Baby Backs too lean...

Ed G.

Low and slow doesn’t seem to work very well on my baby backs. They come out dry at times. Cooking at 300 plus for a shorter time like JSlot's technique works better IMHO. I’ve read some articles that the National Pork Producers are producing a considerable leaner product. Years ago low and slow was great because of all the fat that had to be rendered, now a days should one smoke at a higher temp because of the leanness?[p]Thanks!

Yazoo

Ed G.,[p]I'm not trying to plug or ding any particular producer, but I've tried several brands, including the name brand packaged by my favorite grocery store W*D, but many seem very small, cook too fast and therefore end up dry. The ones I like the best are Smithfield baby back ribs. They're big and meaty. Just make sure to ask the butchers for slabs still frozen and thaw them yourself. I don't trust how long they stay in the meat case, not frozen. If the ribs you've tried are small, try some big meatier ones. I cook them indirect on the egg at 225 "grill temp", no-peek, for 4.5-5 hours until 200 degrees and they're to die for. Don't give up.

RRP

Ed G., well I just happened to have fixed my best baby backs yet ever yesterday and I used JSlot's method. No peek at 300 for 3 hours. At that point I wrapped in foil, returned to the grill and let coast for 10 minutes, then snuffed the fire for another 20 minutes and then removed the b/b still in the foil and wrapped them in towels and placed in a cooler. About 90 minutes later when it was time to eat I served the most wonderful tender ribs you can imagine. Enough to make a grown man cry! The ribs were Tyson 12% injected bought at Wally World and the rub was Ken Stone's Witchy Red. BTW my set up was using two fire bricks on edge and a deflector plate between them then an auxiallry grate across the brick edges. The smoke was from hickory chunks. I served BBQ sauce on the side, but neither the wifey or I even used any as the b/b were so delicious as they were...