also I didn't use a V-rack, is this an essential piece of kit for ribs? I didn't take a picture of the ribs cooking, but I cooked them flat using this setup.



The big revelation of the meal was that chips (fries) and coleslaw are a winning combination. Never tried that before.

Just a thought but if the MM cooks anything like the mini on indirect you need to lower your temps some and flip the protein more often.  It's because the radiant heat coming from the PS is so much closer the bottom side actually cooks quicker.  If I'm cooking indirect on the mini I am usually 40-50° cooler than I would be on the small or large.  

This may or may not been part of the over cooking issue.  

Stormbringer

@Mattman3969 yep I think that was a factor too. I have now purchased a vertical rib rack which should make things easier. Also got some baby back ribs from our butcher.

cheeaa

Stormbringer said:

Mickey said:

Looking a little over cooked. 

They did taste good, but a little dry, I was expecting some juice in them. The dome temp was 350F on the BGE gauge, I have only just calibrated that so I'm confident that's accurate.

After sleeping on it, I think that for the type/size of ribs I had (St. Louis?) the cooking time was too long. The 1h40min seems to be used a lot for baby back ribs, or at least ribs which have more meat on them, so would need a longer cooking time? There wasn't a lot of meat on the ones I cooked. Even though, they were tasty and this was the first attempt, so onwards and upwards.

Also I didn't use a V-rack, is this an essential piece of kit for ribs? I didn't take a picture of the ribs cooking, but I cooked them flat using this setup.



The big revelation of the meal was that chips (fries) and coleslaw are a winning combination. Never tried that before.

Just a heads up, spares usually take longer than baby backs. You're overthinking this. If you're doing turbo check them after a little over an hour and see where you are at

Stormbringer

@cheeaa ... "you're overthinking this" ... SWMBO read that over my shoulder and nodded sagely . I'll check after an hour next time for sure.

SGH

Stormbringer said:

 I'll check after an hour next time for sure.

This ^^^^^^^^^^ is always wise when running high cooking temps no matter what you are cooking. You never know when something will need to be moved around or relocated to prevent scorching or burning. Or just to promote even cooking. 
As far as the 1:40 recommendation, it's a guide, not an absolute. Very few ribs are exactly the same size or thickness. Even fewer have the exact same amount of marbling. No two cooking vessels (offset, BGE) cook identical due to their differences in size, shape, air flow, general arrangement and setup. When running 350 degrees, I have seen ribs finish as quick as one hour and fifteen minutes. I have seen others go a full two hours. Big difference there. I'm in the camp of checking and looking at stuff. There is a an old saying that goes; "If you are looking you ain't cooking". I say bull$hit. Every thing that I have ever put in a smoker, on a grill, in an oven or deep fryer has ended up done in the end. Thus it must of have been cooking even though I was looking. 

bhedges1987

I just prefer low and slow for all BBQ. 

SGH

bhedges1987 said:

I just prefer low and slow for all BBQ. 

If time permits, I do too. However there are times that we all must crank up the heat to meet a deadline. 

cheeaa

Stormbringer said:

@cheeaa ... "you're overthinking this" ... SWMBO read that over my shoulder and nodded sagely . I'll check after an hour next time for sure.

Haha... yeah I used to be guilty of this too. Just remember, all youre doing is cooking meat. Dont overcomplicate it by thinking too much.  after a few cooks you will have experience on your side which makes things much less stressful. 

jeroldharter

A great accessory is a DigiQ. It will monitor your grate temp rather than the dome) and hold the temp rock solid. I use mine for temps up to 350.

Aviator

The MM might have something to do with his result.
I do Turbo ribs often on the LBGE and leave it the hell alone, bone side down.
Perfect , moist ribs, every time. No foil no BS. 
And eating in two hours. we sauce prn at the table. 

Stormbringer

Second time's the charm ... no pics, but ...

Did another set tonight. Cooked both racks raised in the MM (they just fitted) at 350F, with smoking chips at the start, for 45 mins, checking at 15 minute intervals. At this point they looked mostly there. Basted with BBQ sauce, cooked for a further 15 minutes and pulled. Fantastic taste, moist meat and easily pulled apart ribs.

These still aren't baby back/loin ribs, but they had more meat on them than the ones we had the first time. So I'm still thinking that a longer time is needed for loin ribs. However, we now know that for the standard ribs from our butcher, we have a method that works.

And that's what it's all about.