ribs...good when done, but get dry when they cool

Unknown

i think that i usually make pretty good ribs, especially when they come off the egg and they're nice and hot. the problem is when guests are late, and they have to sit around. they get about room temp, and then get tough.

after they come off the egg, i usually cut up the spares, put on a plate, and cover the plate with foil. but if i know the guests aren't there yet, would it better to leave them whole and just cover the whole slab in foil?

maybe the 3-1-1 method is drying them out? the best ribs i've done were the 1-1-1 method at 375 degrees. maybe it was a fluke, but i dunno.

what do all the eggs-perts think???

thanks~

Mike in Abita

I wrap them like a butt or brisket. Add a little liquid of your choice to the package and then slice them when your guests arrive. Could always wrap them and hold them in an oven set to warm.

Richard Fl

I usually do baby backs and just 5-6 hours spritzing and some sauce at the last hour or so. guests late place in pan and cover with foil.. heat sauce when serving.

3-1--1 I have never noticed hat it affects the tuff ness, it should make them more softed to the chew. IMHO.

Unknown

Sounds like your guests need to get to the house on time!! Or..better yet...schedule your cook process to end after the guests arrive....so they can enjoy fresh...hot off the egg...absolutely delicious....ribs......

When it comes to cooking for friends....I invoke the rules of baseball....3 strikes and you're out!!.....Come to my house late 3 times after I've slaved to make a great meal....and you won't be invited back for that kind of meal!! It'll be hamburger helper and some tropical deelite.....

Eddiemac66
Ft. Pierce, FL

stike

weird thing about collagen.

takes a lot of heat and time to convert it and break it down, and make it "wet". as long as you eat ribs or pulled pork hot, just after it's cooked, it'll be moist. but after it cools, the collagen congeals (into a different state than it originally was). it takes more heat to melt it (when reheating) than it does to convert it (or break it down) during the original cook, so ribs and butt will almost always fell drier cold unless you add chicken broth or sauce and/or reheat it til the collagen melts.

it's a pretty interesting thing. because your meat is no drier (moisture-wise) when cold than it was before just out of the smoker. all the 'juice' we associate with moist meat is long gone when you cook ribs or butt. the the moistness you DO feel is almost solely collagen. your meat IS overcooked and dry, just bathed in collagen. when it cools, you can see just how dry it really is, because the collagen is no longer doing its voodoo and masking the dryness.