Rib Tenderness Question

NCSU-Q

Cooked baby back ribs this past weekend basically following the CWM method...
-3 racks in a rib rack (upside down platesetter, shallow round pizza pan as a drip pan, grate on top of the platesetter legs.
-3 hours at 225 degrees (using a Digi-Q with the temp. clip hooked to the grate.
-bumped temp up to 250 for about another 1.5 hr
-pulled off to rest +/- 20 minutes; then sauced, then back on for about 15 min to warm the sauce...
-rest, cut, serve.

The taste was good but they were no where close to "fall of the bone" tender. Not tough, but still significant "chew" to them.

Am I just not cooking them long enough? I want them more tender, but do not want to dry them out either.

Thoughts?

Car Wash Mike

Fall off the bone is considered over done. They should have a slight tug. Try bumping it up to 275 for the last 45 minutes, then sauce.

Mike

Mark0525

Im afraid to touch this one but I would say they needed a little longer. I've found it hard to keep it going at 225 so I do mine at 250 for about 5, 5 1/2 hours. Then I do then bend test. Just my 2 cents. You'll get better responses from more people. I'm going to do more this weekend.

Capt Frank

Sounds like you did everything right although I cook mine all the way @250. Maybe you just had a tough Piggy! :laugh:

Capt Frank
Homosassa, FL

WessB

Most likely not long enough, you can check my website below for the foiling method, which results in a more like fall off the bone rib, depending on how long you leave them in the foil...I have tweaked some of steps over what is on my site.....If you're interested in trying it send me an e mail and I'll tell what I do differently..I need to get some newer pics so I can update those cooks properly...

WessB

Mark, he mentioned 225 at the cooking grid, which would equal 250ish dome temp..just stick with your 250 dome and it will be basically the same...

WessB

Thats only true if its an indirect cook BTW

Mark0525

Didn't catch that, but since you mentioned it. I have a question. When I did my long cook Friday night I used my Maverick 73 - One in the meat and I clipped one on the grate pointing up (if that makes sense) I'm assuming that it's not measuring dome temp but it's higher than grate. For a long cook what do you go by? I didn't want to keep running out and looking.

fishlessman

the baby backs i see lately go from very small to very big so im thinking toss the clock and learn what to look for when cooking them, ive had them cooked in less than 3 hours and as much as 6 hours. testing with a tooth pick and or bend test. if you really want them fall off, cook for three hours inderect, an hour or to wrapped in foil with a little liquid MEAT SIDE DOWN so the meat braises until it falls apart. then back on the grill to firm them back up without the foil. i prefer just cooking them til done though either raised grill direct or indirect;)

WessB

If you are cooking based on ANYTHING from this forum...you have to "assume" any temp mentioned is DOME temp...unless the recipe or the poster specifically states "grid" temp.....my cooks for butts or ribs I shoot for 235° grid temp....which makes the dome read around 250..the longer the cook goes the closer those two temps will get to one another....

Mark0525

I understand that, but my question is because I'm confused is when I use the probe for temp other that food what is that called and if it's calling for a temp of 250 (Dome) can I use the Maverick probe that is clipped on the grate sticking up or is that considered grate temp? Am I better off when I cook long to take the dome temp off and place the other probe in place of that one, if that makes sense.

WessB

You lost me.......if you clip your probe to the dome thermometer you would go by dome temp...if you clip it to the cooking grid you would go by grid temp...either of which would be considered "pit" temp....

Mark0525

I have the effect on people...lol I'm just trying to figure out my Maverick 73 Thermometer. I know the food probe goes into the food (duh) pretty easy, then it came with another probe for smoke that has a clip. I didn't know where to place that second probe (be kind) so I can rely on it to cook with. I'm not very good with explaining myself...sorry

Misippi Egger

Mark,

Let me help.

If you attach it to the backside of the dome thermometer or remove the dome thermometer and replace it with the "smoke" probe, then you will be monitoring the dome temp.
If you use the little clip that comes with your Maverick and attach it to the cooking level grid, then you are monitoring "grid" temp.

As Wess said there is usually a 20-25* difference between these two points, with the dome temp being higher.

Now for cooking, your recipe will tell you what temp to use (and monitor). If it is unspecified (dome or grid) then we mostly assume it means 'dome' temp.

If I am monitoring my pit temp, I usually put the probe at the grid level and make the mental adjustments. If I want a dome temp for ribs of 225*, then I want my monitored grid temp to stay around 200* (give or take 10-15* or so). You can keep checking early in the cook to determine your specific temp differentials and get a feel for what grid temp you want things to cook.

I hope that answers your concerns.

Mark0525

Thanks Clark yes that helped alot. Thank you too Wess, sometimes I don't get things

WessB

I hope that answers your concerns.

I hope it does to...I'm runnin out ways to splain it...well said BTW

WessB

Don't overthink things...we like to keep it simple around here...

Frank from Houma

No foil zone here on BBs or spares

240 grid all the way 5-7 hours

Bend test and I'm good to sauce if I'm in a saucy mood.

Hoss

Mark,one says food,use it for that.The one that says smoker can be used at grid level(that's what the clip is for,so you can attatch it to the grid rods) to tell you what the temp is at grid level.You can poke it in the dome temp hole to measure dome temp.Maybe you can't I remember the OEM probe for the smoker side is larger and blunt on the end.Anyway,It will measure the temp whever it is.Shoot for 250 dome,235 grid level.They are designed so you can measure your cooker's temp and your meat's internal temp at the same time.I have 3 of them and LOVE em!

NCSU-Q

Thanks for the help guys. I will definitely keep 'em on a bit longer next time and see if that does it. If not, I will try foil.