Please critique my ribs

RandyC

Just finished eating the first ribs on my LBGE. The taste-flavor was excellent but the meat was not tender. Many of the ribs were just plain tough. i cooked the ribs at 250 give or take 30 degrees for 3 hours bone side down. Then removed and wrapped in foil with a few pats of butter, brown sugar and tiger sauce. Put back on the grill and cooked for another 45 minutes. 

What would cause the ribs to be tough? Did I cook the ribs too long or should I have cooked them longer?

thanks

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Tough ribs are always undercooked. If they were over cooked they would be “fall off the bone” tender. 

Phatchris

IMO if they are tough they are not done... I usually go 5-6 hrs unwrapped for St.Louis at 250.

johnnyp

Typical bbq meats have a lot of connective tissue that causes them to be tough.  Tough bbq means that it was undercooked.  Over cooked meats may be dry, but will be fall apart tender. 

JethroVA

undercooked. 

jeffwit

Agreed, undercooked. 

bgebrent

JethroVA said:

undercooked. 

This. 

JRWhitee

Undercooked for sure

pgprescott

I think you should have been close. Maybe 20 min. more in the foil and a 1/2 hour out of the foil. I’m a toothpick tester. Never fails me. It’s a fine line with ribs between not enough and too much. 

lousubcap

The best finish-line indicator for ribs IMO is the tooth-pick test.  Insert into the between ribs meat-no resistance and you are there; time and temperature (never have temped a rib cook) are only guides.  You'll nail 'em next time.
Btw if you want fall off the bone then foil is the easiest way to get there.  FWIW-

mEGG_My_Day

Agree with all above - undercooked.  I usually go 275 for about 6 hours and then check using toothpick test or bend test.  Don't pull till the toothpick probs with little to no resistance.

I never wrap, but many do. That's a personal preference.