My Ribs went poorly, thoughts?

eggTHENchicken · December 2010

For starters, sorry about not having pictures, they would probably tell a better story.

I cooked ribs yesterday and tried to stick the to CWM method as best I could. I did the mustard, some dizzy pig, let them rest in the fridge for an hour. I had them on the grill between 225-275ish for 6+ hours (2 racks). I used a lot of hickory wood chips for smoke. When I tried eating them last night, they were still pretty moist, but not even close to fall-off-the-bone kind of tender. They were very pink to me and basically looked like cooked ham on a rib. They tasted fine, just didn't look anything like normal ribs. Any ideas why that might be?

Fidel · December 2010

Were they enhanced, aka 15% solution added? Smithfield ribs are really bad about this.

tjv · December 2010

best way to tell if ribs are generally done is to grab as in the picture, if think the bent end is going to split and fall off, then the ribs are done.

on your cook, if the ribs were babybacks should have been done or very close, if spare ribs then most likely needed more time, if st. louis style then close to done.

you can always foil and let the moisture steam them a bit, helps to tenderize. t

SmokeyPitt · December 2010

Were they baby back (loin back) ribs or spares? Perhaps they just didn't cook long enough. Also possible you used too much wood for your personal taste.

One other thought- not all baby backs are created equal. At my kroger they have 2 types. The "natural" are always $1 more per lb. However, they are a much smaller cut (cut closer to the rib). The less expensive are fine- but it's sort of like there is "extra meat" hanging off of them that is not really rib meat. I'm not a butcher or anything so perhaps I'm way off base- but I think the smaller cuts are more tender.

Those ribs in tjv's pic sure look good!

Photo Egg · December 2010

I agree.

Photo Egg · December 2010

I agree.

Frobozz · December 2010

First, you probably used too much smoke, making your ribs "hammy." "A lot" of hickory chips is a hint of that, and hickory itself is quite strong. I know that hickory smoked ribs are classic BBQ, but I think you'll find a lot of people here use much milder woods, such as apple (I personally prefer blackjack oak, which is moderately strong).

So: Cut down on your smoke. I'd suggest using chunks instead of chips, with perhaps three fist-sized chunks for the whole smoker.

Second, you have a 50-degree temp swing. that's quite a bit. I'm not sure if the ribs spent more time at 225 or 275, but that's obviously going to affect doneness time.

Third, did you remove the membrane from the ribs?

Fourth, what kind of ribs? Spares take considerably longer to cook than baby backs.

I use the 'pull test' to determine doneness. Grab two rib bones and pull in opposite direction. If they start to tear the meat apart, the ribs are done; you can then adjust to your desired degree of doneness.

Finally, if you really want fall-off-the-bone tender, consider a longer foiling time with some kind of liquid. I'm not a fan of ribs this tender -- I think they lose flavor -- but obviously this preference is not true for many people.

Photo Egg · December 2010

First time I have ever seen a post about to much smoke giving a "hammy" taste. For me, lots of smoke will make it taste very smoky and or give the food a bitter taste.
Thanks for the tip.

Buckethead · December 2010

I'm voting with Fidel on the water salt phosphate added rib. If you look at water added ham label that is what it will read. Kroger in the GA market uses a "moist and tender" pork that is solution added. I purchase most pork from Costco.
DMo

eggTHENchicken · December 2010

They were indeed Smithfield ribs, so I think Fidel is on to something. I'm not sure about the too much smoke theory, because they didn't taste too smokey, and I've used similar amounts of hickory in the past on ribs.

I am starting to learn towards a combination of them not being done enough, and the solution Fidel talked about. Had I kept them on longer, or cooked a little warmer, would the hammy-ness gone towards a more traditional type rib?

Photo Egg · December 2010

"Had I kept them on longer, or cooked a little warmer, would the hammy-ness gone towards a more traditional type rib?"

Not if they were packaged in sodium solution.
A longer time in the foil might help a little.

crghc98 · December 2010

The solution added to the hammy flavor, not the smoke. If you like a lot of smoke, load up, if not cut back as suggested...try a few cooks and you will know.

Roll Tide · December 2010

+1
My wife picked up some smithfield ribs on accident and they were horrible. the solutions did indeed make it taste hammy and was very, very salty.... First time that I can ever remember having ribs left over....

stike · December 2010

lot of hickory smoke would turn them pink. same thing that makes ham pink makes the ribs pink. you had a deep smoke ring. 6+ hours is about right for back ribs. if the were spares, you would need to go longer. even back ribs can go longer than 6 hours...

sounds like they weren't done.

danny285 · December 2010

I use only Kroger BBs, cooked indirect at 250 for 2.5 to 3 hrs. no wood just Ozark Lump.

Jeffersonian · December 2010

I'm surprised no one mentioned it up to now, but I'd check your thermometer, too. You might think you've got 225-275* in the dome, but a goofy thermometer could be lying to you, causing you to cook at a far-lower temp.

My Ribs went poorly, thoughts?

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